Vietnam War 50th Anniversary Ceremony To Be Held In Illinois

National Vietnam War Veterans Day is a U.S. holiday observed annually on March 29. It honors all United States veterans who served on active duty in the U.S. armed forces from Nov. 1, 1955, to May 15, 1975, regardless of location.

With the 29th falling on Good Friday this year, the Rock Island National Cemetery will host the Vietnam War 50th Anniversary Commemorative Ceremony on Thursday, March 28.

National Vietnam War Veterans Day

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On March 28, 2017, President Donald Trump signed the Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act of 2017. This act officially recognizes March 29 as National Vietnam War Veterans Day. The Act also includes the day among those days on which the U.S. flag should especially be displayed.

This national commemoration was authorized by Congress, established under the Secretary of Defense, and launched by the President to thank and honor our Nation's Vietnam veterans and their families for their service and sacrifice.

By Presidential proclamation, The U.S. Vietnam War Commemoration will continue through Veterans Day, Nov. 11, 2025. In part, the 2022 presidential proclamation, signed by President Joe Biden, stated, "In 2012, our nation launched a 13-year long commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War to ensure that every veteran, family, caregiver, and survivor impacted by the difficult years in Vietnam feels our nation’s gratitude for their sacrifice. Every service member of the Vietnam generation should know that their sacrifices mattered and that their service made a difference. The names etched in The Wall at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial remind us of our loved ones who gave their all and never came home. To the families, caregivers, and survivors of the more than 58,000 service members whose names are memorialized in the black granite, we pledge to never forget the eternal sacrifice of your loved ones and what you have sacrificed for the nation."