PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Vietnam-era veterans throughout northern Maine will get a long-awaited welcome home during a special event set for the Northern Maine Regional Airport in Presque Isle Saturday, September 26, 2015.
The County Vietnam Veterans Welcome Home Ceremony will take place during the third annual Take Flight activity, and is being coordinated by the airport, The Aroostook Medical Center and the Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration with a number of County veterans’ groups. It will be similar to events around the country, including one in Bangor.
The event begins at noon Sept. 26, with a reception inside the passenger terminal. Refreshments will be served. Just before 1 p.m., Vietnam veterans will proceed outside onto the tarmac for the official ceremony, which will begin at 1 p.m. and is open to family members, friends, and the public.
Included will be the official welcome home walk, telling of the story of a County Vietnam veteran and a Gold Star Family member, tributes to veterans from each branch of the military, a moment of reflection and remembrance for those who were killed in action or who have since passed away, and other special activity to mark the anniversary.
Both the County and city are supporting the event and honoring area Vietnam veterans on the same day. The County Commissioners and Presque Isle City Council have each passed and signed proclamations declaring Saturday, Sept. 26, Vietnam Veterans Appreciation Day.
“This is a great opportunity for us to come together as a community and say ‘thank you’ to those who served our country. Because of the controversy surrounding U.S. involvement in the war, our returning troops never got the proper welcome home they deserved when they returned from Vietnam,” said Sylvia Getman, TAMC president and CEO.
“It’s most appropriate that we honor all of the men and women from throughout The County who served our country – especially those from the Vietnam War era whose welcome home is long overdue,” said Scott Wardwell, airport director. “The Northern Maine Regional Airport was a former Army Air Base that was key to our national defense during World War II and through the early years of the Cold War. The legacy of our facility makes this spot all the more fitting to host this ceremony.”
That setting will be even more impressive with the return of a KC-135 military refueling jet to Aroostook County. The iconic plane, once a common sight in the skies over northern Maine when Loring Air Force Base was open, will fly in for Take Flight. It will be used as a backdrop for the ceremony, as well as a similar event at 11:30 a.m. to honor former military personnel and civilians who served at Loring during the nearly five decades it was an important part of the County landscape.
Officials with the Maine Bureau of Veterans’ Services will present certificates and special Vietnam War 50th anniversary commemorative coins to Vietnam-era veterans who register in advance.
“We are honored to be a part of the Take Flight event and encourage as many Vietnam veterans as possible to register early — and to be ready for an emotionally moving event. We made mistakes in our past, but events like this are the living proof that through our Vietnam veterans’ experiences, we will never make them again,” said Adria Horn, director of the Maine Bureau of Veterans’ Services.
Vietnam veterans planning to attend the ceremony should register before Sept. 16. Registration forms can be downloaded at www.tamc.org/takeflight or veterans can call (207) 768-4033 to request a form be mailed or to register over the phone.
For more information or to register a Vietnam-era veteran to be part of the ceremony, call (207) 768-4033.
