Vietnam War Is Remembered At West Chester University

WEST CHESTER, PA — As the nation prepares to commemorate the 50th anniversary of its withdrawal from Vietnam and honor all Vietnam veterans, insights not found in textbooks will be shared by several local Vietnam War veterans at West Chester University.

Vietnam War Digital/Oral History project that has been in the making for two years will be presented from 2 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 29, at the University’s Philips Autograph Library, Philips Memorial Hall (2nd floor), 700 South High St., West Chester.
The event is free and open to the community.
“Hearing the stories of our veterans and actively listening to their experiences is important; it goes beyond expressing thanks for their service,” said Professor Bob Kodosky, a military history expert. “It’s critical for us as we work to understand the complexities that have gone on before us and the complexities that we face today.”
Among several local Vietnam veterans who will engage in the discussion about their experiences will be those from the Chester County Marine Corps League and the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 436.
Former U.S. Rep. Curt Weldon, who was a university student at the time of the war, and Rev. Anderson Porter, a Civil Rights Activist who marched with Martin Luther King, Jr., will also participate.
The commemorative day also holds special meaning for the 20+ students who took Honors 351 Oral History/Vietnam War Seminar with Professor Kodosky and dedicated themselves to preserving the voices of a complex era.
“For many of the era’s participants, the war’s aftermath rendered an uncomfortable silence,” Kodosky said. “I am proud that our students have provided a means for these individuals to finally share their voices as well as their historical narratives.”
In the spring of 2022, the students learned about the Vietnam War and the implications that it had locally.
The students eventually scheduled interviews with a local Vietnam veteran, an individual associated with counter-activism, or a Vietnamese person who migrated to the U.S.
The semester culminated with three generations of military veterans accompanying a group of students to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.