A day of celebration to unite Virginia veterans and a tribute to all who have served in Operation Desert Storm.
Salute to Service
March 21, 2026 | Virginia War Memorial
A day of celebration to unite Virginia veterans and a tribute to all who have served in Operation Desert Storm.
An Invitation from Paul Galanti to the Virginia Veterans of the Vietnam War
Co-chairs, the Vietnam War Salute to Service Reunion Celebration
Friends,
Too many of our buddies did not come home from Vietnam. We owe it to them to gather at the Virginia War Memorial for a Salute to Service Reunion Celebration to honor all who served in Vietnam. This will be the second in a series of Reunion programs designed to reunite veterans of specific conflicts and provide a space to connect with long lost friends.
We will meet on the grounds of the Virginia War Memorial, where we will have a chance to share stories, enjoy music, hear inspiring speakers, and visit the Shrine of Memory to pay our respects to our missing brothers and sisters.
After my seven-year stay at the not-so-luxurious Hanoi Hilton as a POW, the Virginia War Memorial became another type of home for me and my family. It was the first major memorial in the United States to honor Vietnam-era service members, predating the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C., by almost a year.
I am proud to chair this event with my son Jamie. We dedicate the day to the thousands who did not come home. In their memory, we will lay a wreath and then later in the day raise a glass to them, and to all of us, proud Vietnam veterans.
Commander Paul E. Galanti, USN (Ret).
About the Virginia War Memorial Foundation
The Virginia War Memorial Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that provides private support to the Virginia War Memorial, a state agency established in 1950. This remarkable public/private partnership has provided funds for the documentary films, educational programs, exhibitions, teacher institutes, and veterans outreach which have positioned the Virginia War Memorial to be among the leading state war memorials. The Virginia War Memorial Foundation’s mission is to support the Virginia War Memorial in its efforts to preserve the stories of veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice, to honor all veterans and active-duty military and to inspire love of country through education. For more information, visit http://www.vawarmemorial.org.
For Salute to Service sponsorship opporuntities, please contact Annie Warman, Director of Development, at awarman@vawarmemorial.org.
For media inquires about the Salute to Service Reunion Celebration, please contact Anne Wilson, Director of Marketing & Communications at awilson@vawarmemorial.org.