HARRISON COUNTY, Ohio (WTRF) – More than 2.7 million Americans served during the Vietnam War. 

More than 58,000 were killed. Six of them were from Harrison County. 

Those six men were honored on Wednesday in a special ceremony on National Vietnam War Veterans Day. 

The American Legion posts in Scio, Cadiz, Hopedale and Adena came together for the special ceremony. 

I thought it was time. 50-years ago today was the end of the war. We pulled out and I thought it would be good to honor the six people from our county who passed away. It’s sad. I knew it would be an emotional program, which it was, but it was about remembering those six.

Al Gailbreath, American Legion Post 34

The names of Dale Louis Stock, Elbert Arthur Welsh, Russell Dale Galbraith, William Clifford Wymer Jr., Robert Vargo and Thomas Carmen Pizzino were read as well as descriptions of their service.

Some of their family and friends also took time to honor these heroes. 

At the end of the service, there was a 21-gun salute and taps were played. 

The ceremony also recognized all the veterans in Harrison County who served during the Vietnam War. Speakers honored their sacrificed and acknowledged that they did not get the welcome home they deserved.

The veterans understand what they’ve done and what it means to the country, but what other people need to understand too is that the jobs that they do. There’s so many things. People don’t think about that. People think about them picking up a weapon and going to fight war, but there’s so many more parts to the service than that.

Jim Thompson, Veteran, Retired Veterans Service Officer

The Vietnam veterans honored in Harrison County are part of the more than 600,000 who are still alive who served during that time.