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Vietnam Commemoration Ceremony

Vietnam Veterans who are enrolled for VA health care are invited to a special Vietnam War Commemoration Ceremony onMarch 29at the medical center. The ceremony, co-hosted by the Museum of the American Military Family and in partnership with the Albuquerque Veterans Benefits Administration and the Santa Fe National Cemetery, will begin at10 a.m. in the Education Auditorium (Bldg. 39) Raymond G. Murphy VA Medical Center, Albuquerque.

  The ceremony’s purpose is to thank and honor Veterans of the Vietnam War, including personnel who were held as prisoners of war or listed as missing in action, for their service and sacrifice on behalf of the United States, and also to thank and honor the families of these Veterans. 

  Special guest speaker will be Thomas Baca, a retired U.S. Army Veteran who flew helicopter missions in Vietnam.  As an added attraction, a restored Huey helicopter of the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Department will be parked on the medical center’s parade field (near the San Mateo gate) so those attending can get a close look at the aircraft that became famous as the “workhorse of Vietnam.”

  Following the ceremony, Veterans can enjoy refreshments while they view the documentary, “In the Shadow of the Blade.”  The 105-minute documentary follows the 10,000-mile journey of a battle-scarred UH-1 "Huey" helicopter into America's backyards to hear the untold stories of Vietnam War Veterans and the families who waited for them to come home.