Veterans’ tribute lives on through Web site

Organizers of the June 13–19 "Welcome Home … America’s Tribute to Vietnam Veterans" have updated its site as a follow-up to the event. They hope the new site – found at the same address, www.operationhomecomingusa.com – builds a legacy of the event and the people it honored with pictures, video and veterans’ comments.

“The whole purpose of it is to keep the legacy alive,” said Paul Seale, a Nixa-based Web developer who helped design the site. “We want to give people who attended the event and veterans a voice to relay their comments.”

Organizers are asking veterans to submit event photos and tell their stories.

Branson was recognized as the central point for the national welcoming week in which Major League Baseball teams honored the vets during seventh-inning stretches and more than 100,000 visited the Dignity Memorial Vietnam Wall Experience, a traveling replica of Washington, D.C.’s Vietnam Veterans Memorial. During the tribute week, held on the 30th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War, approximately 32,000 participants stayed in Branson and Springfield hotels, 27,000 watched or participated in the parade and 15,000 enjoyed the grand finale concert and air show.

Former presidential candidate Ross Perot reportedly donated $2 million for the event and made an appearance.

San Diego-based Multi Image Productions, which has done event projects for Sony and American Airlines, was retained for the video and picture work on the site.