Vietnam vets from Carillon North honored with a special pin

The Carillon North subdivision showed its pride in several residents Thursday with a ceremony honoring Vietnam veterans.

Medal of Honor recipient Allen Lynch presented special pins to 23 members of the Carillon North Veteran's Group at the clubhouse in Grayslake.

The pin was authorized as part of the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration by President Barack Obama for veterans who served from Nov. 1, 1955 to May 15, 1975.

"They are all from our seniors community in Carillon North," said Floyd Vlasak of the Carillon North Veteran's Group. "The Vietnam vets never were treated very fairly or very elegantly so this honor, I think, is long overdue."

Before presenting the pins, Lynch, who also was a Vietnam veteran, told the audience about the hardships Vietnam veterans faced when they returned after fighting in the war. He talked about the struggles to build the Vietnam War Memorial and problems they faced in being diagnosed for post-traumatic stress disorder.

During the presentation, each veteran's name was called and they approached Lynch with a salute and a smile as he handed them the pin.

"I think it's great. When I came back from Vietnam, I had to come back in civilian clothes. It was not a welcoming exercise," said Vietnam veteran Dick Dzwonkiewicz, who organized the event. "So it's a long time coming. More and more veterans are being recognized and that is meaningful."