A Vietnam Remembrance

On March 24th and 25th, The Texas Capitol Vietnam Veterans Monument will celebrate the beginning of monument construction and honor the 3,417 Texans who died in the Vietnam War. Lady Bird Johnson was honorary chair of the committee creating the monument that will be constructed. You can read a description of the proposed monument here.

An historic Reading of the Names of all Texas Vietnam War heroes will be held March 24th from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the LBJ Presidential Library Auditorium. Visitors… Show more are welcome to come witness this first ever official state recognition of the 3,417 Texans who died or remain missing in action. If you would like to volunteer to participate in the Reading of the Names, please complete this form.

Following the Reading of the Names at 6 p.m. on March 24, a casual reception honoring Texas Vietnam veterans will be held at Scholz Garten [1607 San Jacinto Blvd].

The Monument Groundbreaking Ceremony will take place at the monument site on the Northeast side of the Capitol Grounds at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, March 25. During the ceremony, the personalized Dog Tags of our 3,417 Texas Vietnam War Heroes will be dedicated for entombment in the monument. Texas combat journalist Joe Galloway, co-author of the best-selling book We Were Soldiers Once, and Young, will deliver the keynote address at the Groundbreaking Ceremony. Governor Rick Perry, Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst and Speaker Joe Straus are also expected to join Senator Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa and Representative Wayne Smith at the ceremony. The Dog Tags will be carried in a procession accompanied by the Patriot Guard Riders to the monument foundry in Bastrop, where a short receiving ceremony will occur. Spectators are welcome to join the procession to escort this historic tribute to our fallen heroes.

All events are free and open to the public. More information about the groundbreaking is available at www.buildthemonument.org.

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