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Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Doug Collins, Veterans Affairs secretary, were joined by dozens of former service members, Gold Star family members and others at the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington for a ceremony in recognition of National Vietnam War Veterans Day. Signed into law by President Donald J. Trump during his first administration in 2017 and taking place every March 29 to commemorate when the last U.S. combat troops left Vietnam in 1973, National Vietnam War Veterans Day is a national observance that recognizes veterans who served during the war.
During his remarks, Hegseth stressed the importance of not only never forgetting the roughly 58,000 men who lost their lives during the conflict — as well as the more than 1,500 who are still missing in action — but to also always remember the sacrifices they made.
"We will always remember what they gave. … Those 58,000, the vast majority [being] volunteers from big cities and small towns — city boys and country boys — shoulder to shoulder, fighting for each other; we will always remember the courage they showed," Hegseth said.
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