Amarillo honors Vietnam War veterans with ceremony and traveling exhibit

Brianna Maestas, Amarillo Globe-News
·4 min read

Amarillo organizations and the community will gather to honor area veterans as part of National Vietnam War Veterans Day, on Friday, March 29, including a traveling exhibit and a local recognition ceremony.

The Texas Panhandle War Memorial Center (TPWMC) will honor all military personnel with a Vietnam War Veterans Day Ceremony at 1 p.m. Friday at the center, located at  4111 S. Georgia St.

During the event, the TPWMC will honor those who served in the Vietnam War, as well as those who served in World War II, the Korean War, the Gulf and Iraq Wars, and the Afghanistan War. The event will include a remembrance ceremony for all fallen soldiers and a tribute to area veterans as they share memories of their service. A reception will be held following the event. Attendees are also encouraged to visit the TPWMC, honoring the day with free admission.

"We at the center choose to make this an opportunity to honor not only our Vietnam war veterans, but all veterans who have served in all of our wars, offering a special ceremony to honor all of our veterans," Tim Reid, executive director of the TPWMC, said.

A U.S. Navy veteran stands to salute the U.S. Navy flag as the military branches are honored at the Texas Panhandle War Memorial Center in this November 2023 file photo.
A U.S. Navy veteran stands to salute the U.S. Navy flag as the military branches are honored at the Texas Panhandle War Memorial Center in this November 2023 file photo.
Adam Wilcox with the Amarillo Fire Department played "Amazing Grace" for the Texas Panhandle War Memorial Veterans Day Ceremony in November 2023.
Adam Wilcox with the Amarillo Fire Department played "Amazing Grace" for the Texas Panhandle War Memorial Veterans Day Ceremony in November 2023.

According to Reid, remembering those who served in the war is more important now than ever due to the overall negative response that many veterans experienced after they returned from the war.

"This is a special day celebrated nationwide in honor Vietnam War veterans. Honoring veterans and these veterans in particular is important because of the reception they received by the public when they returned from the war back in the '70s. This day is a way for the nation to show that they and their sacrifice has not been forgotten," Reid said.

As stated by TPWMC, the Vietnam War was a war between North and South Vietnam, with the U.S. and others backing the South and the Soviet Union and China backing the North. The French had previously supported South Vietnam, and when the French withdrew in 1955, the U.S. assumed that role. The dates of the war span from Nov. 1, 1955 to April 30, 1975, when the capital of South Vietnam, Saigon, was captured by the North. U.S. troops had left Vietnam by March 29, 1973. Throughout the 20-year war, the U.S. lost a total of 58,209 soldiers, and 153,303 soldiers returned wounded.

Locally, the TPWMC annually honors 152 Panhandle military personnel who gave their life during the Vietnam War; each individual's name is inscribed on the Vietnam War monuments.

"On the monument, those are individual service men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country, and in service to the freedom that we have. We want to remember and honor each one of them for that sacrifice because they didn't make it home, and it is our mission to ensure they are not forgotten," Reid said.

The audience stands to honor the flag of the POW-MIA at the Texas Panhandle War Memorial Center in this November 2023 file photo.
The audience stands to honor the flag of the POW-MIA at the Texas Panhandle War Memorial Center in this November 2023 file photo.
The Texas Panhandle War Memorial Center will host a reception for veterans in honor of National Vietnam Veterans Day at 1 p.m. Friday, March 29. U.S. troops had left Vietnam by March 29, 1973.
The Texas Panhandle War Memorial Center will host a reception for veterans in honor of National Vietnam Veterans Day at 1 p.m. Friday, March 29. U.S. troops had left Vietnam by March 29, 1973.

In addition to the local honor ceremony, a traveling exhibit will be on display in Amarillo in tribute of the national day of recognition.

As stated in a news release, the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall will be on display in Amarillo on Wednesday and Thursday, March 27 and 28, available for viewing from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day. The Traveling Wall will be on exhibit at the Ussery-Roan Texas State Veterans Home, located at 1020 Tascosa Rd. This special event is free and open to the community.

The replica wall arrived in Amarillo on Tuesday evening, escorted by the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association in an honorary parade traveling from the TPWMC to the Ussery-Roan Veterans Home.

An opening ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday. A flier notes there will be a Texas Veterans State Hall of Fame induction for Mike Ussery and Charles Roan as part of the event. Following the ceremony, guests are invited to enjoy the food trucks and resource fair hosted on-site until noon. On Thursday at 7 p.m., the traveling memorial will host a closing ceremony as it prepares to depart.

According to the memorial wall's website, the wall can range from 6 to 8 feet tall, with a length between 260 and 360 feet, depending on the size of the replica (60% or 80%), with the 144 panels having a total of 58,300 names engraved on them.

This event is in coordination with AVTT, Brothers-Sisters of Our Military Adventures, Bubba’s 33, Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association, CreatiVets, Homeless Heroes, The Military Order of the Purple Heart, Military Veteran Peer Network, Texas Panhandle War Memorial, Amarillo VA Health Care System, and Veterans Resource Center.

For more information about the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall, visit them online at https://www.americanveteranstravelingtribute.com/ .

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Amarillo groups honor National Vietnam War Veterans Day