SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — March 29 marks Vietnam War Memorial Day, a day to honor the sacrifices of veterans who served during this period in American history.
The Department of Veterans Affairs said there are still more than 6 million U.S. Vietnam veterans living in America and abroad, and about 500 Vietnam war veterans die every day.
On Friday, the USS Midway hosted a ceremony to honor local veterans, nearly five decades since the war ended.
The USS Midway played a pivotal role in "Operation Frequent Wind" in 1975, helping with the evacuation of 3,000 refugees from Saigon to the U.S.
Many of the refugees went to Westminster and that's where a new memorial came from Friday, a replica of one that stands in Westminster was dedicated to the USS Midway Friday.
Event organizers said the USS Midway's exhibit team will determine where it will be displayed for guests to see.
Also in Friday's ceremony, retired Navy Commander Curt Dosé, a navy pilot with nearly 200 combat missions over North Vietnam shared his powerful stories.
There was also a laying of the wreath dedication to remember the sacrifices in this war.
The ceremony ended with a traditional missing-man flyover to remember those who never made it home from the Vietnam War.
The ceremony was important for veteran Bob 'Doc' Werner, who said he shipped out when he was just a teenager from Camp Pendleton.
"I jokingly say that was my senior trip because I left high school and went to Vietnam," Werner said. "This ceremony today will probably keep me up tonight because of my memories of Vietnam. It's important to not forget history or you're doomed to repeat it."
Werner said in his experience people are trying to forget this war.
"To say we lost it would denote that we came home with our tail between our our legs we didn't do that," Werner said. "We came home with our chins high, our heads high, and proud of what we've done and I'm very proud to be an American Veteran today and volunteer on the Midway."
