Biddeford ceremony commemorates Vietnam veterans

On Friday morning, March 29, local veterans, city officials and community members gathered to honor Vietnam War veterans at Biddeford City Hall.

The Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act of 2017 designated March 29 as National Vietnam War Veterans Day. Mayor Martin Grohman read a proclamation designating officially recognizing Vietnam War Veterans Day in the City of Biddeford.

“And let me say those words that you did not hear back when you should have, ‘thank you for your service and welcome home,” said Grohman after reading the proclamation.

Joseph Armstrong, past president of Vietnam Veterans of America Post 1044 served in the Vietnam war from 1966-1967, and began service when he was 17 years old.

“Nothing can prepare a human being for the reality of war. It isn’t anything like the movies or television. War is a physically exhausting, terrifying business. It places human beings in situations for which they are intellectually, emotionally and morally unprepared,” said Armstrong.

“Teenagers placed in such an environment return home old men, having lost their youth and innocence,” he said.

He said many people’s perceptions of Vietnam War Veterans are derived from stereotypes. Despite lingering psychological symptoms, the vast majority of Vietnam veterans went on with their lives and became productive members of society.

When the Vietnam War was over, many people didn’t want to acknowledge it, and soldiers came home feeling confused, abandoned and betrayed, said Armstrong.

“We returned expecting that our society would do what it had done for our fathers and uncles returning from World War II. We believed the nation would gratefully honor our service, bringing resolution and closure to the conflicts our wartime experience had created. Unfortunately, that honoring, resolution and closure did not occur,” he said.

Since then, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was constructed and veterans march in parades, and have created discussions groups, support systems and counseling services, said Armstrong.

Armstrong urged attendees to seek out relatives, friends and neighbors who had served in Vietnam, thank them for their service, and sit down and ask them to share some of their memories.

“If you truly desire to honor Vietnam veterans, don’t stop at this assembly,” he said.

Saco Bay News Publisher Liz Gotthelf can be reached at newsdesk@sacobaynews.com.