Vietnam Veterans, Welcome Home: June 17-19, 2011 in Chicago

The Welcome Home 2011 has been designated to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of the most historic event that Vietnam veterans and the City of Chicago have ever experienced, namely the 1986 Chicago Vietnam Veterans Welcome Home Parade, to be held June 17-19, 2011 for veterans and supporters.

Editor’s Note: We had one of these Welcome Home events, LZ Lambeau, last Summer in Wisconsin. Some of the veterans didn’t go because now 40 years after their service, big crowds freak them out, badly. This message has not penetrated the brains of the neocon-American Enterprise Institute-Dr. Sally Satel set who despise Vietnam War-era veterans, but piss on them, they don’t care. Like Wisconsin veteran Al Sobkowiak says: “They bombed the hell out of everything. Nothing changed. … Why didn’t we get out four years earlier? … But now, I don’t want to think about it a lot.”

Via Dan:

In the words of our fallen Chairman, Chuck Lofrano, “If you were there, you will never forget it.”

No, there will not be a parade. The 1986 Chicago Vietnam Veterans Welcome Home Parade was the largest event of its kind in our nation’s history. It provided a healing process and will always be remembered as THE PARADE. We have been welcomed home.

What events are planned for the weekend?

There will be an Art and Photo Display at the Chicago Cultural Arts Center the entire weekend. Veterans, especially those with photos from the ’86 Parade, are encouraged to send entries in to be displayed. An photo entry form as well as a photo release from can be downloaded from http://www.serviceandhonor.org/forms.html.

Friday is check-in day and there will be information and discount coupon books for family activities and restaurants in the city available. Unit and service organization reunions and hospitality suites will be set up for meeting up with friends – old and new.

The half-scale model of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. (The Moving Wall) will be on display all weekend long at the entrance of Navy Pier. Also, the Illinois Department of the Military Order of the Purple Heart will display their wall of fallen soldiers from Illinois that includes all wars.

There will be a kick-off Rally at Navy Pier on Saturday morning. This will include the opening ceremony with guest speakers, followed by entertainment by Jackie Marx and Britt Small. Vendor booths and information booths will also be on display along Navy Pier.

Following the Rally, there will be a ‘Pass the Torch’ ceremony, honoring the OEF/OFI veterans, as well as military vehicle displays.

Saturday night the Palmer House Hotel will host a banquet to honor and thank the City of Chicago for all of the support they have shown its veterans over the years. Guests will include Congressional Medal of Honor Recipients along with Keynote speaker, Bob Wieland and Master of Ceremonies, Bill Kurtis. Bob Wieland was asked personally by General William Westmoreland to lead the parade in 1986 and Bob marched the entire parade on his hands. Bob’s stop in Chicago will be a part of his Race Across America on a hand-cycle from Los Angeles to Maryland.

Reverend John Steer will lead an inter-faith ceremony Sunday morning at the Chicago Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

A Sunday afternoon of music will be held at the Pritzker Pavilion at Millennium Park, featuring Dennis DeYoung, Kimotion (with co-founder of the Lt. Dan Band, Kimo Williams), ARRA, and USO’s Joe Cantafio and the 101st Rock Division.

There will also be vendors’ booths, veteran authors discussion panels, veteran’s benefits, information booths, and timely seminars throughout the weekend.

Contact at 312-925-5506 with any questions or concerns you may have.