Rep. Phyllis Mundy

May 15, 2008

Vietnam Veterans Recognition Ceremony

Today, Armed Forces Day, we pause to honor the men and women who served our nation over the course of more than two centuries.  However, at this ceremony, we take time to pay special homage to those who served during the Vietnam War – a time of significant political and cultural change in our country. 

The medals and citations we’ll present to you today are only a small token of the thanks you and your families deserve, but we want you to know how much we appreciate your service to our country. 

Many Americans have only read about the horrors of war or seen stories on television.  But you lived it.  And you know that freedom often comes at a terrible price.

The Vietnam War evolved into the longest and most challenging war in our nation’s history.  With the Cold War underway, Soviet rule spread like a cancer to Cuba, Korea, and Eastern Europe, and had Vietnam in its crosshairs.

And so, you joined millions of other American soldiers and made the trip to Southeast Asia to fight against the spread of communism.  Some of you had never even been across the state line before, and now you would be going halfway across the world to fight in a land few of you had ever heard of…to help defend people you didn’t know.

In Vietnam, you were placed in an environment that was totally foreign to you.  The enemy could be hiding anywhere, and it was often difficult to even know who the enemy was.  You were living a tortuous life in the jungle without the comforts of home or the reassurance that you would get to see your loved ones again. 

Some of you had fought once before during the Korean War.  Others faced the horror of war only once – during the Battle at the Hamlet of Ap Bac, the Siege of Khe Sanh, the Tet Offensive, the First Battle of Saigon, the Eastertide Offensive, or the Fall of Saigon.

You experienced unimaginable things in battle.  There were physical obstacles such as walls of impenetrable jungle, unbearable heat, soaking rain, and enemy fire.  There were also mental obstacles where you had to stay strong against enemy torture and fight extreme homesickness or the fear of death.  Despite these conditions, you persevered and defied the odds in carrying out your orders.  You stood resolute in your commitment to freedom.      

There’s no doubt that the time you spent serving in our nation’s military was tough on the families you left behind.  It meant an empty seat at the Thanksgiving dinner table… a loved one missing from family photos… a bride whose adored older brother couldn’t be there for her wedding… a child born who might never meet his father. 

Nevertheless, these families bravely continued their day-to-day household activities: getting children off to school…maintaining the home and garden…going to church…and each and every night, praying for the safe return of their loved one. 

Sadly, of the 2.7 million American soldiers who served in Vietnam, more than 58,000 didn’t return home – including 3,100 Pennsylvanians – and another 365,000 were wounded.  Millions of family members would be forever scarred.  

Your return home should have been a celebration, a warm homecoming.  But at the time, Vietnam veterans were vilified; the orders you carried out were questioned; and protests occurred across the country.  

The cases of what we now recognize as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder are incalculable among veterans of the Vietnam War.  Some veterans, and their children, have suffered from diseases believed to be attributable to exposure to Agent Orange during operations in Vietnam.

Many veterans came back missing limbs, and many of you came back missing friends who, during the intensity of war, became like family to you.  Please know that today, we grieve with you for their loss and remember the ideals for which they sacrificed all.

As the saying goes, "freedom is not free."  There’s a heavy price to pay, and you paid it.  Many of you bear the scars, both internal and external, that continually remind you of the days, weeks, and months you spent at war.

Pennsylvania has contributed mightily and sacrificed greatly to the war effort time and again.  You are among the 350,000 Pennsylvanians who in spite of being young and afraid, in spite of extreme conditions and limited supplies, and in spite of watching your comrades die, fought to protect our way of life and to spread our democratic values around the world. 

Max Cleland, a former United States Senator and disabled Vietnam War veteran said:

"Within the soul of each Vietnam veteran there is probably something that says ‘bad war, good soldier.’ Only now are Americans beginning to separate the war from the warrior."

Vietnam veterans are very much indeed good soldiers.  Despite the criticism you faced, you handed down the spirit of courage to a new generation of men and women who, today – fighting in the Middle East – continue to answer their country’s call to duty. 

Unfortunately, people often take freedom for granted, as if the liberties they enjoy had not been purchased with the blood, the tears, the sweat, and the toil of our armed forces and their families.  The sacrifices you and your families endured demonstrate otherwise; your service is an important part of our nation’s history and must never be forgotten.    

Again, I know that many of you who answered the call of our country still feel unappreciated and betrayed by the American public.  May we never again betray those who serve in our military. 

I can only hope that today’s ceremony of tribute and recognition of the sacrifices you and your loved ones made is of some comfort – because we do recognize your sacrifice and honor your heroism! 

On behalf of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, we are honored to present these commemorative medals and citations to you and your families for your service, your sacrifice, and your loyalty in preserving the freedoms we cherish.

Thank you, each and every one of you, for your selfless sacrifice.  God bless you all, and may God bless our great country.