A group of veterans is seeking ideas on how Middletown Township can celebrate and recognize the service, sacrifice and valor of Vietnam veterans in special events planned to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the conflict.
The municipality has pledged to participate in a US Defense Department's commemoration program. The committee will produce two special events honoring Vietnam veterans in the years 2015, 2016, and 2017.
"Most of you, and many of you I see -- were probably not around in the Vietnam war," said Middletown Veterans' Affairs Committee's James D’Elia to members of the public gathered for a Township Committee meeting on Sept. 16. "Those of you too young to remember, I'm sure you've read and heard, veterans coming home to be welcomed to the airport with signs that said, "Baby Killer," other obscene stories."
"Fortunately today our returning Afghanistan veterans, first Gulf War [veterans], they've been treated with a little more respect. The mood of the country is far different than it was then," said D'Elia.
"But Congress seeing that there was a wrong many years ago -- in terms of Vietnam veterans never getting their welcome home -- they passed legislation and directed the Department of Defense to form a 50th anniversary Commemoration Commission. And we as a community, with the mayor's support and Township Committee, we've become a partner with them," said D'Elia.
Mayor Gerard Scharfenberger said the way people spoke out against soldiers who answered the nation's call to service was "one of the big disgraces of that generation, that they were treated so shabbily by the civilians here."
"But the good news is, the folks you see here are really going way above and beyond to see that that is rectified, especially for our folks here in Middletown," the mayor said.
Members of the 8-person Planning Committee include Thomas Garretson, Dennis Beauregard, Mayor Gerard P. Scharfenberger, James D’Elia, Richard Furlong, and Thomas Hackett.
How do you think Middletown should honor and show respect to Vietnam Veterans? Share your ideas for an event or commemoration in the comments below.
Find out what's happening in Middletownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
