Dear Vietnam Veteran,

Welcome home! I hope your day in Washington D.C. was memorable and meaningful. First, I wanted to say how thankful I am for your sacrifice of serving as a soldier in the Vietnam War. I know that Vietnam Veterans were not welcomed home properly by any means after coming back from the war. So, I wanted to show my deep appreciation for all you have done.

My name is Nicole and I am a junior at Arrowhead High School. In eighth grade, I also went to Washington D.C. with my school. We got to see the memorials and monuments, but what stood out to me was the Vietnam War Memorial. Walking down the memorial, seeing the names of men and women who laid down their lives for our country, I felt a deep feeling of appreciation. I can’t even imagine how it must have felt for you. I hope that when seeing the memorial, you felt appreciated like you may not have felt before.

Recently, in school, we watched the Honor Flight movie and I was so moved to learn how much the experience means to veterans like you. In 2012, my grandpa also went on the Honor Flight. I had the privilege of watching him and other veterans walk out of the plane and be welcomed home by so many people. I got to see the ecstatic looks on the faces of so many veterans that showed how much that moment meant to them—to finally be honored correctly.

I have heard about how Vietnam Veterans were treated when they came home from their service and it is truly disheartening. After coming home from being deployed overseas and  sacrificing having a normal life, you were treated terribly. You were ignored by everyone, even friends and family. I can’t even begin to imagine what that must have felt like. To not be honored and appreciated by your community (even your loved ones) for the sacrifices you made is absolutely demoralizing. To never get the welcome home that you sincerely deserved, I hope that when you land in Milwaukee, you can finally get the welcome home that you have deserved ever since then.

I am forever grateful to you for your bravery and sacrifices. You are a true hero. Thank you for your service. I hope you have had an unforgettable day on the Honor Flight and you finally feel properly honored.

Welcome home!

Sincerely,
Nicole