LAYTON—Men and women in uniform from several different branches of the military gathered last week at the Layton City Vietnam Memorial Wall, to honor those who served in Vietnam for National Vietnam War Veterans Day, March 29. The event was hosted by the Vietnam Veterans of America and the Utah Department of Veterans & Military Affairs.

“March 29 was officially recognized in Utah as Vietnam War Veterans Day by Gov. Herbert in 2014,” said Dennis Howland, Vietnam Veteran USMC. “Trump designated it three years later as a national holiday.”

Howland was the driving force behind erecting the Layton City Vietnam Memorial Wall that stands in Layton Commons Park. 

“When Marine veteran Dennis Howland left Vietnam after finishing his combat tour in 1967, he made a promise to never forget the men and women he served alongside,” said Nancy Espinosa, National Commander, Disabled American Veterans Army Veteran. “This memorial, a scaled down but exact replica of the one that stands more than 2,000 miles away in Washington, D.C. is a result of that promise.”

The names etched on its face pay tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice, she said. “They also remind us of the many more who lived but were forever changed because of their service to each of you here today. Thank you for your service and welcome home.”

“On behalf of Layton City we welcome you here today,” said Layton City Mayor Joy Petro. “Welcome to this very sacred spot.”

 Today, March 29 marks Vietnam War Veterans Day, she said. “A time to honor and recognize the brave men and women who served in one of the most tumultuous and controversial conflicts in our nation’s history. To all veterans, both present today and those who have passed on and those whose names are on this wall, we extend our deepest gratitude and heartfelt thanks for your service and sacrifice.”

A veteran touches the wall etched with the names of those killed in the Vietnam War. Photo by Becky Ginos

 The Vietnam War was a long and drawn out conflict, said Petro. “It was met with fierce battles, heartbreaking losses and lasting scars, both physically and psychologically. Many of you endured your hardships and witnessed the horror of war firsthand, yet you stood tall and you preserved and fought for the values and the freedom that defines our nation.”

That service did not end there, she said. “When the war concluded, many of you returned home and were met with indifference and misunderstandings, even hostility. You faced challenges in society, battling with both the physical and psychological wounds of that war and struggling to find your place in our country that was deeply divided with conflict that you had just endured yourself.”

“Thousands of young men and women from every walk of life in Utah served during the Vietnam conflict,” said Sterling Poulson, Vietnam Veteran SMSgt. USAF Retired. “Almost 400 from Utah would never return. Utahns were among the first combat troops to set foot on the ground in Vietnam in 1965.”

Relations between the communist North and the United States escalated slowly into full scale war, he said. “The United States shifted from a limited supporting role in the South into a leading role in combat in the North all the while and during a brutal guerrilla war in the South.”

Poulson said his role wasn’t to share the experiences of Utah heroes. “You can do that yourself, but rather to salute you for your value and service and for the nearly 400 men and women who did not return.”

May the service men and women and the families of those who did not return continue to heal and find strength to move forward into a more positive and peace seeking country of grateful Americans, he said. “With one voice we say thank you for your service.”

“By the grace of God we’re not one of the 58,000 kids who didn’t come home,” said Howland. “We did. Perhaps that’s the reason we came home – was to honor them.”