New Holiday Declared By Community

Springfield is mirroring a nationwide effort to get March 30 set aside for Vietnam veterans - the date on which American combat forces completed their withdrawal from South Vietnam.

Community Honors Local Vietnam Veterans
New Holiday Declared By Community
By Jackie Bender
Reporter
jbender@hearst.com

UPDATED: 6:55 pm EDT March 30, 2010
SPRINGFIELD, Vt. --
Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas has made efforts to properly thank and honor Vietnam veterans, years after they came home from war. And now, Springfield Vt., is following the governor's lead, and doing the same for their own Vietnam veterans.

Springfield, Vt., declared that March 30 will be celebrated in their town as "Welcome home Vietnam veterans day" - a nod of gratitude to their local heroes they said is long overdue.

"The Vietnam war was a controversial war. A so-called unjust war," explained organizer Kurt Merriman. For that reason, many of these veterans didn't get recognized earlier. Springfield is mirroring a nationwide effort to get March 30 set aside for Vietnam veterans - the date on which American combat forces completed their withdrawal from South Vietnam.

And the local Veterans said they were grateful for the recognition. "It's a long overdue homecoming on a minor scale," said veteran Paul Benson Sr., who's looking forward to celebrating on March 30 for years to come. "Maybe next year bigger and better."