On March 29, 1973, the last of our country’s troops left Vietnam, ending the United States’ direct military involvement in the Vietnam War. Nearly three million Americans served in Vietnam. Almost 800 were held as prisoners of war. More than 58,000 lost their lives.

Today, on Vietnam Veterans Day, we honor all those who served during the conflict. We recognize their experiences, service and sacrifice. And we reaffirm our respect and support.

Intrepid served three tours of duty in the Vietnam War.The Intrepid Museum collects the stories of veterans who served on board the ship through its ongoing Oral History Project.Many of these oral histories are woven into the Museum’s latest exhibition On the Line: Intrepid and the Vietnam War. By collecting and preserving the stories of our veterans, we continue to broaden our understanding of the Vietnam War and the experience of service during this complicated chapter of American history.
In this video, a few former crew members describe life aboard Intrepid during the Vietnam War:

To commemorate Vietnam Veterans Day, we encourage you to visit the exhibition and learn more about the experiences of Intrepid and its crew “on the line”—the periods when the ship was active in the Gulf of Tonkin, launching aircraft for missions over mainland Vietnam. This localized history serves as the starting point for understanding the larger historical landscape, including the Cold War, Operation Rolling Thunder, the POW experience and protests at home.
All U.S. veterans and U.S. military receive free admission to the Museum.