Theodore Hittner, better known as “Pops” to his family from Kunkletown, served 36 months in Vietnam and loved to tell stories. He died on May 6.

“He had a story for every occasion,” said his son, Sgt. William Hittner, during the Memorial Day ceremony held Sunday at Polk Township Veterans’ Memorial in Kresgeville. “When he met a Vietnam War veteran, he would say ‘welcome home’ to them.”

The younger Hittner, who is still in the military and lives in Fleetwood, has always received a handshake and pat on the back when he meets people, and especially when he returned from duty in the Middle East. However, his father, and other Vietnam War veterans returning home from war were not welcomed with open arms. Americans did not support that war, nor did it treat the veterans fairly or seem to mourn the loss of the some 58,000 killed or scarred for life in that war.

Hittner shared stories about his dad, as well as recited a Vietnam Vet poem.

“Every war is different. Vietnam was the war known as the teenage war because the average age of soldiers was 19,” said Robert Coleman of Jonas, U.S. Army retired, during his presentation. “It was kids fighting kids. The climate was over 100 degrees and very humid. There were monsoon rains, with an abundance of leeches and swelled rivers.”

Coleman was a combat medic from 1964 to 1967. He served 13 months in Vietnam and was transferred to the Walter Reed Medical Center to finish his military service.

“Basically, the tour of duty was 12 to 13 months if you were lucky. Over 58,300 killed in action in about 400,000 men and women were scarred for life. Guerrilla warfare, there was no front lines to rice paddies. And the jungle was the fighting grounds. There was the monsoon with the disease insects, snakes, leeches and swollen rivers,” he said.

“War is hell and it should be the last resort for any country. Let wars end and give us peace,” Coleman said. “We must never forget the wounded, prisoners of war, missing, and dead soldiers. Memorial Day is the holiday to remember all these soldiers.”

Vietnam was the focus of this weekend’s ceremony because “it’s the anniversary of when they started taking troops out. It was the beginning of the end,” said Joan McKinsey, chair of the Polk Township Veterans’ Memorial Commission.

“I find that so many people are patriotic. It gives me goose pimples. This is the best country in the world,” said Pat Coppola, a Korean War veteran who was among the audience seated in lawn chairs along a tree line of the Salem-St. Paul Lutheran Church, which is across from the memorial.

He returned home from Korea; however, his brother, Vincent Coppola, died at age 19.

“It was May 8, 1952. He only had two months left of service,” Coppola said.

After the ceremony, Hittner stood on the lawn chatting with some of his dad’s sisters. He was the only son in a family of six children. The sisters live in Kunkletown and Walnutport.

Brianna Shupp, the 2022-23 West End Fair Queen, served as the Master of Arms. Boy Scout Troop 102 of Saylorsburg presented the colors at the start and retired the colors at the end. George Moretz played taps and the Rev. Deborah Scheffey provided the invocation.

“Today we remember the 58,000 Vietnam soldiers who died 50 years ago. Our flag behind me flies not because of the wind, but because of their breath,” said Polk Township supervisor Carl Heckman.

Amy Leap contributed to this report.