A Mentone man recently was one of 17 Indiana Vietnam veterans inducted into the In Memory Program in 2024.
The ceremony in Washington, D.C., honors Vietnam veterans who died after returning home.
Diana Yarian said her husband, Rex Yarian, recently was honored in Washington, D.C., by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) for being a Vietnam veteran that died due to the effects of Agent Orange after returning home from service.
“I was able to travel to Washington, D.C., and read his name at the induction ceremony,” she said.
Rex Yarian served in the U.S. Army from Jan. 28, 1948, to Jan. 6, 2023.
According to a news release from the VVMF, more than 650 Vietnam veterans, including 17 from Indiana, were inducted into the VVMF In Memory Program in 2024. VVMF believes all those who served in the Vietnam War should be honored and remembered for their service. The In Memory program enables the families and friends of those who came home and later died the opportunity to have them be forever memorialized.
On June 15, VVMF hosted the 2024 In Memory ceremony on the East Knoll of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, where each 2024 honoree’s name was read aloud. This year, 656 veterans were honored during the ceremony.
“For many Vietnam veterans, coming home from Vietnam was just the beginning of a whole new fight. Many never fully recovered, either physically or emotionally, from their experiences. As these veterans pass, it is our duty and solemn promise to welcome them home to the place that our nation has set aside to remember our Vietnam veterans,” said Jim Knotts, president and CEO of VVMF, in the release.
The plaque that honors these veterans was dedicated as a part of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial site in 2004. It reads: “In memory of the men and women who served in the Vietnam War and later died as a result of their service. We honor and remember their sacrifice.”
VVMF has created a personal remembrance page for each honoree online in the In Memory Honor Roll at www.vvmf.org/honor-roll. Their photos will also be displayed around the country when VVMF’s mobile exhibit, The Wall That Heals, is on display in an honoree’s home state. To view the 2024 tour schedule for The Wall That Heals, visit https://www.vvmf.org/The-Wall-That-Heals/.
VVMF’s mission is to honor and preserve the legacy of service in America and educate all generations about the impact of the Vietnam War and era. To learn more about VVMF, visit www.vvmf.org or call 202-393-0090.