NOT FORGOTTEN

50 YEARS LATER, , DELCO AND VETERANS STILL BATTLE WIITH THE WAR

Father and son, Ed Buffman Sr., WWII Navy Combat Veteran, and Ed Buffman Jr., the creator and director of the Vietnam War Exhibit at the Pennsylvania Veterans Museum, stand before a wall depicting emotional quotes from Vietnam War soldiers interspersed with large headshots of soldiers, a part of the exhibit display.

MEDIA » They were not always welcomed home with open arms, but the men and women who served in the Vietnam War earned our respect. Sometimes in blood. And now, 51 years after the anniversary of the war, they are about to get the salute they are due.

Last year marked the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. On March 28, 2017, President Donald J. Trump signed Public Law Act 115-15, the Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act, to declare March 29 annually as Vietnam War Veterans Day. The act mandated the U.S. Flag be flown on this day in honor of Vietnam War Veterans. The day commemorates the date when the last U.S. troops left the southeastern Asian country 45 years ago. Some people refer to the day as “Welcome Home Day,” to shed light on the fact that many who served in the Vietnam War were never properly and honorably welcomed home after serving.

Although the day now has an official national declaration of commemoration, Vietnam War Veterans Day has been celebrated in some states since 1973 on either March 29 or March 30 of each year through a patchwork of state resolutions. Some states claimed March 29 as Welcome Home day, while others claimed March 30. Some others did not mark it at all. The discrepancy was because Vietnam is on the other side of the International Date Line, leaving the withdrawal date open to interpretation. President Trump’s legislation finally made March 29 the official national day.

In an informal, random poll of various Vietnam veterans around Delaware County, most seemed unaware there is now a national day to commemorate Vietnam War Veterans. And those who are aware did not know of any specific local events planned to mark the special day.

Aston resident Gary Koerner, U.S. Navy E3 seaman, stated, “I checked the Media VFW website and found nothing about any celebrations to honor Vietnam Veterans. There was nothing on the state chapter of Pennsylvania Vietnam Veterans website, either. Who will be closed – the banks,

post offices, federal or state governments? The answer is nobody! The net effect of the holiday is only to fly the American flag in recognition. Just stick the flag in the front yard, then go to the local VFW and drink a beer. I bet it won’t be free. Neither is freedom, somebody always pays the price.”

Rocco Polidoro, past commander of American Legion Post 227 in Springfield, also had a lessthan-enthusiastic view of the national day.

“Those of us at our local American Legion post recall the attempt to label March 29 last year as the official day to commemorate the Vietnam War,” Polidoro remarked. “However, most veterans don’t want to honor these specific dates of the many unjust wars like Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. We prefer to honor the role of our active duty military and our veterans of all wars.”

Not all veterans expressed Polidoro’s views. Although they were unaware of the March 29 date, most seemed eager to learn more about it.

“I honestly didn’t know about it,” confessed Tom Anderlonis, a Vietnam Marine Veteran who served as an air wing gunman in Vietnam from 1967-68 during the Tet Offensive.

Anderlonis, a resident of Aston Township, is an active member of Delaware County Marine Corps League Detachment #288 in Upland. He acted as Color Guard with his fellow Marines from the League, Rich Micolucci, Mike Fleming and Sal DeViato, on stage at Media Theatre’s Veterans Night Saturday where WWII Veteran Army Combat Veteran Walter Kolimaga was honored.

“I think it’s just a coincidence that we are having Veterans Night at the theatre this week, so I guess we are commemorating this in some way because there will be some Vietnam Veterans there,” Anderlonis said.

Micolucci said he was vaguely aware of the day because Delaware Veterans Post #1 in Wilmington is planning a Welcome Home Dinner on April 7 for Vietnam veterans.

“Many Delaware County Vietnam Vets will be at the dinner, I think,” Micolucci said. “The post is right off of Namaans Road, right over the state line, so lots of vets from the county belong there.”

