On May 25 The Museum of Flight officially debuts its newest addition, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park, with a ceremony featuring General Jim Mattis (Ret.), the 26th Secretary of Defense. Mattis served during the Persian Gulf War, the War in Afghanistan, and the Iraq War. His speech during the ceremony will thank and honor Vietnam veterans who served in all branches of the military.
Sponsored by The Boeing Company and Humana, a leading health and well-being company, this event is free and open to the public. The ceremony begins at 11 a.m.
General Mattis will be joined in honoring veterans by Allan Ekberg, Mayor of Tukwila; Lourdes “Alfie” Alvarado-Ramos, Director of Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs; Pamela Valdez, Vice President of Air Force Services at the Boeing Company; the Reverend Canon John F. Fergueson; Jim Farmer, Museum of Flight Trustee and Vietnam veteran; and Matt Hayes, Museum President & CEO. Aircraft fly-overs by VAQ-135 Growler Squadron Whidbey Island, the Cascade War Birds, a Huey and Cobra helicopter, along with live music from the Boeing Company Band will round out the celebration.
As a sponsor of the event, Humana will host a Vietnam War Commemoration (VWC) veteran pinning ceremony where veterans will be presented with lapel pins commemorating their service during and the 50thanniversary of the Vietnam War. Veterans who served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces between Nov. 1, 1955, and May 15, 1975, regardless of location, are eligible to participate in the ceremony. A VWC Commemorative Partner, Humana has been hosting pinning ceremonies across the country to honor Vietnam veterans. Humana has a longstanding relationship with the military and is committed to the well-being of all veterans.
The opening ceremony for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park is the culmination of the Museum’s Project Welcome Home initiative, a fundraising effort to publicly acknowledge the military services and sacrifices made by veterans and their families during the Vietnam War. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, 9 million Americans served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces during the Vietnam War, with 3.4 million having served in Southeast Asia. As of 2010, approximately 7 million are still living today.
The centerpiece of the park is the Museum’s B-52G Stratofortress 59-2584 Midnight Express, which was carefully restored by a team of dedicated volunteers. The B-52 flew during Operation Linebacker II and sat quietly at Paine Field in Everett, Wash. for 28 years before Project Welcome Home gave it a new life. A Vietnam airman statue carrying a folded American flag joins the plane; created by artist James J. Nance, the airman represents all those who returned home from combat, while the flag represents those who did not return.
The park also features a Tribute Wall with plaques that carry the names of many who served during the Vietnam War. The plaques are personalized with names, military rank and other information, and appear on the wall along the footpath around the B-52.
The park will serve as a serene place of reflection and remembrance for those who served during Vietnam and their families, and visitors can reflect upon the B-52 and the nearly 10,000 other U.S. military aircraft lost during the war.
For more information about the park opening, the public can call (206) 764-5700. For information on the pinning ceremony, the public can call Humana at 1-800-781-4203.
