Vietnamese community to observe 44th Black April Commemoration

April 9, 2019 4:15 am
This tiled-section of the American-Vietnamese memorial bears the names of veterans who fought in the conflict, which came to an official end in 1975. ROBERT WHALE, Auburn Reporter
This tiled-section of the American-Vietnamese memorial bears the names of veterans who fought in the conflict, which came to an official end in 1975. ROBERT WHALE, Auburn Reporter

The 44th Black April Commemoration – the local Vietnamese community’s annual observance of the fall of Saigon to Communist North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces in April 1975 – is 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, April 28 at Les Gove Park, 910 Ninth St. SE, Auburn.

Everyone is invited.

Second-generation Vietnamese Americans – sons and daughters of the South Vietnamese who fought for freedom and democracy during the Vietnam War – organized this year’s event.

The event honors American, South Vietnamese and allied veterans of the war. This year’s event is special because it is to include observances at the new Vietnam War Memorial in the park, which was completed last June.

There will be an art gallery with artwork from the Visual Storytelling Workshop, an Erika Berg-facilitated art workshop, and a community information and services fair.

The commemoration ceremony is at noon to 2 p.m., and will include a flag salute ceremony, memorial services and remarks from South Vietnam veterans.

Families and friends of Vietnam veterans are reminded that there is still time to order a granite memorial tile to honor a veteran on the Wall of Honor in the park. Tile orders received by April 30 will be installed on the wall in time for Memorial Day observances at the Vietnam memorial.

For more information, contact the Vietnamese American Community of Seattle and Sno-King Counties at VACSSK@gmail.com, or 206-569-8643.