A Day of Remembrance: Vietnamese Community in South Florida Honors Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces Day
By – Asiana Post
Lake Worth, FL — While families across the United States marked Father’s Day on June 15th with celebration and gatherings, a solemn tribute unfolded at John Prince Park in Lake Worth, where members of the Vietnamese American community came together to commemorate Vietnamese Veterans Military Day. The annual observance honors the soldiers who once served in the former South Vietnamese military and continues to serve as a poignant reminder of the enduring cost of freedom.
This year’s event was organized and led by Michelle Le-Chen, a devoted community leader whose personal connection to the war runs deep—her father served as a soldier in the Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces. Le-Chen has made it her mission to ensure that the sacrifices of her father and others in that generation are never forgotten.
“Today is not just about remembering history,” Le-Chen shared with the crowd. “It’s about preserving the values our parents and ancestors fought for—freedom, dignity, and truth.”
The commemorative gathering drew in veterans, families, and local supporters from across South Florida. Among the honored veterans were Tra T. Nguyen and Peter Lai Than, who stood in uniform to represent the many who served and sacrificed during the Vietnam War.
Special guests included community advocate Helen (Ha) Phuong, alongside other notable attendees and representatives of local Vietnamese organizations. Together, they paid tribute to a legacy marked by resilience, survival, and the pursuit of liberty after the fall of Saigon in 1975.
With yellow-and-red South Vietnamese flags raised high, the day’s program included a wreath-laying ceremony, musical tributes, and emotional testimonials from veterans and their families. The presence of youth members, many of them born in the U.S., underscored the importance of passing down this living history to future generations.
“The stories we hear today are not from textbooks,” said one young attendee. “They come from the people who lived it—and it’s our responsibility to carry them forward.”
For the Vietnamese diaspora in South Florida, Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces Day is far more than a ceremonial date. It is an assertion of identity, an act of remembrance, and a vow never to forget the human cost of war and the meaning of freedom.
In a region known for its cultural diversity, the Vietnamese American community’s annual tribute stands as a powerful reminder: while some celebrate the joys of family, others honor the legacy of sacrifice that made family and freedom possible