Your take on Vietnam Veterans Day was spot on

Hi, Mr. Williams.

Thank you for keeping the Lassen Times going strong. I still look at the website every morning and read all the articles from my house in Pacifica, California. Don’t get up to our house in Westwood as often as in the past but still consider Westwood and Lassen County my favorite places on earth.

Your take on Vietnam Veterans Day was spot on. March 29 has a special meaning in my heart for two reasons — my cousin is a Vietnam veteran, and it was my dad’s birthday and the day he passed away eight years ago.

Below is a note I posted on my local Facebook page about Vietnam Veterans Day.

I call my cousin on March 29 every year to catch up and see how he is doing. He won’t talk about what he saw and did at Da Nang Air Force Base. I still have the shirt my cousin gave me when I was 15 years old in 1970. I was very proud to wear it when I was in high school. I just missed the draft, so I did not join or serve in the military.

Thank you.

Jim DeJong, Pacifica, California

Why March 29 matters in 2026 
In 2026, the legacy of Vietnam feels increasingly relevant. As debates over foreign intervention and troop withdrawals dominate current headlines, March 29 serves as a reminder that the “cost of war” extends far beyond the final ceasefire.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund continues to emphasize that the day is about more than just the 58,000+ names on “The Wall” in D.C.; it is about the living. It is a day to provide the “Welcome Home” that was denied to so many in 1973. March 29 is more than a date on a calendar; it is a correction of a historical wrong. Whether through local ceremonies or a simple moment of silence, the day ensures that the “forgotten soldiers” are finally seen.