Remembering end of Vietnam War 50 years later
JESSUP, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Wednesday marked 50 years since the final day of the Vietnam War: A conflict that claimed the lives of more than 58,000 Americans over a nine-year period.
While US Involvement in Vietnam ended in 1973, the war as a whole went on until 1975.
For many of those who served, the experiences they had in Vietnam live on forever.
For Judge Thomas Munley, it's no different.
'I think about it every single day. I think about the soldiers that I lost, my friends, that never came back alive,' Judge Munley explained.
Judge Munley was a 23-year-old school teacher when he was drafted for the Vietnam War.
As a young man with a college degree, he says he never imagined he'd be sent to Vietnam, let alone as an infantryman.
But sure enough, after four months of training, he arrived in Vietnam in 1969, and it wasn't long before he had his first encounter with the enemy.
'I lasted about two weeks before my first firefight, with the enemy, and I'm thinking, 'I have to stay here a whole year, I'm never going to make it home,'' Judge Munley continued.
But for 11 months and five days, this was his home. He used his helmet as a pillow and the jungle floor as a bed.
Dunmore PSP holds annual memorial service
He says the wet, swampy conditions often led to sores and infection, but at the time, these things were the least of his worries.
'You're worried about rats every day, you're worried about sniper rounds every day, you're worried about artillery, you're worried about booby-traps,' Judge Munley added.
Upon returning from the war, Judge Munley used the GI Bill to enroll in law school, starting what would become a 31-year career as an attorney and eventually, a judge.
Now, he uses his experience to help vets like himself through veteran outreach and hosting the segment Veterans Views.
'I want to make veterans feel that I care about them, and that's been my whole life,' Judge Munley explained.
While so many others lost their lives in Vietnam, Judge Munley made it through. Something he credits to taking things one day at a time and never giving up on his dream.
'I had that dream every single day, that I'm going to be a lawyer someday. So I kept that dream with me for a whole year,' Judge Munley said.
On behalf of everyone at 28/22 News, we would like to say, 'thank you for your service.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
23 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Fire breaks out at north Charlotte restaurant
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Charlotte firefighters responded to a structure fire at a restaurant in north Charlotte. Crews were called to the 6300 block of Old Sugar Creek Road around 3 p.m. on Saturday. When crews arrived, smoke was seen coming from the building. It took 30 firefighters 14 minutes to control the fire. There have been no reported injuries to civilians or firefighters. The Charlotte Fire Investigation Task Force is working to determine the cause of the fire. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
New York Post
7 hours ago
- New York Post
Archaeologists may have finally solved the mystery of Roanoke's ‘Lost Colony'
A team of researchers believes they may have cracked one of America's most enduring legends: Where did the settlers of the Roanoke Colony go? The Roanoke Colony, also known as the Lost Colony, was the first permanent English settlement in the United States. A group of over 100 colonists settled on North Carolina's Roanoke Island in 1587, led by Sir Walter Raleigh. John White, the governor of the colony, returned to England for supplies in 1587. When he came back to Roanoke Island in August 1590, he found the settlement mysteriously abandoned – and all the colonists, including his daughter Eleanor Dare and his granddaughter Virginia Dare, gone. One of the only clues remaining at the site was the word 'CROATOAN' carved into a palisade. It either referred to Croatoan Island, which is now called Hatteras Island, or the Croatoan Indians. The mystery has haunted Americans and Brits for the past four centuries, with several investigations launched into the matter. Whether the colonists were killed by Native Americans, starved to death, or left for greener pastures has eluded historians. But new research suggests the colonists' fate may not have been tragic after all. Mark Horton, an archaeology professor at the Royal Agricultural University in England, spoke with Fox News Digital about his findings. 5 A team of researchers believes they may have cracked one of America's most enduring legends: Where did the settlers of the Roanoke Colony go? Getty Images For the past decade, the British researcher has worked with the Croatoan Archaeological Society's Scott Dawson to uncover the mystery. Horton said they've uncovered proof that the colonists assimilated into Croatoan society, thanks to a trash heap. 'We're looking at the middens — that's the rubbish heaps — of the Native Americans living on Hatteras Island, because we deduced that they would have very rapidly been assimilated into the Native American population,' Horton said. The smoking gun at the site? 5 The mystery has haunted Americans and Brits for the past four centuries, with several investigations launched into the matter. Youtube/IslandTimeTV Hammerscale, which are tiny, flaky bits of iron that come from forging iron. Horton said it's definitive proof of iron-working on Hatteras Island, which could have only been done by English colonists. 'The key significance of hammerscale … is that it's evidence of iron-working, of forging, at that moment,' he said. 'Hammerscale is what comes off a blacksmith's forge.' Start your day with all you need to know Morning Report delivers the latest news, videos, photos and more. Thanks for signing up! Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Never miss a story. Check out more newsletters Horton added, 'This is metal that has to be raised to a relatively high temperature … which, of course, [requires] technology that Native Americans at this period did not have.' Hammerscale shows that the English 'must have been working' in this Native American community, according to the expert. But what if the hammerscale came longer after the Roanoke Colony was abandoned? Horton said that's unlikely. 'We found it stratified … underneath layers that we know date to the late 16th or early 17th century,' he said. 'So we know that this dates to the period when the lost colonists would have come to Hatteras Island.' 5 The Roanoke Colony, also known as the Lost Colony, was the first permanent English settlement in the United States. Getty Images 5 'We're looking at the middens — that's the rubbish heaps — of the Native Americans living on Hatteras Island, because we deduced that they would have very rapidly been assimilated into the Native American population,' Mark Horton, an archaeology professor at the Royal Agricultural University in England, said. Youtube/IslandTimeTV 'It's a combination of both its archaeological position but also the fact that it's evidence of people actually using an English technology.' At the site, archaeologists also found guns, nautical fittings, small cannonballs, an engraved slate and a stylus, in addition to wine glasses and beads, which all paint a vivid picture of life on Hatteras Island in the 17th century. When asked if the colonists could have been killed in a later war, Horton said they survived among the Croatoans and successfully assimilated. 'We have one little snippet of historical evidence from the 1700s, which describes people with blue or gray eyes who could remember people who used to be able to read from books,' he said. 'Also, they said there was this ghost ship that was sent out by a man called Raleigh.' 5 When asked if the colonists could have been killed in a later war, Horton said they survived among the Croatoans and successfully assimilated. Youtube/IslandTimeTV Horton added, 'We think that they assimilated into the Native American community and their descendants, their sons, their granddaughters, their grandsons carried on living on Hatteras Island until the early 18th century.' When asked if he's officially solved the mystery, Horton said that though the archaeological evidence is definitive, the legend will probably still endure. 'Have we solved the mystery? Well, you know, it's pretty good evidence, but there's always more work to be done,' he said. Horton added, 'And people love mysteries. They hate resolving things one way or the other. So I'm sure that the mystery will continue, you know, whatever the scientific evidence says.'
