LAS VEGAS, U.S. AIR FORCE TO GIVE VIETNAM VETERANS WELCOME HOME THEY NEVER RECEIVED

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Nov. 10-13, Las Vegas and the U.S. Air Force will host a four-day national kickoff of Operation Welcome Home—a one-year celebration to publicly honor, thank and recognize America’s 2.7 million Vietnam veterans.

The culmination of a nine-month local celebration which began with a visit by The Wall That Heals exhibit to Mesquite, Nev., Feb. 10-13, national kickoff activities currently include a visit by The Moving Wall Nov. 10-13; the Las Vegas Veterans Day Parade Nov. 11; a free nightly Patriots Party on Fremont Street Nov. 11-13; and a salute to our Vietnam veterans with era-specific air and ground displays and a USO Reunion Show during Aviation Nation 2005—The Nellis Air Force Base-Las Vegas Centennial Air Show, Nov. 12-13.

According to MaryAnne Beaman, director of Event Programming for Las Vegas Events, Operation Welcome Home is expected to draw thousands of Vietnam veterans to the area for the Veterans Day weekend celebration. "The response has been tremendous. We are proud and excited to host this event in Las Vegas and pay due respect to our veterans. Our office receives emails and phone calls every day from Vietnam veterans who say they wouldn't miss it for anything.  We think this could be one of the biggest Las Vegas events of the year."

"Operation Welcome Home will be a singular moment in American history, a rare opportunity to turn back the clock and heal old wounds," said Mike Jackson, Operation Welcome Home national chairman and co-author of Naked in Da Nang, a recently released book that inspired the event. "The goal is to help close the loop on the Vietnam experience – and to offer a heartfelt ‘thank you’ and ‘welcome home’ to every man and woman who put on a uniform and traveled to that distant and hostile region in service to our country."

Operation Welcome Home events are growing daily, but events currently include:

The Moving Wall
Thursday, Nov. 10 to Sunday, Nov. 13
www.themovingwall.org

• The Moving Wall, the original half-scale traveling replica of the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington D.C., will be set up in a somber area near Fremont Street. The public may view the way throughout the day and evening.

Las Vegas Veterans Day Parade
Friday, Nov. 11
www.lvvetparade.org

• By all accounts, one of the largest Veterans Day parades in America. Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman predicts this year’s parade will "go down in the history books" as we welcome home our Vietnam veterans and salute all Americans who are serving their country today.

Fremont Street Patriot’s Party
Friday, Nov. 11 to Sunday, Nov. 13
www.VegasExperience.com

• Fremont Street Experience under the fabulous 1,500’ Viva Vision canopy in historic Las Vegas will be headquarters for Operation Welcome Home. Two Fremont Street Experience stages will be active each night and evening light shows will pay tribute to America’s military and veterans.

Aviation Nation, the Nellis Air Force Base – Las Vegas Centennial Air Show
Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 12-13
www.AviationNation.org

• One of the largest, most diverse and entertaining air shows in America.
• The Air Force’s premier air show and homecoming show of the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds demonstration team.
• Host of the official Operation Welcome Home ceremony and a USO Reunion Show
• Will include Vietnam-era specific air and ground displays
• Gold Signature event of the Las Vegas Centennial Celebration.

More information on Operation Welcome Home will be released as it becomes available. For the full story visit: www.VietnamWelcomeHome.org

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About Operation Welcome Home

Nov. 10-13, Las Vegas and Nellis Air Force Base will host a four-day national kick-off for Operation Welcome Home—a one-year celebration to publicly honor, thank and recognize America’s 2.7 million Vietnam veterans. The culmination of a nine-month local celebration which began with a visit by The Wall That Heals exhibit to Mesquite, Nev., Feb. 10-13, Operation Welcome Home activities currently include a USO Reunion Show, which takes place during Aviation Nation 2005—The Nellis Air Force Base-Las Vegas Centennial Air Show, Nov. 12-13; the Las Vegas Operation Welcome Home Veterans Day Parade Nov. 11; and a free nightly Operation Welcome Home Patriots Party at Las Vegas’ Fremont Street Experience Nov. 11-13. For more information, visit: www.VietnamWelcomeHome.org

About Aviation Nation

Aviation Nation 2005--the Nellis Air Force Base-Las Vegas Air Show occurs Nov. 12-13. Officially endorsed by Las Vegas through Las Vegas Events, Aviation Nation is the homecoming show of the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds air demonstration squadron. The Veterans Day weekend event is recognized as the Air Force’s premier air show and one of America’ most diverse and entertaining aviation events. Over 100 classic, historical and front-line military aircraft, including the F/A-22 Raptor and Vietnam-era aircraft, will fly and be on display this year. For the fourth consecutive year, top Aviation Nation supporter Boyd Gaming Corporation presents Las Vegas Air Racing--a demonstration of the world’s fastest motorsport. For more information, visit: www.AviationNation.org

About Aviation Nation, Inc.

This news is released by Aviation Nation, Inc., (ANI), a 501 (c) (3) non-profit, non-Federal organization with the mission of promoting American airpower through support of annual air shows at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. ANI is the organizing body for Operation Welcome Home 2005 in Las Vegas. ANI does not intend to imply official endorsement of the U.S. Air Force or any other government agency.