This year marks the 40th anniversary since the fall of Saigon in 1975 and the official end of the Vietnam War, and the Austin Area Chamber of Commerce is taking the chance to acknowledge and thank veterans of the war during the Freedom Fest Parade.

This year, the grand marshals will be the area Vietnam veterans, who will be recognized for a war they fought in over 40 years ago and that many received little recognition for at the time.

“It was a different time in our country,” Austin Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Sandy Forstner said. “And we see this as an opportunity to do that, to recognize them the way they should have been many years ago.”

Many in the community see it as an overdue thank-you.

“We never got a pat on the back for a good job done,” Vietnam veteran Warren Smith said. “It was just forgotten about for the last 50 years.”

Many veterans from the Vietnam War have already passed away, and Smith, who fought in the war around 1967, said it’s time to honor the remaining veterans.

“They drafted us, they sent us there, and they probably should have had a recognition for us 50 years ago when this happened,” he said. “But they didn’t, so I think it’s probably about time.”

Forstner said veterans have always played a big role in the Freedom Fest celebration, but this year is extra special. Freedom Fest will also debut a Field of Flags in Bandshell Park, with about 51 flags lining the trail from Main Street, past the bandshell and just north of the Veteran’s Pavilion. The flags will be used for holidays like Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, Veterans Day, Flag Day, Patriot Day and at special request.

Veteran Norman Hecimovich will give a talk during the opening ceremony after the parade in Bandshell Park — tentatively planned for around 1:15 p.m.

Hecimovich’s speech will welcome everyone to the Freedom Fest celebration, and he also hopes to recognize the Vietnam veterans.

“I guess we can’t do enough to tell them that they’re welcome home,” he said.

Hecimovich fought in the Vietnam War, as well as the Korean War and Desert Storm. He said although many did not want to fight in the Vietnam War but were drafted, many soldiers of any war still felt a sense of pride when putting on the uniform to fight for their country.

With all the wars the United States has been involved in over the years, Hecimovich said that was the first one he could recall that the soldiers were blamed for the war. This caused many soldiers to fade into the shadows when they returned home, and many still don’t speak about their time in the war.

Hecimovich said he also kept his involvement on the down low.

“I wasn’t ashamed of it, but it’s something that if you can hide it under the rug, you do,” he said.

“Anytime you’re told you didn’t do a good job, it hurts,” he added.

Hecimovich hopes the more recent events honoring the Vietnam veterans, including being grand marshals, will help people to treat Vietnam veterans with the honor and dignity they deserve.

“They are a true veteran and have done their job and have done it well,” he said.

Smith hopes the parade will remind everyone to remember soldiers, regardless of the war they fought in or where they were deployed, because they paid heavy sacrifices.

“Never forget about the troops that have fought for your freedom,” Smith added. “They should always be recognized for fighting for our freedom. Because freedom is not free.”

Smith also said not to forget the 30 Mower County soldiers listed on the Mower County Veteran’s Memorial from the Vietnam War who lost their lives during battle. He said they deserve as much recognition as any veteran, because they paid the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

Forstner didn’t know how many Vietnam veterans would show up to ride on the float in the parade, but he hoped there would be a good number. The veterans will be meeting at the Veterans of Foreign Wars club, 300 Fourth Ave. NE, before the parade. They’ll leave to walk to the float at 10:30 a.m. Forstner encouraged anyone interested to show up before 10:30 a.m. to meet with the group.

He hopes people attending the parade will stand for the veterans as they pass.

The Freedom Fest parade begins at 11 a.m. Saturday. Like last year, it will start at Austin Utilities, 400 Fourth St. NE, before moving down Fourth Avenue Northeast, turning south onto Main Street North and running to Bandshell Community Park.