A “Welcome Home” for Vietnam veterans

Oconee County Veterans Services and two chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution: the Walhalla Chapter and the Wizard of Tamassee Chapter thanked Vietnam era Veterans Tuesday afternoon in Walhalla. The two-hour commemorative event attracted 30 veterans and their families to the Oconee Heritage Center. Jeannie Barnwell, one of the coordinators of the Welcome Home Celebration said the event allowed residents to finally thank these veterans for their service. “This was very important to us because we remember when we sent these young boys off to war and when they came back they were never really given accolades or parades because there was so much anxiety about the war. However, these men were drafted and some volunteered to go over to Vietnam and when they came home they were not welcomed with appreciation. The Daughters of the American Revolution have a history of supporting our patriots, we believe that these men are patriots no matter what you think about that war we wanted to welcome these men home, listen to their stories, and then we had a parade. They marched over the Patriot’s Hall Museum and gosh they were proud; it may have been the only parade they ever got.”