On March 27, VFW Post 1647 in Brainerd, Minnesota, hosted its fifth annual Vietnam Veterans Day Celebration. There was standing room only at dinner, as more than 100 Vietnam veterans and their significant others came for the camaraderie and free refreshments.
The local Daughters of the American Revolution served apple pie and ice cream, while the Post provided dinner.
VFW Post 1647 Auxiliary member Sue Sterling, left, interviews Vietnam War veteran Ron Schrimshaw and his wife, Karen, during the 5th annual Vietnam Veterans Day Celebration on March 27 at VFW Post 1647 in Brainerd, Minnesota. Photo by Mark Persons.Vietnam veterans are often distinguished from veterans due to the combination of societal hostility, isolation during their return, and the unprecedented psychological toll of an unconventional conflict.
Unlike the “Greatest Generation” of World War II, who returned to a unified nation celebrating victory, Vietnam veterans returned to a country deeply divided over the war’s morality and its conclusion. Many vets feel that the Vietnam War was a withdrawal of U.S. forces due entirely to political decisions based on citizen opposition and unrest, not to the failure of our military.
Due to the negative public perception, many veterans suppressed their experiences for decades, avoiding treatment and feeling like outsiders even within traditional veteran organizations.
One Vietnam vet in attendance was Buford Johnson. He was sent to Vietnam as an ROTC officer at his own request in 1964 and retired in 1986 as a Lt. Colonel in the Army Reserve.
Johnson served as an advisor to the Vietnamese combat unit in Vietnam’s Central Highlands and often came under enemy fire. He recounted how a severely wounded soldier survived after he and a helicopter pilot heroically made a landing to rescue the soldier and fly him to safety.
Johnson came back to the States, wounded, and spent some time in an Army hospital. He was then assigned to Fort Benning, Gorgia. When asked how he felt now about his wartime experience, he responded, “It gave me a better understanding of human nature.”
Another vet attending the celebration was Brainerd resident, Ron Schrimshaw, who was drafted and sent to Vietnam at age 20.
Scrimshaw repaired helicopter armament systems. He served in Pleiku as an E4 and returned home after serving there a year. When asked if his war experience made him a bitter or better man, he responded, “bitter.”
When he returned home, Scrimshaw’s family was very supportive, but he felt rejected by the community. His biggest rejection was from the WWII veterans at the local American Legion who did not want him as a member.
The VFW leadership collaborates with government officials in St. Paul, Minnesota, and in Washington, D.C., to advocate for legislation that supports veterans in their struggle to regain and maintain a healthy lifestyle as they transition back to civilian life.
This article is featured in the 2026 April issue of Checkpoint. If you're a VFW member and don't currently receive the VFW Checkpoint, please contact VFW magazine at magazine@vfw.org.
Edited for length and style, this article was written by VFW Post 1647 Auxiliary member Sue Sterling.