HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) – Vietnam War veterans received special recognition during the National Vietnam War Veterans Day Remembrance Ceremony at Club Creek Basin Park in southwest Houston on Monday.
The occasion commemorated National Vietnam War Veterans Day, which was designated March 29. It honors the nearly 3 million men and women who served in war, many of whom never heard the words “welcome home.”
The date is important because it occurred when the U.S. Military Assistance Command in Vietnam was disbanded, the last U.S. combat troops left Vietnam, and the last prisoners of war were released.
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The location of Monday’s ceremony was intentional.
Veterans, law enforcement officials and community members gathered near the Houston Vietnam Veterans Memorial inside the park, located on Club Creek Drive, near US 59 and Bissonnet.
Houston City Councilman Edward Pollard said developing the memorial was part of a promise and commitment to his father, a U.S. Marine Corps and Vietnam War veteran.
The memorial is located within the Bullard J.
“These veterans answered the call to serve during a difficult time in our nation’s history, and their courage, sacrifice and resilience deserve our lasting appreciation,” Bullard said. books Before the event.
The memorial now stands proudly within the park and bears the names of local Vietnam veterans.
“We have many veterans from the greater Houston area who did not receive a proper welcome home after the war, so today we want to make sure they feel loved,” Pollard told ABC13. “They understand that we value their sacrifices and service.”
Today was a day of celebration and remembrance.
Nick Miller, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, played Taps, a bugle call that signals lights to be off. His remarks also serve as a moment of reflection and respect for those who served and sacrificed.
Skyler Derrington, a survivor of the July 4, 2025, floods at Camp Mystic in the Texas Hill Country, opened with “Star-Spangled Banner” and closed with “Amazing Grace,” with the audience joining in near the end of the song.
Derrington received national recognition after she rewrote the lyrics to the song “Thank God” in honor of her camp friends and their community.
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Keynote speakers included Vietnam War veteran Jodi Harwell, and war survivor Darren Buie, who shared how he and his family escaped Vietnam by boat during the fall of Saigon.
Bowie spent two years in a refugee camp in Japan before immigrating to the United States and settling in Oakland, California, in 1980.
He later moved to Houston and has since called it his home for decades.
“My story is not just about struggle, but about gratitude. Gratitude for the opportunities this country has given me. Gratitude to those who made it possible,” Bowie said.
Meanwhile, Harwell served in the United States Air Force and was stationed at Clark Air Base in the Philippines from 1971 to 1973.
She shared how she was among the more than 11,000 women who served during the Vietnam War, and worked closely with affected families.
She also has a special relationship with Pollard as his elementary school principal.
Harwell left the crowd reminding us that education about our history must continue to be told for generations to come.
“Very soon they will say: The Vietnam War? What is this?” “So, we have to keep these things going,” Harwell said.
“This memorial behind me presents the story of Houston,” Pollard added. “It is an amazing story of those who served from this area, and I encourage everyone to come to Club Creek Park, see the memorial, and learn about the Vietnam War and how it affected not only those here in Houston, but across the country.”
In 2012, President Barack Obama issued a presidential proclamation designating March 29 as Vietnam War Veterans Day.
President Donald Trump followed this up by signing the Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act into law in 2017 to officially designate the date and add it as a day to raise the American flag.
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