The Jim Beasley Veterans Tribute committee is hosting an observance of Vietnam War Veterans Day at 4:30 Tuesday afternoon.
The ceremony will include a welcome by Kaskaskia College President George Evans, a small flag ceremony, and remarks from three area Vietnam Veterans, Wayne Sensel and Neely Reed of Centralia, and Don Berdeaux of Carlyle.
Evans says the tribute committee approached him about doing the first service of its kind to mark Vietnam War Veterans Day.
“A lot of Vietnam veterans were not welcomed home during a very unpopular war and tumultuous times and anything we can do to recognize all of our veterans, including that specific population, the college is always going to endorse.”
The Vietnam War Veterans Day was created in 2012 by President Barack Obama via a Presidential Proclamation. The proclamations signing marked the 50th anniversary of the departure of the last American troops from Vietnam on March 29th, 1973.
