SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. —The Friends of the New York State Military Museum (FNYSMM) and the Capital District of New York Chapter of the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) joined together on Thursday night to host a 50th Vietnam War Commemoration Ceremony.
Taking place at the Saratoga-Wilton Elks Lodge, 19 men were honored with a Vietnam War-era lapel pin, presented by CSM (Ret.) Bob Van Pelt, as well as a Saratoga County Vietnam Medal presented by Chairman of the Board of Supervisors Phil Barrett.
BG (Ret.) Barry Hartman acted as the master of ceremonies for the event and explained following the ceremony to the Saratogian that one of the reasons ceremonies like this are so important is because the way the public treats those who have served differs from how these men and women who served like the Vietnam War were treated upon their arrival.
“The vast majority of us received no formal recognition of our service or no welcome home ceremonies,” Hartman, who is a FNYSMM Trustee and the Vice President of Retiree and Veteran Affairs for the CNY Chapter of the AUSA, explained. “Many were encouraged to travel home in civilian clothes rather than uniform and slipped quietly back into the lives they had left although they were profoundly impacted by their experiences.”
“Now as authorized by Congress and the President, and on behalf of the nation, we have the opportunity to do what should have been done all those years ago — to welcome our Vietnam veterans home. To honor and thank them and their families for their sacrifices.”
Those honored at the ceremony were veterans who served in the military from Nov. 1 1955 through May 15 1975 and were involved in active duty even if only for training. All branches of service qualified. The lapel pins being issued stem from the United States Department of Defense’s 50th Anniversary Vietnam War Commemoration efforts, a multi-year program to thank and honor veterans and their families. This “lasting memento of the nation’s thanks” is worn by more than two million previously unheralded individuals.
Those who were honored were:
• David Amazon, who served in the Navy from 1968 to 1973
• Larry Arnold, who served in the Army from 1968 to 1974
• Gary Arpei, who served in the Air Force from 1966 to 1969
• Ernie Belanger, who served in the Navy from 1964 to 1968
• Jim Belanger, who served in the Navy from 1959 to 1962
• Tom Callaghan, who served in the Army from 1963 to 1969
• Robert Carlton, who served in the Army from 1967 to 1969
• Frank Cipriano, who served in the Army from 1966 to 1968
• Frank Colby, who served in the Army from 1968 to 1972
• Lin Combs, who served in the Navy from 1974 to 1980
• Jack Danahy, who served in the Army from 1972 to 1978
• John Della Villa, who served in the Air Force from 1958 to 1965
• Ken Dodge, who served in the Army from 1971 to 1974
• Barry Lefton, who served in the Navy from 1970 to 1991
• Fred Mann Jr., who served in the Marines from 1963 to 1967
• John Paneto, who served in the Air Force from 1968 to 1972
• Karl Srokowski, who served in the Marines from 1965 to 1968
• Clifford Schenk, who served in the Marines from 1966 to 1972
• John Safford, who served in the Army from 1968 to 1974
Each veteran honored was able to briefly speak following the revivals of their pin and medal, many reflecting on their time in service or providing anecdotes regarding their return home from service.
One man, Combs, referenced the hat he was wearing which he called his “magic hat.” The reason for this was because it connects him with Veterans who might not know how many people are there to support them in their community.
“In the last couple of years I’ve been involved with the Adirondack Peer-to-Peer, which is a veterans group that brings veterans together,” Combs shared. “What this hat does for me every day is it lets me find veterans that don’t know about these groups, that don’t know how many people are out there supporting them.
“They’re (veteran groups) there to help Veterans get through troubled times. This (the hat) just lets people know and can allow them to talk and find out and connect them with people who can be like another family for them.”
Two surviving spouse pins were issued at the ceremony as well, given to the spouse of a deceased veteran who served on active duty. Christy Allard collected a pin in honor of her husband Fredrick who served in the Navy from 1963 to 1967, and Marcia Carlson collected a pin in honor of her husband William who served in the Marines from 1966 to 1972.
Something that was emphasized throughout the ceremony was the importance placed to rectify the shortcomings and to make veterans know how much their service and sacrifices are valued. While the past cannot be changed, there is a strong effort to make sure these individuals are honored and celebrated in the present – and these 50th Vietnam Commemoration Ceremonies are one way in which the community is trying to do that.
