REMARKS OF

EMMITT F. YEARY

“RECOGNITION OF VIETNAM VETERANS

POWs AND MIAs”

VIETNAM MEMORIAL DEDICATION

MAY 28, 2006

VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK

ABINGDON, VIRGINIA

VIETNAM WAS AMERICA’S LONGEST WAR AND IT WAS THE LAST TIME THAT OUR MILITARY PERSONNEL WERE DRAFTED AND WERE SELECTED AND DRAWN FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE, REGARDLESS OF EDUCATION, SOCIAL, ECONOMIC STATUS OR CLASS. THIS WAS AS IT SHOULD BE. UNFORTUNATELY TODAY, THE DEFENSE OF OUR FREEDOM IS UNFAIRLY BORNE BY SO FEW FOR SO MANY.

THE VIETNAM WAR WAS ALSO A WAR WHERE OUR SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN WERE TREATED UNFAIRLY AND SHAMEFULLY. DURING THE VIETNAM WAR, OVER AN ELEVEN YEAR PERIOD, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN SERVED IN VIETNAM. THEY WERE CLEARLY AMERICA’S BEST, REPRESENTING A TRUE CROSS SECTION OF AMERICA’S YOUTH. FROM ALL ACROSS AMERICA - EAST AND WEST, NORTH AND SOUTH, FROM EACH AND EVERY STATE – THEY PROUDLY CAME FORWARD TO ANSWER THE CALL OF DUTY WHEN THEIR COUNTRY NEEDED THEM.

SADLY, HOWEVER, WHEN THESE MEN AND WOMEN CAME HOME AFTER SERVING THEIR COUNTRY MOST HONORABLY AND UNSELFISHLY IN VIETNAM THEY WERE IGNORED, SHUNNED, SHOWN DISREPECT, DISDAIN AND NEVER GIVEN ANY PROPER COMMUNITY HOMECOMING, HUG, OR WELCOME, NOT EVEN A SIMPLE HANDSHAKE; WHICH THEY ALL SO RIGHTFULLY DESERVED AND TO WHICH THEY WERE CLEARLY ENTITLED.

NOW OVER 35 YEARS LATER WE ARE TODAY, MAY 28, 2006, HERE GATHERED IN VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK, ABINGDON, WASHINGTON COUNTY, VIRGINIA, TO TRY TO RECTIFY, IN SOME SMALL BUT HEARTFELT WAY, THIS MOST SHAMEFUL NEGLECT AND HURT SHOWN TO THESE MOST HONORABLE AND COURAGEOUS YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN.

TODAY, AT LONG LAST WE SIMPLY BUT PROFOUNDLY EMBRACE AND SAY TO ALL VIETNAM VETERANS GATHERED HERE AND ALL VIETNAM VETERANS EVERYWHERE WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN SAID TO YOU ALL OVER THREE DECADES AGO – WELCOME HOME – WELCOME HOME – WE ARE PROUD OF YOU – WE THANK YOU - MAY GOD BLESS YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY AND THE CAUSE OF FREEDOM. MAY WE NEVER FORGET YOU AND ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN VIETNAM IN THE SERVICE OF OUR COUNTRY AND THOSE MISSING IN ACTION AND THOSE HELD PRISONERS OF WAR AND ALL THEIR FAMILIES.

WILL THE VIETNAM VETERANS HERE WITH US TODAY NOW PLEASE STAND AND BE RECOGNIZED - AND ALLOW US TO APOLOGIZE; TO SAY TO YOU AND YOUR COMRADES WE ARE SINCERELY SORRY FOR THE WAY YOU WERE TREATED. TODAY WE PROUDLY GIVE YOU THE RECOGNITION, RESPECT, AND SALUTE LONG OVERDUE.

THANK YOU, GOD BLESS YOU AND MAY GOD BLESS AMERICA.

(AFTER THE CEREMONY I HOPE YOU WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PERSONALLY GIVE A HUG OR A HANDSHAKE TO A VIETNAM VETERAN)