They never got a parade
As veterans of the Vietnam War gathered in Weatherford this weekend, memories of their time in the military became more vivid to the people of the community as the town plays host to these veterans.
Many of these men took time to visit the Vietnam Wall in Weatherford’s Heritage Park. This memorial features the names of the soldiers who lost their lives in the war, and the group in town is sure to recognize some of the names of men who were once their comrades.
One name on the wall, Norman Eaton, was a casualty of the war. Eaton was the son of Frank and Clara Eaton, and relatives of the family are still in Weatherford today.
Eaton joined the Army Air Corps as WWII was coming to an end, and he later served as a pilot in Vietnam. On January 13, 1969, Eaton’s plane was shot down, and neither his remains nor those of his co-pilot could be found after the incident. He was then deemed a prisoner of war or missing in action, better known as POW/ MIA.
His loss was followed closely by the community of Weatherford, and many clung to the hope that he would one day return. E.L. Friesen, a photographer for the WDN, captured a picture of Eaton’s mother clinging to a POW bracelet, an accessory that became popular after the war as a way to pay tribute to the men who were presumed to be in enemy hands. The picture so poignantly communicated the distress caused from the war that it received international attention and awards for the photo’s quality and cultural significance.
In December of 2005, remains were discovered in Vietnam, and in November of 2006 they were recognized as belonging to Eaton. Eaton’s remains were then laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery, just one mile from where his name is listed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.
The Vietnam War is unique in many respects, namely in its unpopularity among Americans. Around 2,000,000 men were drafted, and many suffered lifelong physical and emotional trauma from their treacherous time fighting in the jungle. When the soldiers finally returned to their hometowns, they were greeted with hostility rather than the typical ticker-tape parades other soldiers received upon return from the war.
Linda White, organizer of the day’s celebration at the Heartland Museum, personally understands the antipathy shown to Vietnam veterans. White’s husband fought in Vietnam and passed away in 2020 from his exposure to Orange Agent during the war.
Vietnam veterans did not receive the homecoming parades typically given to returning servicemen.
Through all of her work in hosting the event, White is ensuring the Vietnam veterans finally receive the honor they are due for their time in serving the military.
Today, the battalion that served on the very Huey now on display at the Heartland Museum has come to Weatherford to have their reunion and receive the celebration they never got and the community is finally giving the thanks the veterans should have received 50 years ago.