On Saturday, November 9, veterans of the Vietnam War will be recognized at Peachtree City’s 2013 Veterans Day Observance hosted by the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) Dixie Wing. The program will be held during the flying museum’s third annual Veterans Day Open House from 9 a.m.-noon. The open house and program is free to the public.
The open house begins at 9 a.m. with tours of the CAF Dixie Wing Historical Airpower Facility museum and workshop where aircraft are restored and maintained. Volunteers will be on hand to answer questions regarding current projects and education exhibits. A variety of vintage military vehicles and aircraft will be on display including the CAF Dixie Wing’s World War II and Korean War warbirds and the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation Viet Nam War-era helicopters. Rides will be available for purchase in several aircraft.
Bombshells United and Music Alive, Peachtree City’s Official Ambassadors of Song, will perform classics from the 1960s and patriotic songs beginning at 10 a.m.
At 11 a.m, Maj Gen George Harrison, USAF, Ret. will serve as Master of Ceremonies for Peachtree City’s Veterans Day Observance. Guest Speakers include Vietnam War veterans Maj Gen Robert B. Patterson, USAF, Ret. and LTC Cliff Stern, U.S. Army, Ret. Patterson was an AC-130 aircraft commander, while Stern was a UH-1 Huey helicopter pilot.
The 2012 Veteran’s Day program honored Korean War veterans. Working with local chapters of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and Marine Corps League, the project distributed commemorative certificates from the Department of Defense 60th Anniversary of the Korean War Committee to 150 Korean War veterans.
Vietnam veterans and family members are invited to attend the 2013 Peachtree City Veterans Day Observance. Civic, school and youth groups are also welcome to participate by displaying school projects or sharing memorabilia. Display tables are available at no cost, but must be requested by Nov. 7th.
Veterans Day dates back to 1918, when President Woodrow Wilson declared November 11 Armistice Day to remember the sacrifices of the men and women made during World War I.
After World War II, Armistice Day was expanded to celebrate all veterans. On June 1, 1954, congress approved replacing “Armistice” with “Veterans,” and it has been known as Veterans Day since.
The 2013 Peachtree City Veterans Day Observance is hosted as a public service by the CAF Dixie Wing in cooperation with the city of Peachtree City and Atlanta Regional Airport-Falcon Field. For more info, please contact CAF Dixie Wing Public Information Officer Chris Madrid, cjmadrid@yahoo.com / 678-364-1110. Website www.dixiewing.org.
The Commemorative Air Force is a non-profit organization dedicated to flying and restoring World War II aircraft in Honor of American Military Aviation. Based in Midland, Texas, the organization has over 10,000 members and operates a fleet of over 157 vintage aircraft distributed to 83 units located in 25 states. www.commemorativeairforce.org