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
Longtime volunteers to lead Springfield parade
The Springfield Fourth of July Committee has announced Jerome and Regina Oakes as the grand marshals for the 2025 Fourth of July Parade. According to a news release from the committee, Jerome Oakes and Regina Armstrong both grew up in the town of Springfield but the two had not met until July 4, 1976 at Springfield's bicentennial celebration of America's Declaration of Independence. In 1980, they were wed at the Church of the Blessed Sacrament in Springfield Center. According to the couple, they have always been happy to remain in Springfield, "a place they consider beautiful and peaceful, and where they have both found satisfaction in service to their community," the release stated. Jerome Oakes is a veteran of the Vietnam War and recipient of a Purple Heart medal and other awards of distinction. He is a member of the Richfield Springs American Legion, the Cooperstown VFW and the Utica DAV. An active Boy Scout in his youth, Jerome achieved the rank of Star Scout and was a member of the Order of the Arrow and the Explorers. When the Oakes' twin boys were young, Jerome assisted the Cub Scout troop and coached Little League and T-ball teams. He has been a volunteer fireman in the Springfield Fire Department for 54 years and served as an EMS volunteer for nine years, according to the release. He is the superintendent of Springfield Cemetery, where he is responsible for managing burials, repairing and leveling headstones, excavating cremation plots, selling plots, and assisting with funeral arrangements. He places flags on the graves of veterans for Memorial Day, a service he extends to nearby cemeteries, the release stated. He also serves as custodian at the Springfield Community Center and traditionally carries the flag for the Springfield Fire Department's marching unit in the Fourth of July Parade, "as well as fulfilling many other supportive roles around the event," according to the release. Regina Oakes had a 47-year career at Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown. As a certified pharmacy technician, she primarily worked at the Cancer Center. Shortly after retiring, she returned to assist during the COVID pandemic, according to the release. For several summers, after completing shifts at the hospital, Regina spent her evenings working at the Cooperstown Dreams Park. She currently serves as an elected member of the Springfield Town Council, bringing almost 16 years of experience to the council, the release stated. She can often be found at the Springfield Community Center overseeing events and leading senior exercise programs and community pickleball, or at the Springfield Landing, where she manages boat slips and park passes. She spearheaded the clean-up and restoration of the old school cafeteria at the community center and launched the Springfield Community Kitchen in the fall of 2023, the release stated. The luncheons held at the center are planned, cooked and served by Regina, assisted by a staff of volunteers. The program is completely supported by community donations. Regina has been an active member of the Springfield Fire Department Auxiliary for 13 years. She also organizes the Springfield Fourth of July Committee's chicken barbecue. "The committee is pleased to honor their dedication and celebrate their positive impact on the community during this year's parade," the release stated. The parade will commence its 111th year at 11 a.m. Friday, July 4 in the hamlet of Springfield Center. This year's parade theme celebrates "We the People." The parade will end at the Springfield Community Center, where a celebration will be held. The festivities will feature music by the Camden Continentals Fife and Drum Corps and the Cooperstown Community Band, Brooks' chicken barbecue, homemade pie, the Springfield Historical Society Open House, children's games, raffles and more. Free parade parking is available at the community center. An evening concert and fireworks display will take place at Glimmerglass State Park, with music by local rock band Scattered Flurries starting at 7:30 p.m. , to be followed by fireworks at dusk. At 3:30 p.m. Sunday, July 6, the Glimmerglass Festival will present the 2025 Springfield Appreciation Concert, featuring musical selections from the festival's upcoming 50th anniversary season. Tickets for the concert ($5 each) and Springfield Fourth of July T-shirts ($15 each) are available at Convenience Corner, at the intersection of state Route 80 and U.S. Route 20 in Springfield Center. All proceeds support Springfield's Fourth of July events. For more information, look for the Springfield 4th of July Parade and Celebration on Facebook, email or call (315)858-0304.
