Vietnam vets honored with special day in Lynn

LYNN – The older ones are in their late 70s, the younger just about 60.They’re veterans of the Vietnam War and on Sunday they’ll be honored across Lynn, the result of a special proclamation read aloud Friday at City Hall by Mayor Edward Clancy Jr.Veterans representing every conflict since World War II gathered in the lobby for a recognition ceremony, some still able to fit into their military uniforms.”I had to go outside,” said Tom Miller, 67, of Lynn, who spent 22 years in the Marine Corps and served two tours of duty in Vietnam. “I got too emotional when I heard them play the Star Spangled Banner.”The notes burst from veteran Dick Perry’s trumpet, filling the cavernous room. The men saluted flags held erect by members of the ROTC. Chris Lewis, president of his class at Lynn Classical High School, read the sobering statistics from the Vietnam War – 47,424 battle deaths and 153,303 with non-mortal wounds. More than 58,000 died as a result of the war. About 7.1 million Vietnam-era veterans are living.With that, Perry played Taps. The music brought tears.”Most of these guys are in their 60s and 70s,” said Mike Sweeney, the city veterans’ agent. “There are very few veterans left from World War II and even the ones who fought in Korea are thinning out.”According to Sweeney, approximately 7,000 to 8,000 veterans live in Lynn. “We had more than 250 come home since 2001,” he said, noting that the Lynn Veterans’ Council, which hosted Friday’s ceremony, also includes veterans from the wars or military actions in Lebanon, Grenada, the Dominican Republic, Iraq and Afghanistan.”Vietnam is the forgotten war,” said Jeff Darling, 64, a Navy veteran who did not serve in Vietnam. “A lot of the guys who came back became homeless or had serious mental problems. They were all messed up. Some had to kill women and children. That’s something you don’t forget. I was never over there, but I know a lot of these guys.”Stan Whitehurst, 59, a former Lynn resident now living in Salem, served his Army tour in Vietnam from 1968-69 when the fighting reached one of its peaks and casualties were high. Unlike some of his comrades, Whitehurst was able to fit into his camouflage uniform.”Most of us are 40-50 pounds heavier than we were back then,” said Arthur Salkins, 62, of Lynn, an Air Force veteran. “No more 28-inch waists.”Several other Vietnam War veterans attended the ceremony, including George Fitzhenry, president of the Lynn Veterans’ Council; Ted Kurpiel, commander of the Franco-American Post in Lynn and the council chaplain, who joined the Navy and, interestingly enough, served with the SeaBees in Trinidad; Walter Gutherie, 63, also served in the Navy, mostly off the coast of Vietnam providing fire support; Fred Peck of Lynn was stationed with the Army in Germany; Bill Needham, 62, was with the Army’s Big Red One in Vietnam during 1968-69; Kevin Fallis, who currently lives in a Boston shelter for veterans, was with the First Marine Division and today is the new DAV district commander; and John Sacherski, commander of the Swampscott VFW who served in Vietnam with the Marines.