The observance was organized by the Captain Bill Robinson Chapter #1078, Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), Knoxville.
In 2012, Governor Bill Haslam first proclaimed March 29 as Vietnam Veterans Day in Tennessee. The 2021 proclamation by Governor Bill Lee details that 103 months passed between the United States Congressâ passage of the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution August 7, 1964, and the withdrawal of the last American combat forces from Vietnam March 29, 1973. It also notes that nearly 160,000 Vietnam veterans currently reside in Tennessee, and 1,295 Tennesseans gave their lives for their country during the War in Vietnam.
Chris Albrecht, VVA Chapter #1078 Public Relations Officer and Master of Ceremonies, said that 26 unaccounted-for POWs are from Tennessee, and two are from Knox County.