GEORGETOWN, Del — Veterans, families, and community members gathered in Georgetown to honor those who served in the Vietnam War, paying special tribute to the 26 military members from Sussex County who lost their lives.
The ceremony, held at The Village of College Park, featured a 21-gun salute and the reading of the names of the fallen service members. The event marked National Vietnam War Veterans Day, which commemorates March 29, 1973—the day American combat troops officially withdrew from Vietnam following the signing of the Paris Peace Accords.
For many veterans, the recognition was deeply meaningful.
"It's unfortunate when guys like myself came back, there was no one there for us," said Tom Wiker, who served as a gunner on a Huey helicopter from 1966 to 1968. "But now it is different. We have a lot of guys behind us, a lot of people are behind us."
The ceremonial part of the event concluded with the playing of Taps and the folding of an American flag.