Milford honors Vietnam veterans at 'Welcome Home' ceremony

Milford City held a "Welcome Home" ceremony on a Sunday afternoon in which local officials, veterans and elected representatives honored Vietnam-era service members and remembered those who did not return.

Mayor Richard Smith opened the event and read the names of 11 Milford residents who died in the Vietnam War, saying the occasion "is fitting that we should assemble here today to honor those patriots who served and, in far too many cases, made the ultimate sacrifice." He urged that the nation learn from the past and ensure troops are only deployed with clear goals and exit plans.

Senator Blumenthal addressed the crowd, thanking organizers and veterans and saying the country "owes them not just the praise that we give them while they are in uniform or in theater, but when they come home." He highlighted ongoing veterans' issues including toxic exposure and mental-health care and pledged continued advocacy.

John Carriger, introduced as deputy commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs, told attendees he was "a soldier for life" and urged the community to check on veterans in their midst. Carriger cited a 2025 Department of Veterans Affairs survey during his remarks and said, as stated at the ceremony, that "44 percent of veterans in 2025 that chose to take their own life had 0 affiliation with the Department of Veterans Affairs," urging people to ask struggling veterans whether they were accessing available services.

The program included musical tributes from the Elle Woods plus two ensemble, a brass band salute to each branch of the armed services and a screened POW/MIA remembrance clip that featured first-person accounts of captivity and resistance practices. Tom Johnson, a Green Beret who grew up in Milford, described Project Delta and offered historical context and figures, saying at the event that "766 American personnel were captured and held prisoners of war" and "114 died in captivity," and stating that "as of May 2025, the number of Americans missing and accounted for from Vietnam stands at approximately 1,572" (as spoken during the program).

Organizers invited veterans onstage to sing during the final selection, "Good Night Saigon," and closed the ceremony with a benediction and retirement of the colors. After the formal program, attendees were invited to photos and refreshments in the foyer.