March 29 marks National Vietnam War Veterans Day, a nationwide official day since it was signed into law in 2017.
Central Valley Vietnam War veterans, some of the 2.7 million Americans who served in Vietnam, gathered in downtown Stockton Sunday morning in front of the Vietnam War Memorial at Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Plaza – reflecting and remembering, while being honored for their service.
Vietnam War veterans were honored with pins and recognized decades after they weren't when coming back home.
"When I came back home, I got out in August of '69, three months early out, and that first November, Veterans Day, I went out to the post, Veteran of Foreign Wars Post on West Lane," Gwyndell Holloway, U.S. Army Vietnam War veteran, said. "And as soon as I walked in there, I felt the disgust. I mean, them guys, them old timers looked at me like, 'You ain't welcome here. What are you doing here?' I felt it. They didn't have to say anything. The way they looked at me, I can tell I wasn't welcome. So I immediately exited out of there."
It was a similar experience for fellow U.S. Army Vietnam War veteran Gary Henry, who saw combat in Vietnam. Gary came with his wife of 55 years, Pamela, on Sunday.
"The experience was something you can't describe unless you've ever been in a war," Henry said. "Coming home, it was pretty rough. Nobody appreciated us."
Now, being recognized at an event like this.
"It means a lot," Henry said. "You can't help but think of the friends you lost. Not friends, they're brothers. And just thankful that people are starting to realize what we went through."
In order to help Gary with the pain he's experienced, Pamela said she is his support, like being there for him at this event, hearing his stories, and giving him lots of love.
"I think it's very healing," Pamela Henry said. "And it's good for me to hear stories from other people that he's not alone. He's never alone, and sometimes he feels so alone."
The key to their 55 years of marriage is forgiveness.
"There's a lot of forgiveness, and he has a lot of pain," Pamela Henry said. "And I truly understand it. Not all of it, because I wasn't there to see it all."
Holloway served in Vietnam from 1967-68 and described the horrors he faced in how he was honored with two Purple Hearts.
"We (were) getting overrun in my sixth month and I got flushed out of my position," Holloway said. "I was out on the LP, which is a listening post, and I got hit in the back. The second time I got wounded, I was 29 days short of going home. We were at base camp and we had rockets coming in and I (saw) the first two fall. I turn around to run and one fell between me and another person and I got hit in the back of the head. So, I suffered a traumatic brain injury."
Thirteen volunteers each raised an American flag to honor the 13 fallen service members in today's Epic Fury conflict against Iran in the Middle East.
"Just pray for the best for all the veterans that are still in the Army, in the armed services, to not have to go to war and put up with the stuff that we had to put up with," Holloway said.
Raphael Pazo, a bagpiper from Stockton's VFW Post 52, played "Amazing Grace."
"It's always healing for me to listen to the bagpipes and the songs that they have, that they sing, and the energy that they put out to have these events," Holloway said.
The VFW Post 52 honor guard also conducted a gun salute, concluding with TAPS.
"It grabs a hold of my heart when I hear TAPS," Henry said. "I lost many friends, and I think back to them. And Amazing Grace, also."
Henry knew several people at this memorial.
And for these veterans, what is helpful is talking with fellow veterans, to help with the mental turmoil they've suffered.
"Being around the other veterans, like Richard and Joe Maes, and we all helped each other out mentally. We got our own group started, the Central Valley Vietnam Veterans of California," Holloway said. "Doing that and marching in parades, it was helpful for me."
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