Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVFM) In Memory June 13 – 15, 2025 Father's Day Weekend

Article written by Janice Schiappa:

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund In Memory honors those veterans who served in the Vietnam War, returned home, and later died. VVMF started managing and hosting the VVMF In Memory program in 1999. Since the Vietnam War ended, thousands of Vietnam veteran have suffered due to Agent Orange exposure, PTSD, and other illnesses as a result of their service.

My husband, Gary Schiappa, was in the Navy and served on the USS Barry 933 in Vietnam. He passed away in 2017 after 20 years dealing with prostate cancer attributed to Agent Orange. In 2019 I heard about the program on a Thursday & took the train the next day to find out more about it. On Saturday morning, I got on a bus at 7:30 am, sat with a widow from Texas, spent the day with her. I immediately felt the camaraderie between the Vietnam veterans and families.

More than 7,000 veterans have been added to the In Memory Honor Roll since its inception in 1993. To see all the honorees, visit the In Memory Honor Roll.

Gary was honored in the 2020 group. Due to Covid, the ceremony for 2020 was combined with the 2021 group & took place in October, 2021.

A block of hotel rooms are reserved for this group and there is a dinner on Friday night. The ceremony for the honorees is on Saturday. Buses are provided beginning at 7:30 am to go to the Wall for the 10 am ceremony. The program is so well organized and respectful to those who attend. The Wall is the backdrop for the stage and podium. There is a welcoming speech by Jim Knotts, President and CEO of VVMF. Music is provided by retired members of the West Point Glee Club. The Master of Ceremony is Captain Dennis Faherty, USN-Ret., who spoke and read the first honorees name. The program moves right along to include the 774 honorees to limit the time folks are seated in the heat. Water is provided to keep folks hydrated.

Roses can be ordered to be placed on the monument for the honorees on Sunday. Buses to the Wall are provided but there is no structured program.

Over 2,000 family and friends attended the ceremony this year. Scott Savary, John Halverson, and I felt honored to be able to present the certificates for honorees who did not have family or friends there. 774 veterans were honored this year- the most ever. We each went up to the podium seven times.

The ceremony was recorded and can be viewed on YouTube, VVMF In Memory, June 15, 2025.

To have a deceased Vietnam Veteran honored, an application must be filled out and submitted by the end of March. Refer to VVMF.org for details.