National Vietnam War Veterans Day is observed annually on March 29 in the United States. It is a national observance that recognizes veterans who served in the US military during the Vietnam War. While first observed by President Barack Obama in 2012 in conjunction with the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the War, it was officially signed into law as a recurring holiday in March 2017.

March 29 was selected as the date of this observance because 29 March 1973, Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV) was disbanded and the last U.S. combat troops departed the Republic of Vietnam.

The Vietnam War lasted almost 20 years, from November 1955 to April 1975. During that time, 58,220+ Americans perished. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in the Constitution Gardens of the National Mall is made of 2 black granite walls engraved with 58,267 names of those who died, or who remain missing, as a result of their service in Vietnam and Southeast Asia during the war.

Of those names:

• 39,996 were under the age of 22.
  • 8,283 were 19.
  • 33,103 were 18.
  • 12 were 17.
  • 5 were 16.
• 8 are female nurses.
• 997 were killed on their first day.
• 1448 were killed on their last day.

Other facts about the Vietnam Wall:

There are 3 sets of Fathers and Sons on the wall.

31 sets of parents lost 2 of their sons.

244 soldiers were awarded the Medal of Honor during the war. 153 of them are listed on the wall.