All Vietnam War and Vietnam Era veterans who served from 1955 to 1975 who haven’t yet 50th Anniversary Commemorative Pin thanking them for their service are invited to attend the National Vietnam War Veterans Day ceremony Saturday, March 29.
The ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. at the American Legion Post 81, and surviving spouses of deceased Vietnam veterans are also invited, and will receive a commemorative pin especially designed for them as well.
Bradley County Vietnam War veterans killed in action will be remembered that afternoon with a special wreath-laying ceremony at the monument located at the Bradley County Courthouse. They include: Larry A. Braam, Johnny Hickey, Jimmie R. Wolfe, Edward G. Sharpe, Willford L. Dyer, William L. Johnson, James F. Daniel, Dennis M. Poteat, James K. Parker, John R. Munger and Denver A. Longwith.
This event will be held at 2 p.m. and the public is invited.
The 11 a.m. ceremony is being hosted by the Ocoee Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution and the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 81.
The Ocoee Chapter will be joined Chestuee Chapter of the NSDAR, along with the Col. Benjamin Cleveland Chapter of the Tennessee Society of the Sons of the American Revolution and the Col. Edward Bradley Society of the Tennessee Society of the Children of the American Revolution for the 2 p.m. ceremony.
For the first time in several years, the local ceremonies will be held on the same day as the national observance. It is also the last year of the Vietnam War 50th anniversary commemoration.
Special guest speaker for the 11 a.m. ceremony will be an individual who is not only related to a Vietnam War veteran, but works with many of those veterans every day — Amy Lee Bailes.
Bailes is a 13-year Navy veteran who currently works for Hamilton County government as a Veteran Services Officer. She is a third-generation veteran as her grandfather was a World War II veteran and her father a Vietnam War Veteran.
Members of the Rolling Thunder motorcycle group will be conducting the Missing Man Table ceremony, as well as the presentation and folding of the American flag. Members of the Cleveland High School AF Junior ROTC will present the colors.
