Secretary Santiago Pays Tribute to Vietnam Veterans in Worcester and Visits Project New Hope
In commemorating the 50th anniversary of the United States’ withdrawal of troops from Vietnam, Executive Office of Veterans’ Services Secretary Jon Santiago paid tribute to the service and sacrifice of Massachusetts veterans at the Vietnam War Veterans’ Day ceremony in Worcester on Wednesday, March 29, 2023. “Like the families of those who lost a loved one and our Vietnam Veterans, each one of us here today bears a responsibility to live a life that honors that sacrifice, and to ensure that it was not lost in vain,” said Santiago. “Today’s Vietnam Veterans’ Day is a poignant reminder of the need to expand services and resources to support our veterans.”
The Secretary was joined by local officials including Mayor Joseph Petty, City Manager Eric Batista and City of Worcester Veterans’ Services director Alex Arriaga.
Mayor Petty said, “I’m proud that the City of Worcester is home to the Commonwealth’s Vietnam Memorial and I want to recognize the continued contribution from the state delegation who keep this memorial beautiful.”
A group of Gold Star Wives attended to event as they laid a commemorative wreath at the Memorial site in memory of more than 1,500 Massachusetts men and women had died during the Vietnam War.
City Manager Batista said he is grateful that Massachusetts Secretary of Veterans’ Service visited Worcester to honor our Vietnam veterans on National Vietnam War Veterans’ Day. “The City of Worcester is proud to host the Massachusetts Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial at Green Hill Park and remains committed to preserving the memory of all veterans who have bravely served our country,” he said.
They later toured at Project New Hope, an organization that serves veteran retreats in Central Mass. Their programs include Sully’s Baby and Food Pantries, Connecting the Dots Case Management and other resources. “As a fellow veteran, Secretary Santiago understands the needs of veterans and our families. I am thankful for his enthusiasm to meet three weeks into his term as Secretary and look forward to working with him and his team to serve our veterans each day here in Central Mass,” said Bill Moore, Executive Director of Project New Hope.
