Sometimes the reaction is a laugh, other times a smile or a quiet thank you, but every Vietnam War veteran who receives a welcome home bag from the Veterans Breakfast Club expresses gratitude in their own way for the small, yet poignant gift.

“The Vietnam veterans are so grateful. They recognize the meaning and thought behind it,” said Veterans Breakfast Club executive director, Todd DePastino, a Mt. Lebanon resident, who, since 2007, has helmed the non-profit dedicated to honoring America’s men and women who served in its military during times of peace and war alike.

The welcome home bags are a small gesture, but one that is meaningful to Vietnam veterans who often never received a “welcome home” or even a “thank you” when they returned from the war, DePastino said.

The bags are stuffed with small items that Vietnam veterans recognize immediately from their days of service. A bag might contain a P-38 can opener (nicknamed for the small, yet durable can opener soldiers used to open their cans of C and K rations), a bottle of Tiger Beer, (the brand popular in Vietnam at the time), a book or two, a T-shirt, and a hat or a coffee mug.

“We have a great team of 25 volunteers who consult with us and help select the items that go in the bags,” DePastino said. He also credits the volunteers for helping pull together other events for the VBC, which often feature meetings where veterans gather to tell and share their stories in person or via Zoom.

“The volunteers are mostly veterans, but we have non-veterans too who give us a different perspective. They often suggest subjects for an event, saying, for instance, we haven’t done a program about women veterans for a while. They keep me on my toes,” DePastino said.

Now in its fourth year of distributing welcome home bags, the VBC has so far given out over 1,000 in total. DePastino said last year they gave out 500 bags, and this year he expects to give out at least 500 as the demand is growing.

Not only can soldiers receive a bag, but so too can Red Cross volunteers and Donut Dollies, women who prepared snacks and coffee for veterans. Anyone serving in the armed forces from Nov. 1, 1955 to May 15, 1975, regardless of duty location, is eligible.

“The trauma of the Vietnam generation veterans was unique. The war was unpopular. People confused the warrior with the war,” DePastino said.

“It was the first war in our history where returning veterans were told to take off their uniforms. There was no welcome home, no thank you. Even some of the families of Vietnam veterans forget their service. The veterans went decades without recognition,” he said.

DePastino has a special affinity for Vietnam veterans. As a history professor, he taught a course at Penn State University on the Vietnam War and the history of Vietnam.

He’s also led veterans back to Vietnam on three trips. “Of the twenty veterans who have gone back, to a person, the trip left them feeling better about their service. Even many of the people in Vietnam thanked our servicemen,” he said.

Since the war, the Vietnamese have embraced an economic concept featuring some free market principles called “Doi Moi,” which helped to open normal relations with the country.

“Today Vietnam has one of the fastest growing economies in Asia , and they see the USA as a counterbalance to China,” he said.

The Veterans Breakfast Club and the Heinz History Center will hold a special Vietnam Veterans Day event at the Heinz History Center on March 29 from 6 - 8 p.m. to honor and recognize those who served.

Among the ceremonies planned will be VBC volunteers there to distribute welcome home bags. Those veterans who can’t attend can receive one by registering for the event through the Veterans Breakfast Club at veteransbreakfastclub.org.

Civilians who want to pay tribute to the Vietnam veterans are especially welcome to attend, the VBC said.

Combat medic Ted Debiak, who lost his left arm in an artillery attack on Dec. 25, 1967, but who didn’t receive a Purple Heart until 2023, will be a special honoree. Brig. Gen. John Pippy, Air National Guard, will present Debiak with his Purple Heart as part of the event.

Bob Podurgiel is a freelance writer from Carnegie.

First Published: March 22, 2024, 9:30 a.m.
Updated: March 22, 2024, 6:17 p.m.