LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) — After decades of waiting, local Vietnam veterans will receive the proper welcome home they never got.
The Allen County Veterans Service Commission is organizing a special “Ride With Honor” motorcade to recognize area Vietnam veterans during the Veterans Day celebration at the Allen County Fair on Friday, August 22. The event marks 50 years since the Vietnam War ended with the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975.
Nearly 3 million Americans served in a war that deeply divided the nation, and many Vietnam veterans were not honored upon returning home. This tribute seeks to change that.
“We will be doing an honor escort from the American Legion to the fairgrounds that day,” said Tamara Wilson, executive director of the Allen County Veterans Service Commission. “We will have police and fire escorts that will lead us into the fairgrounds for our Veterans Day at the Allen County Fair, and we would like our community to participate and give our veterans of Allen County a proper welcome home.”
To participate in the motorcade, veterans must have served in Vietnam and reside in Allen County. Registration is required by July 31.
The motorcade will depart from American Legion Post 96 on South Shore Drive at 10:15 a.m. sharp, escorted by police and fire personnel. The procession will lead to the Veterans Day celebration at the fairgrounds, where the veterans will be formally recognized.
For more information or to register, contact the Allen County Veterans Service Commission at 419-223-8522 or email ACVSO@allencountyohio.com.
