Watertown Honors Local Heroes on National Vietnam War Veterans Day
- Steve Jurrens
- 7 days ago
- 2 min read
Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - Today, Sunday, March 29, marks National Vietnam War Veterans Day, a time dedicated to recognizing the profound sacrifices made by veterans and their families, and offering a long-overdue proper “welcome home” to the men and women who served.
In a special reflection shared with Northeast Radio SD News, local veteran Nick Kranz highlighted the importance of the day, detailing the history and the heavy toll of the war.
A History of Service and Sacrifice
The United States initially became involved in Vietnam in 1961, serving in an advisory role to South Vietnam to prevent the spread of communism in Southeast Asia. By 1965, U.S. ground troops were deployed. After years of intense combat, American troops were fully withdrawn on March 30, 1973, under the Treaty of Paris.
As Kranz noted, the sheer scale of sacrifice during this era was staggering. According to the U.S. Department of Defense:
· 9 Million: U.S. soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines served globally during the Vietnam War era.
· Over 300,000: Service members were wounded in action.
· Over 58,000: Americans made the ultimate sacrifice and lost their lives.
A Day of Official Recognition
While the holiday has been observed on either March 29 or March 30 since 1973 through a patchwork of state resolutions, it wasn’t until March 28, 2017, that the date was officially set. It was federally designated that March 29 would forever be known as National Vietnam War Veterans Day.
Honoring Veterans Locally and Nationally
Across the nation, citizens and communities are encouraged to fly the American flag and honor local Vietnam veterans. In Washington D.C., commemorative events scheduled for today include a 10:00 a.m. Ceremony at the Wall, followed by a 12:30 p.m. parade, a wreath-laying ceremony at 1:00 p.m., and a memorial concert.
Here at home, the Watertown community is honoring its own. Today is one of just 11 days each year when the Watertown American Legion Post 17 proudly displays the “Avenue of Flags” throughout the city to pay tribute to Vietnam War veterans.
“To all Vietnam veterans today and every day, thank you for your service, and welcome home!” — Nick Kranz, Local Veteran
