On the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War, State representative Stephanie Kifowit, D-Oswego, and the first Vietnamese American and Vietnamese refugee to serve in the General Assembly, State representative Hoan Huynh, along with Vietnam veteran State representative, Mark Walker, joined American Vietnam veterans and Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) veteran soldiers who served along side them, at the State Capitol Building in Springfield Wednesday , April 5 to honor their contributions and to remember their sacrifices.
“Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day is a day to honor and thank those brave service members, my fellow Veterans, who served in the Vietnam War and to make an extra effort to those who did not receive the recognition and appreciation they deserved upon returning home,” Kifowit said. “We have to continually acknowledge that the Vietnam War was a very challenging and divisive time in American history. Many Veterans faced extreme hate, public vilification, were shunned and even spat on. Many troops were told to not wear their uniforms to avoid verbal and physical attacks. I have been blessed to call many Vietnam veterans my friends, and I will ensure that Illinois will always do our part to show proper appreciation to the men and women who served so bravely during the Vietnam War.”
Representative Kifowit, along with representative Huynh, presented and passed House Resolution 104, designating March 29 as “Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day” in Illinois. More than 58,000 members of the United States Armed Forces lost their lives in Vietnam, and upon returning home, many veterans were not recognized, and instead were caught in a public debate regarding the United States’ involvement.
House Resolution 104 underscores how Vietnam veterans instead chose to support and recognize veterans of later conflicts, and of their continuing service to communities today. Joining representatives Kifowit and Huynh were many members of the South Vietnamese community, including Army of the Republic of Vietnam soldiers in their uniforms. The profound appreciation of the involvement of American troops in Vietnam was expressed throughout the day.
“I was honored to present House Resolution 104 with my friend representative Huynh,” said Kifowit. “Representative Huynh’s family history, as a son of a ARVN soldier, embodies that our involvement in Vietnam was justified and needed”.
All members of the Illinois House of Representatives were co-sponsors on House Resolution 104 which passed unanimously March 29.
—Office of State representative Stephanie Kifowit