Gateway will honor veterans, mark end of Vietnam War

While Veterans Day is an annual time to honor all American veterans, this year holds special significance: It marks the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War, which culminated with the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975.

Gateway High School social studies teacher Shawn Whelan and the history club observe Veterans Day with a program every year. The tribute typically is held during the school day with students and a panel of veterans.

The annual tribute started more than 20 years ago by former social studies teacher Mark Wallace. Whelan, now in his 28th year of teaching, began assisting when Wallace retired.

“Mr. Whelan is very instrumental with the Veterans Day program at Gateway,” said school board Vice President Valerie Warning. “Attending the program and listening to the veterans speak of their experiences, the emotions from each is overwhelming.”

Warning added that hearing firsthand accounts is an “incredible lesson that one can’t necessarily learn from a textbook.”

Whelan sees the program as vital to his mission.

“My job as a social studies teacher is to help our students become active, participating citizens,” he said.

This year’s tribute will be held at 7 p.m. on Nov. 11 at the high school’s Robert A. Read Performing Arts Center, 3000 Gateway Campus Blvd., Monroeville. The public is invited to attend the free event, and the district encourages all alumni veterans and veteran residents of Monroeville and Pitcairn to participate.

The program will feature the usual veterans panel and PowerPoint presentation. Veterans who wish to participate on stage should contact Whelan.

“It’s a way of recognizing people for their commitment to our nation and the ideals of our nation,” Whelan said. “There’s a million reasons why people do it, but our service men and women, they optimize what it means to be a citizen.”

A new element this year is a tribute wall in the auditorium lobby, chosen by Whelan because “it’s a public space and easily visible.” The wall will feature medallions representing the seven branches of service, the American flag and a commemoration plaque.

The plaque will include a code linking viewers to a database on the district’s website with a list of all veterans who have participated in the program.

“I wanted something that will last and can be added to,” Whelan said. “It’s meant to be a lasting tribute.”

Eventually, the code will be installed next to the memorial outside the auditorium, which honors the five Gateway graduates who died in Vietnam.

The war between North Vietnam and its allies and South Vietnam and the U.S. lasted from to 1955 to 1975.

American casualties during the war were significant: More than 58,000 soldiers were killed, 150,000 were wounded and another were 1,600 missing.