March 28, 2026, in Honolulu, Hawaii will commemorate the Anniversary of the Vietnam War and pay tribute to our Vietnam Veterans and their families. This official Welcome Home event is recognized by the Department of Defense Office of Commemorations and the Vietnam 50th Anniversary Committee of Hawaii. 

The Parade and Commemoration Tour will include the following incredible events:

• Visit and Wreath Laying at Pearl Harbor
• Opening Ceremony at Fort Derussy 
• National Vietnam Veterans Day Parade in Waikiki

In addition to participating in these important events, the tour will include visits to iconic sites throughout the Island including the USS Missouri, USS Oklahoma Memorial, USS Arizona Memorial, the North Shore, Haleiwa town, Dole Plantation, and an Island Luau.  

This will truly be an experience of a lifetime. The National Vietnam Veterans Day Parade will do much to show our appreciation to the men and women of our armed forces, our veterans, and their families. 

Americans are uniting to honor our Vietnam Veterans and their families for their service and sacrifice.  In 2008, the National Defense Authorization Act empowered the Secretary of Defense to conduct a program on behalf of the nation to commemorate the anniversary of the Vietnam War.  The approach across the Nation has focused on enlisting Commemorative Partners, who are requested to conduct two events per year to thank and honor our Vietnam Veterans and their families, in their hometowns, where they live.  Since the initial Presidential ceremony at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in May 2012, over 9,100 organizations have joined as Commemorative Partners. In May 2014 the State of Hawaii became a proud partner of the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration.

In 2017, March 29 was officially designated as "National Vietnam War Veterans Day." The National Vietnam Veterans Day Parade in Honolulu, Hawaii, is an annual event to provide an ongoing tribute to our Vietnam War Veterans and their families. 

Why have the National Vietnam Veterans Day Parade in Hawaii?  Hawaii was the primary R&R location for American troops during the Vietnam War; U.S. POWs first returned home to Hickam, AFB; the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific has listed by name all of the POW/MIA from the Vietnam War; the National Cemetery of the Pacific has the only Vietnam Map Gallery of military units and campaigns of the Vietnam War; Hawaii is home to the Pacific Command, with major installations for all five component branches; Hawaii is the home of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency; and is the Central location to include the allied nations that fought alongside the United States during the Vietnam War.  So on behalf of the Governor of Hawaii and the planning committee, we invite you to join us in Honolulu, Hawaii, on March 29th, as we welcome home Vietnam Veterans and their families in the culmination of our week-long international event.