Page 6 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • April 20, 2011 Mayor, council honor return of Vietnam vets by John Koster Glen Rock Mayor John van Keuren recently convoked a tribute to mark the 40th Anniversary of Americans who served in Vietnam. “This is a great opportunity for all of us in Glen Rock to say directly, finally, and on behalf of the entire borough, ‘Ladies and Gentlemen: Welcome back!’” Mayor van Keuren told the large group of World War II, Korean War, Cold War, and Vietnam veterans in the audience. “And, just as importantly, it is a time to remember those from Glenkaren/janine not return: Rich4-29-09 Rock who did ard Greene, David Brooks, David Higdon, EmmanuelHelp3x.75(4-29-09) Robert Janowitz, Richard Long, and Frank 3 x .75 Moorman, and to remember those who did return but have since passed, like Tom Egan.” Egan, the former commander of the local Veterans of Foreign Wars Post, died early this year at 66. Veterans in Glen Rock are active in commemorating Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, and Veterans Day, and are active in American Legion Post 145 and VFW Post 850. Mayor van Keuren’s local recognition ceremony was prompted by the United States Senate’s designation of March 30, 2011, as Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day. “Fifty years ago this June -- in June 1961 -- I took a train to Trenton, a bus to Fort Dix, and began what all of you once did at one time or another: basic training,” van Keuren told the veterans. “Infiltration course, hand grenade range...and there was talk among the NCOs at Fort Dix of French Indo China and Dien Bien Phu...of what was on the horizon. But I was an ER...(a sixmonth reservist then exempt from service overseas) so after six months I went home... while the guys in my company with a U.S. prefix on their Army serial numbers went on -- on to Germany and on to the Pacific and, eventually, to Vietnam. And there, they and you visited places like An Khe and Pleiku and Da Nang and Cam Ranh Bay. “That war lasted until 1973 -- March 30, 1973, to be exact -- and between 1961, when the first advisors went in, and March 30, 1973, when the last troops were withdrawn, more than 58,000 members of the U.S. armed services lost their lives. “Now, this year, 40 years later, the U.S. Senate designated March 30, 2011 as Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day and the borough of Glen Rock did the same.” Vietnam veterans, unlike the “Greatest Generation” celebrated in recent works of nostalgic history of World War II, were sometimes called “the forgotten vets.” The Vietnam War was extremely unpopular on college campuses, especially after the Tet Offensive early in 1968, and protests at the Democratic Convention in Chicago later that year were seen as having polarized the American people. Many returning Vietnam veterans felt they were ignored or sometimes verbally abused by people their own age, and the celebrations and programs that welcomed World War II veterans were not Emmanuel asks... Can You Help? Glen Rock Veterans being honored at a recent Glen Rock council meeting. duplicated. In 1975, the North Vietnamese government violated the agreement with the United States and invaded South Vietnam with Soviet-made tanks, defeating and routing the South Vietnamese. Some who had supported the war on communist were murdered or imprisoned and others became “boat people” who took their chances on escaping from communist-controlled Viet- nam by small boats, an escape that cost many lives. Peace advocates wrote the America had “lost” the Vietnam War even though the U.S. had fought the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong to a standstill while the Americans were still heavily engaged before 1973. Newly unified Vietnam got into a war with China and both countries are now currying favor and trade with the United States. Easter Flowers and Plants Spring Annuals and Perennials Pansies • Hyacinths Daffodils• Tulips Hydrangeas 85 Airmont Ave • Mahwah, NJ 07430 201-529-2595 • secorfarms.com Secor Farms ������������� 4-20-11 joan/janine ������������������� SecorFarmsEasterSpring3x3(4-20-11) 3 x 3” Rev1 ��������������������������������������� �������������������� ����������������������������� ������������