Sunday afternoon, several hundred gathered at Veterans Park in Naperville to pay tribute to the military service of those in the Vietnam War.
“We invested both our time and our families’ sacrifice for the value we placed upon freedom,” said Jim Oftedal, Vietnam Army veteran and Chaplain of the Naperville VFW Post 3873.
A national day of remembrance
The event was part of National Vietnam War Veterans Day, established in 2017, to be observed every year on March 29. On this day in 1973, the last U.S. combat troops left South Vietnam and the final prisoners of war were released.
Speakers included those who were active in the war, reflecting on their service.
“We prayed for healing from our visible scars and unseen scars of the war and yes, we prayed for our nation’s respect,” said Oftedal.
Past American Legion Post 43 commander Wayne Fischer organized the ceremony, the fifth annual for the city of Naperville. Fischer also served in Vietnam.
“It caused me to never give up on hour veterans, especially those here back at home,” said Wayne Fischer, past post commander for American Legion Post 43. “Your buddies, your friends, they need help, I’m here to supply that, and I don’t advertise that, I just quietly do it.”
Honoring those who’ve made the ultimate sacrifice and their families
As part of Sunday’s day of remembrance, a wreath was laid to pay respect to the lives lost in all military service and honor their living loved ones, known as Gold Star families.
“To me it’s very important to remember the 58,000-plus men who never made it home alive,” said Bob Solczyk, a retired staff sergeant U.S. army.
One of those men was his brother, killed in the Vietnam War in 1967.
“It’s been many years since 1967 but it’s still a very emotional thing for me, being a veteran myself,” said Solczyk. “It brings a lot of tears and sorry to me, remembering my brother. He’s also going to be a young man in my eyes.”
Participants also took the opportunity to acknowledge the men and women currently serving the country, particularly those involved in the conflict with Iran.
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