By Eric Harabadian
For MediaNews Group
More than 760 Vietnam veterans, including 32 from Michigan, will be inducted into the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund’s “In Memory” program in 2026.
It enables the families and friends of those who came home and later died the opportunity to have them be forever memorialized.
On June 20, VVMF will host the 2026 “In Memory” ceremony on the East Knoll of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. There each 2026 honoree’s name will be read aloud. The plaque that honors these veterans was dedicated as a part of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial site in 2004.
Armando L. Garza service photo.
Armando Garza, Pontiac.
Of the 32 Vietnam veterans that served from Michigan, three are from Oakland County including three who served in the U.S. Army: John H. Hosbach (Rochester Hills), Armando L. Garza Jr. (Pontiac), Robert L. Starr (Rochester Hills)
John H. Hosbach service pictiure.
John Hosbach, Rochester Hills.
“This is a way to honor their courage, sacrifice and dedication,” says George Clemen, In Memory program manager. “And I like to say our Vietnam veterans returned home from Vietnam and never stopped fighting. They went back into their communities and contributed invaluably. And they contributed to future generations. We need to preserve that history.”
Many of those veterans who returned home from Vietnam experienced a unique backlash and pushback from many who could not separate their feelings and attitudes towards an unpopular war from those who had represented the United States honorably simply trying to return to their previous lives. As a result, many returning veterans attempted to assimilate back into society with much difficulty.
Robert L. Starr service photo.
Robert L. Starr, Rochester Hills.
“Our Vietnam veterans were a group that, in many ways, continued to give through work to help the Veterans Administration in Washington and just trying to make things better for veterans, in general. And they often were doing it in silence,” said Clemen. “And we wanted to do something to memorialize them and give something back.”
The In Memory program is set up to honor those Vietnam veterans who have died. When an honoree’s family applies to VVMF that veteran is registered with the In Memory Honor Roll page. It is a way to share photos and biographical data, and also a place where family and friends can leave remembrances about that individual. That information is shared with a touring wall known as “The Wall that Heals.” It is a ¾ replica of the Vietnam Veterans Wall in Washington, D.C. that travels to 30-35 cities and towns across the United States.
Including the 2026 honorees, there are 29 veterans from Oakland County included in the In Memory honor roll.
Along with the touring wall, a mobile education center travels as well and provides background information on the honorees, via a large video display, that spotlights those fallen veterans from that particular state. They will be honored this summer at Heritage Park in Taylor Aug. 13-16 before moving on to Battle Creek, Mich. Aug. 20-23.
“We invite all our In Memory families to come to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. on June 20,” said Clemen. “They are invited to read the names of their honoree aloud. It is our largest ceremony of the year, with about 500 families scheduled to attend. You bring all those families together and they all realize they are not alone. So many of these families have seen their veteran struggle, whether it be through the effects of Agent Orange or PTSD. We come together to honor our veterans. And by coming together we form a larger family.”
For more information go to vvmf.org.