DAR press release
On March 29, the Sarah Maples Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution hosted a 50th Anniversary “Welcome Home” Commemoration of the Vietnam War at the Veteran’s Memorial Gardens in Mabank,Texas. Our chapter wishes to thank and honor our Vietnam Veterans and all veterans who put their lives at risk for us.
Linda Mynar explains that the traditional use of the color gold is to signify a 50th Anniversary and symbolizes the specific mission of the Department of Defense program as outlined in the Congressional language “to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War.”
A representation of the Vietnam Service Medal (ribbon) rests below the inner rings.
The red, white, and blue inner rings represent the flag of the United States of America and recognize all Americans, both military and civilian, who served or contributed to the Vietnam War effort.
The outer black ring serves as a reminder of those who were killed in action, held as prisoners of war or listed as missing in action during the Vietnam War. The black ring surrounds the red, white and blue rings to call attention to their sacrifices, the sacrifices of their families, and the defense of our nation’s freedom.
Within the blue ring are the words “Service, Valor and Sacrifice”; virtues demonstrated by our veterans during the Vietnam War. The gold-rimmed white star located between the words “Service” and “Valor” represents hope for the families of those veterans for which there has not been a full accounting. The blue-rimmed gold star located between the words “Valor” and “Sacrifice” represents the families of those veterans who paid the ultimate sacrifice during the war. The blue star at the bottom of the inner blue ring represents the families of all veterans and symbolizes their support from home.
At the bottom of the inner blue ring are six white stars, three on each side of the blue star. These six white stars symbolize the contributions and sacrifices made by the United States and its Allies, Australia, New Zealand, Philippines, Republic of Korea, and Thailand.
The center circle contains a map of Vietnam in black outlined relief, signifying both the country and the Vietnamese veterans who stood with our veterans. The subdued outlines of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and surrounding waters represent the area of operation where the U.S. Armed Forces served.
The green laurel wreath signifies honor for all who served.
The phrase “A Grateful Nation Thanks and Honors You” is the personal message to each veteran, civilian, family member, and all who served and sacrificed during the Vietnam War.
The seal’s blue background is the same color as the canton in the United States Flag. When placed next to the flags of World War 11 and the Korean War Commemoration Flags, the Vietnam War Commemoration Flag will signify the Vietnam Veterans taking their rightful place among generations of U.S. Veterans.
We were pleasantly surprised by the turnout and many of the veterans got up and spoke about their time in Vietnam. Each Vietnam Veteran who served from November 1, 1955 to May 15, 1975 received a lapel pin with much of the same symbols as the flag. On the back are the words “A Grateful Nation Thanks and Honors You.”
It was an honor to take part of the 50th Anniversary of the US Military leaving Vietnam on March 29th. It was my privilege to hand the Vietnam veterans their lapel pin commemorating the event and to have them state their name, rank and place of deployment. God bless all veterans for their service and God Bless America..