Veterans picnic sets new record

Veterans picnic sets new record
Towanda Daily Review - Towanda,PA,USA

BY JAMES LOEWENSTEIN
Staff Writer
Published: Monday, June 8, 2009 6:02 AM EDT
SHESHEQUIN TOWNSHIP — In South Vietnam during the Vietnam War, U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. James A. Clark of Elmira, N.Y., was approaching a helicopter that had landed in order to retrieve mail, when an enemy mortar round exploded.

Clark was knocked unconscious, and then spent a month being treated for his injuries on a hospital ship. He received a Purple Heart and has been disabled since then.

Clark was one of more than 3,500 people who attended the 21st Annual Bradford County Veterans Appreciation Day picnic Sunday at Hornbrook County Park in Sheshequin Township.

“It’s a great thing that Bradford County does for its veterans,” Clark said of the picnic, which provides a free picnic lunch and free T-shirt or hat for the veterans who attend it.

The picnic brings a message to veterans that “what we did was worth it,” which is not the message that many veterans of the Vietnam and Iraq wars received when they returned to the United States, according to Iraq War veteran Timothy Chapman of Towanda.

Chapman said that when he returned to the United States, a young boy at the airport wanted to shake the hands of Chapman and other returning troops.

But the boy’s mother pulled him away, saying, “You don’t talk to those murderers!” according to Chapman.

Two members of the Bradford County Veterans Appreciation Day Committee said there was a record attendance at the picnic this year. click link for more

There is also a picnic coming up on June 14th in MN

June 14 picnic to honor all local Vietnam veterans
Albert Lea Tribune - Albert Lea,MN,USA Published Monday, June 8, 2009

Vietnam vets and Vietnam-era veterans from around the region are invited to attend Vietnam Veterans Recognition Day on Sunday afternoon, June 14, for a free picnic social. The fifth annual barbecue picnic, sponsored by the Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 790, will be held this year at Swensrud Park in Northwood, Iowa. Located along the riverfront, there is close parking, lots of shade trees. There will be a variety of foods, but mainly the day focuses on the camaraderie among fellow Vietnam veterans. June 14 is also known and celebrated as Flag Day.
click link for more information