Illinois State Sen. and gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey | baileyforillinois.com
Illinois State Sen. and gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey | baileyforillinois.com
On Mar. 29, gubernatorial candidate Sen. Darren Bailey celebrated the veterans of the Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, a conflict between the communist government of North Vietnam against South Vietnam and its principal ally, the U.S.
“This national day of recognition was created in 2017 when President Donald Trump signed the Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act of 2017 into law,” Sen. Bailey wrote on Twitter. “It designated March 29 as the day to honor veterans of the Vietnam War each year. I cannot tell you how much I am thankful for our veterans and their families.”
The veterans during that war gave up time, energy, and, for Ron Cardenas, their education. Cardenas, 75, left high school before graduating but received his diploma from Erie High School on Friday.
“This moment has been 58 years in the making for me,” Cardenas said to WKRC. “It’s something I’ll put next to my kids’ diplomas. See, I got mine, too. It is important to me. It is important to say I finally got it.”
Federal law states that the United States military involvement in the Vietnam War began in February 1961 and lasted until May 1975. Approximately 2.7 million American men and women served in Vietnam. During the war, more than 58,000 servicemen and women lost their lives.
The war lasted from Nov. 1, 1955, to Apr. 30, 1975. The History Channel website says approximately 3 million people died.
President Joe Biden issued a proclamation on March 28 to honor the day.
It read in part: “On National Vietnam War Veterans Day, we honor all those who bravely served in the Vietnam War and who sacrificed, as did their families and caregivers, on behalf of our Nation. For almost two decades, Americans raised their right hands and committed to serve and defend our Constitution as uniformed members of the United States Armed Forces during a tumultuous period in our country’s history. Throughout the years of the Vietnam War, 9 million Americans earned the title of U.S. veteran. Today and every day, we honor their bravery and commitment and give thanks to a generation of Americans who valiantly fought in service of the country they love while recognizing the continuing impact on so many veterans of the Vietnam conflict, along with their families, caregivers, and survivors. We will always remember those we lost and honor those who came home.”
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