On National Vietnam Veterans Day Friday, the Montgomery County Commission on Veterans Affairs will honor more than 80 county Vietnam War Era veterans.
A detailed tribute to those veterans will be posted on a website created by the commission. It will include photos, military histories and personal updates of Vietnam veterans who are either originally from Montgomery County or who lived here after their service. The site can be viewed at www.montgomerycountymd.gov/
“A special day has been created to honor the veterans who served in the Vietnam War era,” said Wayne Miller, a Vietnam veteran and chair of the County Commission on Veterans Affairs.
“However, the people who served in that difficult period of our nation’s history should be honored every day. This website enables people of our current generation to learn more about the Americans who served during the Vietnam War. The website provides details on how the war influenced the rest of their lives. It also pays tribute to those who gave their lives when asked to serve their country,” he said.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau estimates, more than 32,000 County residents are veterans. Of that number, more than 8,400 are Vietnam War Era veterans.
Records show that 130 county residents were killed in Vietnam. Their names are on the County’s Vietnam Memorial Wall in Memorial Plaza in Rockville.
Veterans can share their story, or someone can share the story of a friend or family member, by filling out the Commission’s Google form or filling out its PDF form.
The following information is needed on the forms:
- Veteran’s name.
- Name of person submitting information and relationship to the individual.
- Branch of service and rank.
- Years of service.
- Era served (WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Gulf War, Global War on Terror or peacetime/other).
- Brief narrative of their service.
- Must have been issued a Department of Defense DD-214 Veteran status.
- Connection to Montgomery County (where the individual currently lives, grew up, attended high school or college/university, etc.).
- Photos (preferably one during their service and one present day).
