GREENFIELD — Father’s Day is this weekend.
And hundreds of Americans, including some Hoosiers, are traveling to Washington D.C. to honor some very special men who are no longer with us.
Vietnam veterans often came home to negative treatment from those protesting the war.
Many developed health complications and post-traumatic stress disorder.
This weekend, those fathers, grandfathers and uncles are being honored in a meaningful way.
“I have multiple family members who have served. All the way back to, my mom’s side goes back to the revolutionary war," Christina Gibbs, the keeper of her family's photos, said. “My grandfather brought them all to me in a suitcase.”
She loves history, scrap-booking and learning about her roots.
So when she found out about the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund’s In Memory Program, she jumped into action.
Her great-uncle Harold Paul Richey is one of 17 Hoosiers being inducted into the In Memory Honor Roll this year.
The program enables the families and friends of those who served in the Vietnam War and later died the opportunity to have them memorialized.
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“A lot of the veterans who returned home suffered from service related illnesses and diseases, agent orange related diseases, exposure to that chemical during their service or PTSD-related illnesses," Maury Izzett said.
The Memorial Fund has inducted nearly 7,000 veterans to the program since its inception in 1993.
“We noticed how many veterans were suffering from the lasting impacts of the war, we recognized a need to honor those veterans," Izzett said.
Richey served from 1966 to 1969.
He earned the bronze star and purple heart for his actions and wounds received during battle.
Later in life, he worked for Wells Fargo Bank, volunteered for different charities, and ran marathons for fun.
Richey passed away in December 2022 due to complications of dementia caused by Parkinson’s.
“I think he’d be very proud to be on it. Along with his other servicemen," Gibbs said.
The In Memory Induction Ceremony will take place at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial site this weekend.
Each honoree’s name will be read aloud.
