~ June 16-19, 2005 ~
~ Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. ~

Washington, D.C., June 16, 2005 – Nearly 1,000 grown children of service members who made the ultimate sacrifice in the Vietnam War descend on the nation’s capital over Father’s Day weekend for four days of activities focused on remembering, honoring, healing and educating.

Sons & Daughters In Touch (SDIT) – a national nonprofit organization dedicated to keeping the legacy of their fathers alive – celebrated its 15th Anniversary from June 16-19, 2005 with a series of events in the Washington, D.C. area. The gathering comprised widows and comrades, sons and daughters and their spouses, and grandchildren and great grandchildren. It culminated with a special Father’s Day ceremony (June 19) at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial highlighted by laying 1,000 red and yellow roses along the base of The Wall.

“For 15 years Sons and Daughters In Touch has been working to locate and create a single voice for the sons, daughters and families whose lives were forever changed by the Vietnam War era,” said Tony Cordero, SDIT President, whose father Maj. William Cordero, USAF, made the ultimate sacrifice in the Vietnam War.

“This Father’s Day weekend will allow SDIT members to once again come together and share our stories and continue the healing process,” Cordero said. “Thirty years have passed since the ‘official’ end to the Vietnam War; it is now more important than ever to preserve our fathers’ memories, to educate future generations, especially children, about the war’s legacy and to help those who lost fathers in America’s new wars deal with their loved ones’ deaths.”

Some of the many highlights included:
Father’s Day Ceremony – “Remembering Our Fathers”
Sunday, June 19 ~ 10 a.m. ~ East Knoll, Vietnam Veterans Memorial
SDIT members, in conjunction with the National Park Service and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, gathered for an emotional ceremony near The Wall.

More than 1,000 red and yellow roses were laid along the Memorial. The event included addresses by several prominent members of the veterans community and a U.S. Air Force “Missing Man” flyover. The event also included a special ceremony in which all SDIT members in attendance received a “Gold Star” pin from the Department of Defense.

SDIT invited sons and daughters of service members who were killed in America’s conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq to participate in the activities.

The SDIT Reunion Weekend also featured an awards banquet (June 18) with addresses by Vietnam Veterans of America National President Thomas H. Corey and VietNow President Rich Sanders, along with a 50-minute documentary about SDIT’s history. Additionally, Sharing Circles (June 16-18) were held in which SDIT members and their families had the opportunity to share their stories of growing up without their fathers.

A Special 15th Anniversary
Established in 1990, SDIT held its first “Proud to Remember” Father’s Day weekend in 1992 at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. Nearly 400 sons and daughters participated in the inaugural event. A year later, the group met again in Washington, D.C. for another Father’s Day weekend and shortly thereafter became a fully recognized nonprofit organization.

SDIT Father’s Day Reunions also were held in 1997 and 2000 in Washington, D.C. Several hundred sons and daughters attended and brought with them other family members – their mothers, spouses and children.

The 15th SDIT Anniversary is expected to have been the largest gathering ever of sons and daughters who lost their fathers in the Southeast Asian conflict. At least a third of the more than 58,000 who were killed or remain missing are believed to be fathers.

More information about the 15th Anniversary SDIT Father’s Day Commemoration can be found at www.sdit.org or by calling (800) 984-9994.

About Sons & Daughters In Touch For nearly 15 years, Sons and Daughters In Touch (www.sdit.org) has worked to locate, unite and provide support to the now-grown children of American servicemen who made the ultimate sacrifice in the Vietnam War. In that time, more than 3,000 members have been able to contact veterans who served with their fathers, visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, share their life experiences with others and take pride in knowing that the loss of their father was not in vain.

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