PANAMA CITY – Claude “Nick” Nicastro served two tours with the Air Force in Vietnam between 1969 and 1972, packing parachutes for pilots. When he came home, he remembers being jeered at and seeing other service members spat on.
“It hurt. Very much,” he said.
Saturday, Panama City’s American Legion Post 392 held a ceremony welcoming home Vietnam veterans in recognition of a resolution passed last year by the Florida senate recognizing March 30 as “Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day,” to honor the roughly 475,000 troops who served there and were “caught in the crossfire of public debate” about US involvement in the war, the resolution says.
“Florida has recognized that these Vietnam vets were never welcomed home correctly when they came back from war, so now we’re deciding that it’s time to actually welcome them home,” said Ashley Smith, the post’s secretary, “We’re gonna be hootin’ and hollerin’ and really welcome them home.”
Post officials said between 40 and 50 Vietnam veterans came out to the post on Saturday to be recognized for their service. The Warriors Watch Riders formed a flag line for the veterans to walk through before the ceremony, while visitors cheered and clapped and whistled. Red plastic cups were arranged in the chain-link fence, spelling out “We love you!”
“This is their welcome home,” post commander David VanBlaricon addressed the crowd, “Let them know that you appreciate their service.”
During the ceremony, post officials lit a yellow candle in honor of all prisoners of war and soldiers declared missing in action as two star-shaped black balloons were released. VanBlaricon, a veteran of Desert Shield and Desert Storm, read the senate resolution to the crowd and American Legion Auxiliary members sang songs.
Later, officials drew veterans’ names for prizes, including gift cards and merchandise from various local businesses, and food and drinks were served.
“Stuff like this helps,” Nicastro said, “I like to come to these things here because it gives us some closure. Better late than never.”