Hartzler Honors Hundreds of Vietnam Veterans in Jefferson City Recognition Ceremony

Press Release

On Monday, Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.) hosted a Vietnam Veterans Recognition Ceremony in Jefferson City alongside Lt. Governor Mike Kehoe, Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, Maj. Gen. Levon Cumpton, Capt. Craig Alderman, and Vietnam Veteran and former Prisoner of War Col. John Clark.

L to R: Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, Col. John Clark, Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler, Cpt. Craig Alderman, Maj. Gen. Levon Cumpton, and Lt. Governor Mike Kehoe.

With more than 200 Vietnam veterans in attendance, Hartzler presented these local heroes with a commemorative Vietnam veteran lapel pin and challenge coin as a token of her heartfelt appreciation.

Click here for more photos from Monday's ceremony.

Read more about this ceremony via the Jefferson City News Tribune below:

200 Vietnam vets honored in Jefferson City celebration

Ella McCarthy, Jefferson City News Tribune

March 22, 2022

Gathering at the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 17 Post Home in Jefferson City, Vietnam veterans were presented with a lapel pin, a challenge coin and messages of gratitude from Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler, Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe, Maj. Gen. Levon Cumpton and others.

"They served and sacrificed, yet received no thank yous, no cheers, no parades when you came home," Hartzler said during the event. "It's vital, though, that each one of our Vietnam veterans and their family understand the prominent place you now occupy in our nation, and the high measure of esteem that we have for each and every one of you."

Approximately 2.7 million Americans served in Vietnam, according to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), 171,000 of which were Missourians, Hartzler noted during her remarks.

Retired Col. John Clark, an Air Force veteran who was held as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, was the keynote speaker at Monday's event.

"We owe so much to our veterans, all of our veterans, and it's a debt we can never truly repay," Clark said. "We owe them our very way of life. ... The very least we can do is honor their sacrifices and thank them for all they've done for this great nation."

Clark now offers his expertise to Hartzler's military advisory council and aided in Monday's pinning ceremony.

"America's veterans, whether they served in time of war or peace, all share our common bond -- their unwavering belief in the cause of freedom," Clark said at the event.

The recognition event also had the singing of the National Anthem from Lewis and Clark Middle School Choir, a 21-Gun salute from Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) 1003, a Prisoners of War -- Missing in Action (POW-MIA) recognition and the sounding of Taps from the Smith-Cotton U.S. Army Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC).

Ralph Vasquez, a Vietnam veteran who formerly served in the Navy, went to Monday's event from Marshall.

"I never believed something like this would ever happen -- that they would take the time to appreciate all the service that we did," Vasquez said about the event.

Vasquez joined the Navy when he was 17 years old and began serving in Vietnam in 1972. He found out about Monday's event through Hartzler's newsletter.

"It's amazing to even know that somebody took the time to say, "Come let's show our appreciation," he added.

Many Vietnam veterans at the event, including Vasquez, shared pictures of their time in the service with other veterans and some of the special speakers.

On March 29, the fifth annual National Vietnam War Veterans Day will be observed.

Hartzler said she held Monday's event to honor Vietnam veterans and "officially welcome them home, since they really didn't receive that official, heartfelt welcome years ago.

"We see you. We appreciate you. We thank you."

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