America's Honduras veterans served honorably. We owe them recognition.
Key takeaways
- A white carnation is seen at the Vietnam Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, Monday, Nov. 9, 2015.
- Between 1981 and 1992, service members in Honduras were operating in conditions that carried real risk.
- Veterans who served in neighboring El Salvador during this same period faced a similar lack of acknowledgment until 1996, when they were formally recognized with the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.
Why this matters: political developments that affect policy direction and public trust.
A white carnation is seen at the Vietnam Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, Monday, Nov. 9, 2015. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) For decades, a group of U.S. veterans has carried out a quiet kind of service — one that remains largely unrecognized in the official record of our nation s military history. I know this firsthand as someone who served in Honduras in 1989, during a period when U.S. forces were actively supporting operations in the region.
Between 1981 and 1992, service members in Honduras were operating in conditions that carried real risk. During that time frame, at least 72 U.S. service members were killed, 48 were awarded Purple Hearts and others were taken prisoner of war or remain listed as missing in action. Yet despite these sacrifices, their service has never received consistent or formal recognition comparable to others of the same era.
This gap in recognition is not without precedent. Veterans who served in neighboring El Salvador during this same period faced a similar lack of acknowledgment until 1996, when they were formally recognized with the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.