WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR), member of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and original cosponsor of a resolution to honor veterans who served in Vietnam by designating March 30th as "Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day" issued the following statement recognizing this day:

“This day is a well-deserved, overdue recognition for our soldiers who selflessly served in Vietnam. These men and women risked their lives defending the interests of our nation. While they earned the honor of a hero’s welcome, unfortunately they didn’t receive it. This day affords us the opportunity to show our support and gratitude for the service and sacrifice these veterans made to preserve our freedom. I encourage all Americans to honor our Vietnam veterans for their dedication to securing and protecting democracy.”

The United States became involved in Vietnam because policy-makers believed that if South Vietnam fell to a communist government, communism would spread throughout the rest of Southeast Asia. The US Armed Forces began serving in an advisory role to the South Vietnamese in 1961, and in 1965, ground combat troops were sent into Vietnam. After many years of combat, all US troops were withdrawn from Vietnam on March 30, 1973, under the terms of the Treaty of Paris. More than 58,000 members of the United States Armed Forces lost their lives and more than 300,000 were wounded in Vietnam.

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