ITEM PHOTO BY OWEN O’ROURKE
Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy congratulates Vietnam veteran George Burke after he was given his welcome home pin at a ceremony at the Lynn Museum Tuesday.
BY BRIDGET TURCOTTE
LYNN — A dozen Vietnam War veterans were honored for their service in a ceremony Tuesday at the Lynn Museum & Historical Society.
The 50th Vietnam War Commemoration is a national movement to recognize veterans who served in Southeast Asia between Nov. 1, 1955 and May 15, 1975.
The vets were thanked and welcomed home. They were each presented with a commemorative lapel pin, a scroll which depicted its meaning and a signed thank-you card.
“As a returning vet from Afghanistan, people don’t confuse the war with the warrior,” said Mike Sweeney, director of Lynn’s Veterans Services.
It was the poor treatment of Vietnam War veterans that taught the country that lesson, Sweeney said.
John Nicolosi, a U.S. Navy veteran from Gloucester, said he unknowingly lived with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder until about seven years ago. After returning home, it was years before he received medical treatment.
He was discouraged from wearing his uniform home. In 1967, when he stepped off the plane, he was spit on, he said.
“It was a depressing time,” Nicolosi said.
George Burke, who served in the Marine Corps, said he was 22 when he served, one of the older servicemen.
“Being older and more mature helped me,” he said. “A lot of kids had scars they carried all their lives.”
He recalled asking his father to be at the airport waiting for him when he returned.
“There were protesters at the airport,” Burke said. “I didn’t want to be harassed or belittled.”
Burke said the ceremony meant a lot to him.
Christine Croteau, Bedford VA director, explained the symbolism of the pin given to each veteran.
The eagle represents courage, honor and dedicated service to our nation, she said. The blue circle matches the canton of the American flag, symbolizing vigilance, perseverance and justice. The Laurel Wreath represents victory, integrity and strength.
Stripes represent the American flag and six stars represent the six allies.
The event was hosted by Bedford Veterans Affairs and the Lynn Community Based Outpatient Clinic, operated by the staff at the Bedford Veterans Administration.
While Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy was a child when the troops returned from Vietnam, she was old enough to know the veterans weren’t getting the same treatment she had seen in films about World War II.
“Not enough thank yous were given out at that time,” Kennedy said. “My generation realized it as we got older. We are here to make sure we do everything we can to make that up to you.”
Bridget Turcotte can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @BridgetTurcotte.
