A Vietnam War veteran from Hillsborough County will share his story of service, sacrifice, and healing during an upcoming ceremony honoring those who served in one of the nation’s most divisive conflicts.
Donald Day, a former U.S. Army platoon leader who grew up in Brandon, is scheduled to speak March 29 at the Vietnam War Veterans Day ceremony hosted by the American Legion Norman McLeod Post 26.
Day was drafted out of high school in the mid-1960s, at a time when the Vietnam War was rapidly escalating, and college deferments were out of reach for many.
“If you didn’t go straight to college, you could count on being drafted,” Day said in a recent interview. “I never even considered college.”
Initially serving a two-year obligation, Day chose to reenlist in 1967, seeing the Army as a long-term path. He was stationed in Berlin, where he met his wife. Shortly after their marriage, he received orders for Vietnam.
“That was a heck of a wedding gift,” he said.
Day served in combat arms as an infantryman—Military Occupational Specialty 11 Bravo and 11 Charlie—and said nothing fully prepared him for the realities of war. “We never fought a war like Vietnam, and you never knew what each day would bring,” he said.
His time in Vietnam was marked by constant danger, extended patrols in the jungle, and the responsibility of leading dozens of soldiers.
Among the many moments that defined his service, Day recalled being wounded and losing a fellow soldier, who died beside him on a helicopter evacuation. “This is just one memory, but I could share hundreds of them,” said Day. “They all stay with you.”
After serving 20 years in the Army, including five years as a drill instructor training soldiers (many bound for Vietnam), Day said one of his most meaningful moments came years later when a former trainee thanked him for lessons that helped him survive the war. “That’s when I realized what I was trying to do mattered,” he said.
Like many Vietnam veterans, Day said his return home lacked the recognition afforded to veterans of other wars. “It wasn’t like you had units coming back together,” he said. “People came home a few at a time. There was no real welcome.”
The annual observance of National Vietnam War Veterans Day, established in 2017, aims to change that. The date of March 29 marks the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from Vietnam.
Event organizer Judy Wise said the ceremony is about long-overdue acknowledgment. “No one loved the war, but we all should have loved the men and women who served,” Wise said. “Their country called, and they answered.”
Wise, who, with her husband Ed, has helped organize the Plant City event for several years, said the program continues to grow as awareness spreads, though she believes more recognition is still needed. “It’s taken a long time for people to understand the importance of honoring Vietnam veterans,” she said.
For Day, speaking publicly about his experiences has become part of the healing process. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, he regularly visited high schools to talk with students about the war and its lasting effects. “The best thing you can do is talk about it,” he said, noting the ongoing challenges many veterans face, including post-traumatic stress. “Most Vietnam veterans don’t.”
This year’s speech will mark his third appearance at the ceremony. He plans to focus both on his personal experiences and the broader realities of the war.
Day hopes his message resonates with younger generations. “Freedom is not free,” he said. “Until you’ve fought for it, you don’t really understand what that means.”
The Vietnam War Veterans Day ceremony will be held from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Sunday at the Norman McLeod American Legion Post 26, 2207 W. Baker St., in Plant City. Organizers say the event is open to the public.