Dennis Murphy, U.S. Army Vietnam War Veteran, Silver Star and Purple Heart recipient and member of the Delaware County Veterans Memorial Association Board said that, although he is not aware of any specific Delaware County events, there are several in Philadelphia. The City of Philadelphia will observe National Vietnam Veterans Day with a presentation of a resolution from City Council to the Memorial Fund Board of Directors. The presentation will be made at the memorial during a ceremony by Councilman David Oh at 2 p.m. on March 29. Other city officials should be present, as well as leaders of veterans organizations. This will be the first ceremony since the president signed a law last March recognizing the day of honor Vietnam Veterans. One of the co-sponsors of the bill was Republican Pa. U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey.

The office of state Rep. Martina White, R-170 of Philadelphia, in conjunction with the Toomey’s office, will join area Vietnam veterans at a ceremony to honor all area Vietnam-era veterans and commemorate National Vietnam War Veterans Day in Philadelphia at 11 a.m., Thursday, March 29, at FOP Lodge 5, 11630 Caroline Road, Philadelphia. During the event, Toomey and White will present commemorative pins to eligible Vietnam War veterans. All veterans who served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces at any time between Nov. 1, 1955, and May 15, 1975, regardless of location, will be eligible to receive a lapel pin at this ceremony. Family members are invited to attend the ceremony with veterans.

For more information or to participate, veterans should RSVP to Rep. White’s office at 215-3302711.

The federal March 29 Welcome Home Day not only seeks to recognize Vietnam Veterans, but also is aimed to educate Americans about one of the nation’s most emotionally charged wars. Soldiers in the Vietnam War Era, from Aug. 5, 1964 to May 7, 1975, saw about 240 days of combat in one year, thanks to the mobility of the helicopter. In comparison, the average infantryman in the South Pacific during World War II saw about 40 days of combat in four years. One out of every 10 Americans who served in Vietnam was a casualty. Among the 9.5 million who served between 1955 and 1975, 58,253 were killed and 153,363 suffered non-fatal wounds, according to the Department of Defense. The average age of the estimated 7 million Vietnam Veterans still living will be 70 this summer. Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day remembrances this month are meant to pay tribute to those who fought in the war that everyone, decades ago, wanted to forget.

At the Pennsylvania Veterans Museum in Media, the staff and volunteers also were unaware of the specific day declared by President Trump. However, they said the museum honors those who served in Vietnam and commemorates their service each and every day of the year. On Thursday, March 29, the museum will be open 12 noon to 5 p.m. The museum administrators and volunteers said that they hope Vietnam

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PEG DEGRASSA – DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Vietnam War Exhibit creator Ed Buffman Jr., points out places on the map that had meaningful significance in the Vietnam War.

PEG DEGRASSA – DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Vietnam War Veterans Arthur Burn, left, of Linwood, and Jay Joseph, of Glenolden, stand in front of a lifesized photo of soldiers in Vietnam that is part of the new Vietnam War exhibit at the Pennsylvania Veterans Museum in Media. Joseph’s story is captured on video at the museum and Burn’s story will soon be added. Both vets volunteer at the Museum.

A soldier walks along a path as smoke rises behind him during the Vietnam War.

PEG DEGRASSA – DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA While Vietnam Veteran Arthur Burn,left, of Linwood watches, Ed Buffman Jr. of Willistown Township, the designer and creator of the Vietnam War exhibit at the Pa. Veterans Museum in Media, adjusts the screen of the monitor showing actual footage of soldiers during the Vietnam War. In very powerful video clips, Vietnam War soldiers are interviewed about their wartime experience. The interviews are intermingled with actual clips from the 1960s and ‘70s at their homes and during their time overseas.

PEG DEGRASSA – DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA At right, Vietnam veteran Arthur Burn, of Linwood, talks about weapons and other artifacts, while Vietnam War Exhibit creator Ed Buffman Jr. looks on, at the Pennsylvania Veterans Museum in Media last week.

PEG DEGRASSA – DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Standing at the entrance to the Vietnam War exhibit at the Pennsylvania Veterans Museum in Media are Ed Buffman, chairman emeritus of the museum, Ed Buffman Jr., creator and director of the Vietnam War Exhibit at the museum, Jolene Buffman, museum administrator, and Arthur “AJ” Burn, USMC, Vietnam War veteran and past president of the First Marine Division Association.