(KNSI) – Today is National Vietnam Veterans Day.
Since 2017, the has been dedicated as a time to honor Vietnam vets.
There are a couple of reasons why March 29th was chosen. It was on this day 49 years ago that the last combat troops departed Vietnam. It was also on this day Hanoi freed the remaining prisoners of war the Republic of Vietnam was willing to acknowledge.
The U.S. was initially slow to get involved with the conflict and the initial deployment of advisors in the early 50s grew incrementally through the early 60s and expanded with the deployment of full combat troops in July of 1965.
The U.S. remained in Vietnam until the spring of 1975. Over that 20 years, nine million people served, and nearly six million of them are alive today. More than 58,000 Americans were killed in the war, and another 304,000 were wounded.
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