Dear Vietnam Veteran,

Thank you. Thank you for putting others before yourself. Thank you for your service. The sacrifices you made show how brave and selfless you truly are.  My life wouldn’t be the same without you and your determination to make the world a better place. You risked your life for millions of people and for their freedom, and for that I am forever grateful.

Our class recently watched the Honor Flight movie and I was inspired to write this letter to you.  You have done so many amazing things for this country and I wanted to take the time to tell you how appreciative I am for you and for your actions.

In fifth grade, I visited Washington D.C. with my elementary class.  We visited numerous monuments but the one that stuck out to me the most was the Vietnam Veteran Memorial.  Even though I was young and didn’t know much about this war, seeing over 58,000 names of the Americans who gave their lives in service to this country made an emotional impact on my life.  It was an experience I will never forget and I hope you realize how grateful I am for your bravery and commitment.

It pains me to know that you didn’t get the welcome home that you deserved at first.  What you did for us did not deserve the brutal words and actions that were brought upon you.  You are someone who allowed me to live my life in freedom, unlike most other countries, and one day I aspire to be as brave as you. Thank you for your service and welcome home.