West Orange Memorial Day Ceremony To Mark Vietnam War’s End

WEST ORANGE, NJ — The following news release comes courtesy of West Orange public information officer Joseph Fagan. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.

This year’s annual West Orange Memorial Day Ceremony holds special meaning as it marks the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War. In recognition of this milestone, the ceremony will pay tribute to the often-overlooked courage, sacrifice, and legacy of Vietnam veterans.

The event will take place on Monday, May 26 at 11 a.m. on the steps of West Orange Town Hall, located at 66 Main Street.

Memorial Day is a time for the nation to honor the brave men and women of the U.S. military who gave their lives in service. This year’s observance will focus on the 58,318 service members who died during the Vietnam War and never returned home. Vietnam veterans from West Orange will participate in a ceremonial wreath-laying to honor the six local residents who were killed in the conflict. Their names are etched into the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C.

The treatment of returning Vietnam veterans remains one of the most somber chapters in American history. Unlike those who served in earlier wars, many Vietnam veterans came home to a nation that greeted them not with parades and gratitude, but with indifference, anger, or even hostility. As the war dragged into the 1970s, public sentiment soured, and the anti-war movement grew increasingly intense. Veterans were often unfairly blamed for the broader political and moral controversy surrounding the conflict. Fifty years later many of these feelings have not been settled and are still deeply manifested in those who served, who still seek both understanding and acceptance.

Following the outdoor ceremony, attendees will be invited inside Town Hall to Council Chambers to view a short 10-minute film to conclude the ceremony. The video from 2017, documents the visit of the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall to West Orange High School during the July 4th weekend. It features interviews with combat veterans who openly shared their Vietnam experiences. Several of these veterans will also be part of this year’s wreath-laying ceremony at Town Hall.

This Memorial Day will serve not only as a time of remembrance for the fallen but also as a chance to extend long-overdue appreciation to our Vietnam veterans who returned home without the proper honor they had earned. As we commemorate five decades since the war’s end, the West Orange community is encouraged to come together in unity, respect, and gratitude. Let us ensure that their stories are preserved, their service honored, and their legacy carried forward. In the event of rain, the entire event will be held inside Town Hall. If you know a Vietnam veteran who would like to participate in the ceremony, please contact Joe Fagan at jfagan@westorange.org

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