Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW) and local VFW Post 8336 will recognize local Vietnam veterans and show its appreciation for their service at an event scheduled on Saturday, November 29 at the Post Home at 324 North Whitmore in Overton.
The VFW wishes to express the thanks and appreciation of a grateful nation to Vietnam veterans and their families during the 50th anniversary of the official start of the Vietnam War.
All Vietnam veterans, their families, and their friends are invited to this event which will honor them with dignity and sensitivity in contrast to the ill-will and scorn often shown to them by the American public during the war.
VFW’s top national officer, Commander-in-Chief John Stroud, will be present to sign and present the appreciation certificates to those Vietnam veterans who attend the event. He will also present a certificate to Post 8336 to recognize its acquisition of a post home after thirty years without a place to call its own. Commander-in-Chief Stroud is the first sitting top officer to visit Post 8336 and Moapa Valley in its 68 years’ existence.
VFW Elwood Perkins Post 8336 was chartered in September 1946 by local World War II veterans. The chartering members named the post after their relative and boyhood friend Elwood Perkins who was killed in the Battle of the Bulge in World War II. The post is active in the community with patriotic activities, youth and teacher programs, and donation of hours to community service projects.
The November 29 recognition event is part of the post’s partnership with the Vietnam War Commemoration. This group was formed to encourage federal, state, and local governments, communities, veterans’ organizations, and other organizations to assist a grateful nation in thanking and honoring the Vietnam veterans and their families.
Veterans awarded either the Vietnam Campaign medal (1965-1973) or the Expeditionary Medal (1959-1964) will be honored by the Commander in Chief with a certificate of appreciation and his special thanks for their service.
Post Commander Dan Beckdahl, a Vietnam veteran, hopes that all local Vietnam veterans will attend so that their service can be recognized by the VFW and the community. “It would be great if all Vietnam veterans in the Valley could attend to be recognized and shown appreciation for their service during Vietnam, even if it is 50 years late in coming,” Beckdahl said.
The event’s schedule will begin at 2:00 PM with a presentation of certificate of achievement to Post 8336 by C-in-C Stroud. At 2:30 PM certificates of appreciation will be presented to Vietnam veterans in attendance by Stroud and Post 8336 Commander Beckdahl. At 3:30 PM food service will be provided to the general public by VFW Post 8336 and its Ladies Auxiliary.
All in the community are invited to attend this event.
