Vietnam veterans honored at JetBlue Park

Honoring hundreds of veterans in Southwest Florida, it was a sea of red, white and blue. Nearly 700 American heroes filled stadium seats to receive a pin and certificate for their service.

A ceremony honored American Vietnam War veterans at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers Monday.

“The nation is finally saying thank you to our Vietnam veterans,” Major General Alfred Fields said. “Welcome home.”

Fields was a guest speaker along with Lieutenant Colonel George Hardy, a member of the Tuskegee Airmen who served in Vietnam.

Both men now wear a pin above their hearts, a symbol of the years they fought defending the United States.

“We served to protect our country,” Hardy said. “That was the only thing we had in mind when we went into service.”

Hundreds of veterans were called up at the pinning ceremony. Many served different years and in different places during the conflict in Vietnam, but they all shared the same purpose then and now.

Collier Lee Honor Flight said the pins are a token of their appreciation to veterans.

Veterans told WINK News, the event brought them a sense of closure and gave them a welcome home they didn’t receive when they came back from Vietnam.

“Honor for my country,” said George Capone, a veteran honored at the ceremony. “Honor for the guys that died for our country, for that flag and for the United States of America.”