Jill Wagner Honors Vietnam War Vets: ‘Thank You for Your Service’
By Movieguide® Contributor
Great American Family star Jill Wagner and her husband David Lemanowicz took time during National Vietnam War Veterans Day to honor those who served.
“We’re doing a post about something that I don’t think a lot of people know about, so we were just gonna tell you guys about it and just say a couple words,” Jill said before handing it off to her husband, a veteran who served in Afghanistan.
“This is a holiday, or I should say, a day to honor those who fought in Vietnam or even served in the Vietnam War over its 20-year timeframe. It was enacted into law, it became an officially recognized day to honor those who fought in the Vietnam War on March 29th, 2017. And you know, as all Americans, know…during the Vietnam War, they didn’t get a proper welcome home,” Lemanowicz said.
“But I think they deserve that [proper recognition] because they served just as honorably and they made a lot of sacrifices, including a lot of deaths, not just causalities. There were millions of causalities but a lot of people died, a lot of Americans, a lot of patriots died in that war and many of them didn’t choose to serve, so there’s complexities and dimensions to that war,” he continued.
The date is significant. “29 March is a fitting choice for a day honoring Vietnam veterans,” Vietnam War Commemoration reported. “It was chosen to be observed in perpetuity as March 29, 1973 was the day United States Military Assistance Command, Vietnam was disestablished and also the day the last U.S. combat troops departed Vietnam. In addition, on and around this same day Hanoi released the last of its acknowledged prisoners of war.”
Over 8 million Americans served in the war, with over 3 million being drafted into service. As of 2018, an estimated 7 million Vietnam War veterans were still alive.
“The commemoration recognizes all veterans who served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces between Nov. 1, 1955, to May 15, 1975, regardless of location. The day also recognizes the family member of these veterans,” American Military News reported.
“To all you Vietnam vets out there and the ones with us and the ones that aren’t, we love you, we’re honoring you. Well-deserved day, long overdue, thank you for your service,” Wagner said. “God bless America.”
Movieguide® previously reported:
Movieguide® award nominee Jill Wagner and her husband, David Lemanowicz, expressed their gratitude for the men and women who serve in our military.
“We are currently in Baltimore, and we were just having a little conversation about Thanksgiving [and] all of the things that we are thankful, and it landed on the military,” Wagner began in a Great American Family video. “What the men and women of the military have done and continue to do for us. So, I guess we just wanted to say a little thank you to all of them.”
Lemanowicz added, “Lots for our family to be thankful for, our health, our family’s health and the health of this country. It’s still the greatest country in the world. I continue to serve in the military at my own capacity as an army officer. I couldn’t think of a better job or a better country to serve. So, I’m thankful for that opportunity.
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