ALBANY, NY (March 29, 2023) — Governor Kathy Hochul has issued a proclamation designating March 29 as Vietnam Veterans Day in New York State. This date marks the solemn anniversary of the withdrawal of the last 2,500 American troops from South Vietnam in 1973.
To honor the service and sacrifice of the state’s Vietnam veterans and their families, Governor Hochul has directed 15 state landmarks to be illuminated in green, yellow, and red on the evening of March 29. These colors represent the Vietnam Service Medal.
“Today, New York State landmarks will be lit in green, yellow and red – the colors of the Vietnam Service Medal – to recognize New York’s Vietnam Veterans and to honor those who died while serving their state and nation,” Governor Hochul said. “Many who served in Vietnam did not receive the appreciation and respect they had earned when they returned home. That is why today, and every day, we take the time to honor their courage and thank them for their service.”
New York State Department of Veterans’ Services Commissioner Viviana M. DeCohen added, “On Vietnam War Veterans Day, we pause to honor the courage, sacrifice and enduring strength of All Who Served during one of the most challenging chapters in our nation’s history. For far too many Vietnam Veterans, the recognition and respect they deserved did not come when they returned home but today, New York stands united in gratitude and remembrance.”
Landmarks being illuminated include 1WTC, Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, Kosciuszko Bridge, and the Empire State Plaza, among others.
New York is home to approximately 180,000 Vietnam Era Veterans. The names of 4,119 New Yorkers who died during the war are memorialized on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.
This article was prepared with the assistance of AI tools under the direction and editing of Robert Cox.
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