Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9781667891590
Format: Trade paperback (US)
Year: 2023
Publisher: Bookbaby


Description:
"10 Years Late", was the headline covering the 1985 parade in New York City. But as these authors and Tom Stack saw it, this parade really was the preface for the main event: the Chicago WELCOME HOME Vietnam Veterans parade on Friday, June 13, 1986. From a parade of 25,000 veterans in New York, this parade grew to a massive Chicago marching crowd of Vietnam Veterans with estimates ranging from 176,000 to more than 200,000.
The inspiration for this was born in New York City. The innovation however was the brainchild of Tom Stack; the execution was the combined effort of so many other leaders and volunteers ranging from book co-author and parade leader and organizer Roger Mc Gill to volunteer and co-author Harry Beyne to countless other volunteers. Every effort was made to name so many of these individuals, yet it was not possible to name 176,000 veterans who had among their ranks so many who contributed. To those not named, you are not forgotten This event could not have happened without you.
For Vietnam Veterans, this 1986 parade was their homecoming. Or as Roger Mc Gill said after attending the NYC parade "only with this parade did I truly feel that I had finally returned from Vietnam." Hence the title of this book as his statement was uniformly shared by so many who didn't have the opportunity to come to New York but showed up in force for Chicago.
Anyone who has known, loved, honored a Vietnam Veteran understands the pain experienced with their return from war. They were degraded, spat upon, sworn at, and physically abused. Many destroyed their uniforms in shame; others left the country; most refused to talk about the war