The Class of 58

The Class of ’58 is a unique initiative within our mission that offers Vietnam veterans the opportunity to represent their state in a historic journey of reconciliation and remembrance. This solemn return to Vietnam honors the 58,318 Americans who never came home, serving as a powerful tribute to courage, sacrifice, and the enduring bonds of service.

The Class of ’58: A Journey Home

Not every veteran returns home the same way.
Some find peace among family and friends. Others carry their memories in silence—years passing without the familiar voices of their old unit, without the brotherhood that once bound them together. Yet the call to return, to stand once more on Vietnamese soil, still lives quietly in many hearts. The Class of ’58 was created for them—for veterans who feel the passage of time, but not the fading of memory. It offers a chance to return not as soldiers, but as ambassadors of peace and remembrance.

Soldier in military uniform with bull ornament on helmet, carrying a rifle.
Man wearing military uniform and cap, seated and looking at camera.
A soldier wearing a military uniform stands next to a camouflage netting and military equipment. He has short hair and a neutral expression. The background features sandbags and helmets.
Two soldiers in military gear, one in focus holding a rifle, with a serious expression, wearing helmets and backpacks, outdoors.
Three soldiers in green uniforms sitting in a wooded area, holding weapons, with another soldier in the background.
A soldier wearing a helmet with the word "PFT" written on it, looking serious, with a background suggesting a military setting.
A person wearing military gear including a helmet, vest, and glasses, standing outdoors in a natural, rugged landscape with hills in the background.
Two soldiers in military uniform in a dense jungle setting, one looking at the camera and the other with their back turned, surrounded by foliage.
Young soldier in uniform pointing at his name badge, with a wooden wall and a rifle in the background.
A person in military uniform holding a rifle in an outdoor setting with trees in the background.
A soldier in a military uniform stands in front of a sandbag fortification, smoking a cigarette. A rifle is propped against the sandbags. The background features barren trees and a cloudy sky.
A young man wearing a U.S. Navy uniform and glasses, with a white sailor hat tilted on his head.
Young man in military-style uniform looking at the camera against a plain background.
Young man in military uniform sitting outdoors near tents and vehicles.
A portrait of a man wearing a military uniform and cap.
Soldier in military uniform using a field radio

Why It Matters

For those who served in Vietnam, time has not erased the memories—it has only deepened their meaning. The war may have ended decades ago, but its echoes remain in the hearts of those who lived it. Across miles and years, many veterans still feel the quiet pull to return—to honor those who never came home, to find peace within themselves, and to see how far the people and land of Vietnam have come. This is a journey not of war, but of healing—a chance to transform remembrance into reconciliation, and memory into hope. The Class of ’58 is more than a journey back—it’s a journey forward. A path toward peace, understanding, and belonging—for veterans, for families, and for generations to come.

A man in a white polo shirt and a red "Delta Co Vietnam Veteran" cap holds a black and white photo in front of a historic building with a tiled roof. The background shows greenery and a tree.
Older man in red "Marines" shirt and hat holding a black-and-white photo of two young men.

“When you serve in combat together, you forge a bond that can never be broken. Even years later, I still feel that connection with my brothers from Vietnam.”

— Max MORGAN, Seal Team 1 (1968)

A woman with short gray hair wearing a green wide-brimmed hat and a sleeveless, striped button-up shirt standing outdoors in a natural setting with lush green foliage and a river in the background.
Group of eight men, some wearing military hats, standing and sitting outdoors on a hill with green mountains in the background. They are surrounded by green plants and reddish soil.

“Being a woman in a predominantly male environment was tough, but the support and camaraderie I found among my fellow soldiers made all the difference. We were a family.”

— Dr. Elaine NIGGEMANN, Combat Nurse (1968)