Last year 75 Vietnam veterans were honored at an observance held at Arrowhead Ridge on Veterans Day.

The VFW Auxiliary 9624 is participating again this year in the Commemorative Partner Program, a three-year program designed to thank and honor veterans of the Vietnam war.

Vietnam veterans who were unable to attend last year are asked to contact the VFW Auxiliary so they can receive their Vietnam service cap and lapel pin at this year’s observance, set for 11 a.m. on Nov. 11.

Each living Vietnam veteran who served at any time on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces, regardless of location, during the period of Nov. 1, 1955, to May 15, 1975, is eligible to receive the Vietnam veteran lapel pin on behalf of grateful nation.

“I have had a number of medals pinned on me in my day. Even though it might be just a lapel pin to a lot of people, this is like a medal to the Vietnam veterans,” said Col. Michael Brazelton, USAF, Retired, a former Vietnam war POW who was awarded four Silver Stars.  

Rim of the World VFW Auxiliary 9624 also wishes to honor our Vietnam veterans and present the Vietnam war 50th anniversary cap to all Vietnam veterans who have been the awarded the Vietnam Service Medal.

The keynote speaker at this year’s observance will be filmmaker Richard Jellerson, a former Vietnam helicopter pilot. Jellerson has just released his new book, The Healing, Pan American Flight 001.

Following two tours of duty in Vietnam as an Army helicopter pilot – first as a combat pilot and then as General Creighton Abrams’ personal pilot – Jellerson said he had lost touch with humanity. He didn’t want to return home to a country divided by that war. So, he spent a year seeking to find meaning and solace in his life.

To Jellerson’s surprise, through interaction with strangers in foreign lands, he began healing deep psychic wounds he didn’t realize he had.
Jellerson’s film A Solemn Promise tells the story of the search for those listed as missing in action throughout the various wars and conflicts in which the U.S. has been involved. More than 80,000 servicemen and women remain unaccounted for. “I want all the families of those soldiers who are MIA to know people care,” Jellerson said.

Vietnam veterans or their families are asked to RSVP for Veterans Day 2019 to Rim of the World VFW Auxiliary 9624 life members Maureen Mann at (909) 553-8200 or Polly Sauer at (909) 806-5284 to receive their Vietnam lapel pin and Vietnam Service Medal cap.