Sunday, June 14, 2009

Vietnam veterans get their due at State Capitol

Source: KARE11

June 14, 2009

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Aircraft flyovers, vintage cars, memorabilia and thousands of military veterans filled the Minnesota Capitol grounds Saturday to honor those who served in the Vietnam War.

Veterans groups and the state Department of Veterans Affairs called it the largest Vietnam veteran event in state history. The full day of activities included the dedication of a Minnesota Medal of Honor plaque.

Sixty-three-year-old Carzell Payne said it gave him something that was missing when he returned from Vietnam in 1968.

He said, "Today I can take away that I finally had a homecoming. A heartfelt homecoming."

Almost 1,100 Minnesotans died in the Vietnam conflict.

This year, Minnesota marked its first Vietnam Veterans Day in response to a new law passed in 2008. It falls on March 29.

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