Santa Barbara Honors Vietnam Veterans with Ceremony, Tribute to Fallen Heroes

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — A National Vietnam War Veterans Day ceremony was held Saturday in Santa Barbara to honor those who served and sacrificed during the war.

Veterans gathered at the Veterans Memorial Building to mark the 52nd anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War. The event began at noon with the singing of the national anthem and included a special “In Memoriam” video honoring the 99 service members from Santa Barbara County who lost their lives during the war. The ceremony concluded with the playing of “Taps.”

Attendees were invited to bring old, worn, or tattered U.S. flags for inclusion in the ceremony.

Peter Bie, president of Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 218, reflected on the lasting impact of the war.

“The war—which so divided the country—may seem like such a long time ago, but to this day it remains an open wound for so many and has left a lasting imprint on our nation that still struggles, more than 50 years later, to understand and come to terms with its meaning and its outcome,” Bie said.

More than 2.5 million Americans—both men and women—served in Vietnam between 1959 and 1973. Many others served elsewhere around the world during the conflict.

“We do not differentiate between someone who was in ‘Nam, in another country, or stationed right here in the states during the war,” Bie said. “All who served deserve to be recognized and greeted with a hearty ‘Welcome home!’”

Local Boy Scouts also participated in the ceremony.