Vietnam vet slams young Americans who dismiss Veterans Day as 'glorifying war'

A Vietnam veteran once awarded the Bronze Star for Valor has criticized younger people for dismissing Veterans Day as pro-war.

Frank Lennon, 82, a decorated Green Beret and graduate of West Point, made the remarks in an op-ed published Monday in The Providence Journal.

Lennon took issue with the sentiment of young people who 'think that honoring veterans and being proud of those who serve is somehow glorifying war.'

It comes amid a planned anti-Veteran's Day protest at New York's Columbia University that states 'the American war machine should not be honored for the horrors unleashed on others,' the New York Post reported.

'I bemoan the general decline in interest, especially among younger people, in recognizing the sacrifices that others have made to maintain our way of life,' Lennon wrote.

'I can assure you that no one hates war more than those of us who have fought in one,' the former Army Special Forces Captain added.

Lennon first served in the Army's clandestine unit 'B-57' in Saigon, until his cover was blown, before returning to action in the Central Highlands as an intelligence officer for the Green Berets.

He also saw combat during the Tet Offensive - the same battle that resulted in him being awarded the Bronze Star.

Lennon was also bestowed the prestigious Purple Heart, as well as the Air Medal and two Army commendations for heroism. 

He wrote on his website how his new mission is to 'reach out to younger vets, and those who are having a difficult time.'

'Different generations, different priorities,' Lennon said.

'At a TD Garden hockey game against the LA Kings, the Boston Bruins recognized me for my overall military service, my time in Vietnam and my efforts in support of veterans and veteran organizations over the years,' he wrote in a piece for the Providence Journal last year.

Recalling how parents asked him to pose for photos with their children, Lennon recalled: 'This was a far cry from the welcome we received when we returned from Vietnam.'

He remembered how when he returned home from the war in 1969, it 'still had several more years to go.'

'It's difficult for a town to celebrate its returning veterans one week when others from the same town are on their way to Vietnam the following week,' he reasoned.

'When WWII ended, there was a clear-cut victory, and there were huge demobilizations. Entire units returned home en masse, making it far easier and more appropriate for parades and welcome home celebrations.'

That, however, was not the case for soldiers who fought in the increasingly unpopular Vietnam War.

'You could be sitting in your living room, cracking a cold one and trying to deal with a crying baby within three days of being shot at in a hostile jungle environment,' Lennon wrote.

'The military did very little to prepare us for that transition.'

Of how he and others were treated, he recalled pitched discourse about the war at the time and the antiwar movement.

'These heated arguments kept many from welcoming the veterans or recognizing their service,' he observed, adding how even traditional veteran service groups did not embrace them either.

'Their priorities were still focused on the needs of those who fought in earlier wars,' Lennon said.

'More than once, I heard grumbling from older vets to the effect of, "At least we won our war."'

In his more recent piece, Lennon remarks how the 'fast-paced digital world leaves little room' for younger veterans to join groups like the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and the American Legion.

'Membership in such groups is steadily declining, as is attendance at military functions and participation in veterans events,' he wrote.

'That does not mean we should stop fighting. 

'The need is still great, as President Joe Biden remarked in August: "As a nation, we have many obligations, but only one truly sacred obligation: to train and equip those we send into harms way and care for them and their families when they return home, and when they don't."'

Meanwhile, the unsanctioned student group known as the Columbia University Apartheid Divest is advertising an event to 'reclaim' the holiday from the 'Israel-US war machine,' in the name of Palestinians killed in Gaza.

'Veterans Day is an American holiday to honor the patriotism, love of country, and sacrifice of veterans. We reject this holiday and refuse to celebrate it,' a flyer for the event read.

'Instead, we will celebrate Martyrs Day in honor of those martyred by the Israel-US war machine. A day to honor the patriotism, love of country, and sacrifice of those martyrs,' the flyer added.