Vietnam War Commemoration Begins
Memorial Day 2012 marked the start of a national commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War.
The kick-off began at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. as National Commander Donald Samuels and President Barack Obama held an official press conference to announce the official commemoration will span 13 years—the length of time that the United States spent building up its presence in Vietnam.
In total, the Vietnam War was fought by more than a half-million troops under the leadership of three presidents.
During the Memorial Day ceremony, Obama called referred to the Vietnam War as “one of the most challenging missions we have ever faced”. Samuels, a combat-wounded veteran of the Vietnam War, laid a wreath on the wall.
The Department of Defense also was on hand to announce that Senator Chuck Hagel, a decorated Vietnam War veteran was recently selected to chair the new Vietnam War Anniversary Committee.
Meanwhile, across the nation, veterans and others are thinking of ways to educate others about the Vietnam War and to commemorate the anniversary in their own communities.
