2024 Iowa Vietnam Veterans Recognition Day Ceremony

The State of Iowa Official commemoration of Vietnam Veterans pre-dates the national observance by a decade, but Iowa veterans are encouraged to observe both days. Sponsored by IDVA and Central Iowa VA Health Care System (CIVAHCS) this year marks the 18th Iowa Vietnam Veterans Recognition Day, and the final year of the 13-year national 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War Commemoration. Both organizations are official commemoration partners. 

In 2007, Iowa legislators designated May 7th as Iowa Vietnam Veterans Recognition Day to coincide with the official date designated by President Ford's Proclamation as the end of the Vietnam era, which is currently recognized by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for eligibliy of war-related veteran disability claims. This date is also inclusive of the anniversary of the last flight evacuating U.S. Embassy personnel April 29-30th, 1975, which was piloted by Des Moines native U.S. Marine Col. Gerry Berry. It also includes the April 29th death of U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Darwin Judge of Marshalltown, killed while protecting the embassy evacuation in Operation Frequent Wind. Judge, and Cpl. Charles McMahon were the last two U.S. casualties of the war killed in Vietnam. The People's Army of Vietnam entered Saigon within hours after, and despite immediate diplomatic requests, their remains were not returned by the new Socialist Republic of Vietnam until a year later. 

National Vietnam Veterans Day was not recognized by congress or the White House until 2017 - 10 years after the state began recognizing Vietnam Veterans. The federal government chose March 29th, 1973, to coincide with the official Paris Peace Accords U.S. withdrawal deadline, which is also the eligibility stop-date for veterans to receive the Vietnam Service Medal.  

The U.S. troop withdrawal ended up being the only part of the peace accords carried out by any country involved.  Members participating in Operation Frequent Wind and the Mayaguez Operation in Cambodia, May 15th, are normally honored and recognized by the VA, Vietnam Memorial Wall and most organizsations as Vietnam Veterans. But, like other members serving in Vietnam prior to 1965, were awarded the separate Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.

U.S. Marine Col. (ret) Gerry Berry - who piloted the last helicopter to leave the embassy during the fall of Saigon - will be the keynote speaker at the State of Iowa event.  But there are other formal opportunities to recognize the sacrifices of Vietnam Veterans before then. 

• March 29th, IDVA Commandant Todd Jacobus will speak at the Nation Vietnam Veterans Recognition Day Event in Mount Pleasant. 
• The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund invites you to share how you honor those who served by video or audio any time at https://www.vvmf.org/honor-vietnam-veterans/. 
• VVMF and Vietnam Veterans of America invite you to join them at Noon CST (1:00 p.m. EST) for the virtual commemoration of National Vietnam War Veterans Day on March 29th. You can join them on their website at: https://www.vvmf.org/ or on their Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/vietnamveteransmemorialfund. You may even see your video or hear your audio during the ceremony! 
• The Militarybenefits.info and VA’s Vantage Point sites also have several events and activities posted to mark the day. To stay connected and participate, please "click" on the links, and show your appreciation for our Vietnam Veterans and their families.
• Col. Berry will also give his full presentation May 12th at the Iowa Gold Star Museum, and May 16th at Iowa Veterans Home. 

If you are hosting a local event and would like it publicized, feel free to add it to the Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs Interactive Calendar at https://va.iowa.gov/events. If the calendar won’t allow you to directly publish it, go ahead and submit your event and we’ll add it for you.

New this year, IDVA will also sponsor and host a program to honor Lance Cpl. Darwin Judge April 29th, at 10:00 a.m. at Iowa Veterans Home, in his hometown of Marshalltown. All are welcome to participate or attend. 

For comments or suggestions, for the May 14th event, please feel free to email, text or call Dan Gannon, Iowa Vietnam Veterans Recognition Day Chair at gannonobx@aol.com, 515-991-5257; or contact Karl Lettow at the Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs (karl.lettow@iowa.gov).