Assemblyman Matt Slater and Sen. Pete Harckham recently honored nearly 20 Vietnam War veterans from the 94th Assembly District and across the Hudson Valley at the State Capitol for Vietnam Veterans Day, observed March 29.
“It was truly meaningful to spend time with these heroes and thank them in person—your service will never be forgotten,” Slater said in a press release from his office. “Mission accomplished, welcome home.”
The Assembly and Senate formally recognize Vietnam Veterans Day through a legislative resolution. Slater and Harckham hosted local veterans in Albany to ensure they received recognition.
“Today we pay homage to the brave men and women who served in the Vietnam War, knowing full well that they served with tremendous courage and sacrifice,” Harckham said.
Among the group of veterans was Yorktown’s Jim Mecca, a U.S. Army Specialist Fourth Class who served from 1970 to 1972.
“For Vietnam veterans, this day means everything to us,” Mecca said.
“We can go back 50 years ago and see that no group of veterans were treated as badly as us. I was called a ‘baby killer’ when I came back to Chicago and New York. I thought, what did I do to deserve this? It took over 30 years for us to get treated decently,” he added.
And now, Mecca said, “the VA treats us much better in part because of us. This type of recognition means a lot to us, and we all look forward to it.”
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