Vietnam Veterans Day to be established in Wisconsin

Vietnam Veterans Day to be established in Wisconsin
Posted: Jul 19, 2009 9:57 PM EDT

Chippewa Falls (WQOW) - A group of veterans are getting a long overdue "thank you" for their service to the country.

Monday, July 20, Gov. Doyle will sign a bill that establishes March 29 as Vietnam Veteran's Day here in Wisconsin. Sen. Kathleen Vinehout and a Chippewa Falls woman, whose father is a Vietnam veteran, worked on creating the legislation. She, along with several area veterans are traveling to Madison to be part of the historical signing.

"He [Gov. Doyle] understands the Vietnam Veteran's War, not only with the war, but within a lot of soldiers that came back," says David Backstrom, Vietnam veteran.

Watching the signing first hand will be Thuy Smith; the driving force behind the bill. Her father served in Vietnam. Now she's made it her mission to help Vietnam veterans heal their wounds.

"Whether you agree with the war or not, it's not political, it's about these guys. The least any of them did was their duty and for that they should be proud and we should be proud of them," says Thuy Smith, bill advocate.

Traveling to Madison with Smith is David Backstrom, George Adrian and Al Weix; three of the ten Vietnam veterans invited to share in the history.
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Vietnam Veterans Day to be established in Wisconsin