Honoring Nebraska’s Vietnam Veterans

Governor Jim Pillen’s recent proclamation of March 29 as “Vietnam War Veterans Day” in Nebraska is more than a symbolic gesture. Delivered during a moving ceremony at the State Capitol, the Governor’s speech paid overdue respect to the men and women who served in one of the most complicated and misunderstood conflicts in our nation’s history. His words acknowledged not only the enduring impact of their sacrifices but also the critical need to recognize them while we still can.

More than 150 people gathered for the Capitol ceremony, including 75 Vietnam veterans. Deputy Director Levi Bennett of the Nebraska Department of Veterans’ Affairs rightly called the event an opportunity to both honor and serve those who wore the uniform during that era. It was also a reminder of just how diverse and far-reaching Nebraska’s contribution to the war truly was.

Estimates suggest that about 64,000 Nebraskans served during the Vietnam War, with more than 33,000 Vietnam-era veterans still living in the state today. Some volunteered. Others were drafted. Some served a year; others, a career. Nearly 400 of them never came home.

The phrase “Vietnam generation” often conjures images of young draftees sent overseas in the late 1960s—but those who served spanned a broader range. Many of the senior officers and early advisers in the conflict were veterans of Korea or even World War II. They, too, are Vietnam veterans, and we are losing them every day. Their experience, their leadership, and their stories are part of the Vietnam legacy we must not forget.

Vietnam service was not limited to infantry grunts and pilots. Nebraskans served in intelligence, logistics, medical units, communications, engineering, and aviation support. From generals to privates, every role mattered. Southwest Nebraska alone sent hundreds into the armed forces during the war, and many of them returned home to lives marked by quiet dignity and little fanfare.

It’s important to remember that while Americans were divided over the war, many took their frustrations out on the returning soldiers—some of whom had been drafted. For decades, Vietnam veterans received little recognition, and some endured open hostility. That wrong cannot be undone, but it can be acknowledged. Gratitude may be late in coming, but it is no less real.

The Governor’s proclamation stands as a call to all Nebraskans: appreciate every veteran of this conflict, regardless of how or where they served. These men and women carried out their duties under circumstances shaped by politics, global tensions, and national uncertainty. What unites them is their service—a commitment that came with real risk, real loss, and often, little reward.

As the Vietnam generation ages, opportunities to thank them in person are fading. Their stories are part of Nebraska’s story; their lives shaped our communities, and their sacrifices deserve more than a passing mention in history books.

In southwest Nebraska and across the state, we can honor them best not just with speeches and ceremonies, but with a lasting commitment to understand what they endured—and to ensure that their service is remembered, respected, and never again overlooked.