The Berrien County Veterans Services office is planning a ceremony to mark the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War next month.
Veterans Services Director Maureen Adams tells us the ceremony will be at the Vietnam Memorial on the bluff in St. Joseph on March 29 starting at 10 a.m. There will be a pinning ceremony for the veterans on hand, guest speakers, a musical performance, and students from nearby schools with Thank You and Welcome Home cards for the veterans.
Adams says this this event marking the end of the war, it brings new significance for the veterans.
“A lot of it is that they were never really truly welcomed home,” Adams said. “So acknowledging their service and welcoming them will also give them, I think, a special opportunity to reconcile with some of that.”
Adams says Berrien County is home to more than 2,000 Vietnam veterans, and she’s expecting a strong turnout.
“I’m anticipating we’ll have probably about 100, 125. We will be doing a registration just so we can have a headcount, but you don’t have to be registered to attend.”
Also, Adams says the spouses of deceased Vietnam veterans are invited. She’s expecting the March 29 event to run about an hour.
St. Joseph City Commissioners this week approved the ceremony’s event application.
