Vietnam War Commemoration: A 50 Year Retrospective
Public | Apr 28, 2025 6:30PM - 8:00PM
On the evening of Monday, April 28, 2025, the LBJ Presidential Library and LBJ Foundation commemorated the 50th anniversary of the fall of Saigon and the end of the Vietnam War with a public program hosted in the Lady Bird Johnson Auditorium. The program was co-hosted by Texas State University and The Clements Center for National Security at the University of Texas at Austin.
Confirmed participants included:
- Viet Luong, US Army Major General (Retired)
- David Maraniss, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author
- William McRaven, US Navy four-star Admiral (Retired)
- Patrick Nugent, US Air Force Airman 1st Class (Retired)
- Martha Raddatz, ABC News’ chief global affairs correspondent
- Darden Smith, Singer/songwriter and founder of SongwritingWith: Soldiers
We invited guests to join us for this special evening honoring our Vietnam veterans and exploring the complicated legacy of the war.
About the Harry Middleton Lectureship:
Lady Bird Johnson established the Harry Middleton Lectureship in 1994 to honor the career, loyalty, and legacy of Mr. Middleton, who served in the Johnson administration and as Director of the LBJ Library for 30 years. The lectureship was designed to attract and enrich the learning experiences of U.T. students and the Austin community. Speakers include former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, Presidents Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford, Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, Tom Brokaw, actor Bryan Cranston, playwright Robert Schenkkan, and playwright and film director David Mamet. The lecture series is co-sponsored by the LBJ Presidential Library and the Lyndon Baines Johnson Foundation.
Vietnam veteran Patrick Nugent, Air Force, joined by his daughter Nicole Covert, talks about his time in service.
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Vietnam Vet Interviews
The following interviews with Vietnam veterans were recorded on March 11, 2025, at the LBJ Presidential Library. Though each of these three men has a unique story, their shared experiences—from serving in the U.S. Air Force to working in an Army operating room—highlight the many facets of the Vietnam War.
To watch the full conversation, please click here.
To watch the full conversation, please click here.
To watch the full conversation, please click here.