Today's fiftieth anniversary of the Tet Offensive in the War in Vietnam is being marked at Lackland Air Force Base, home to the Security Police who played a key role in fighting the Vietcong's attack on Saigon and Tan Son Nhut Air Base on January 31, 1968, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
Several of Security Police Association Vietnam Veterans will gather at Lackland today to discuss the offensive. Many of the veterans received the Bronze Star and Silver Star for thier heroism during the offensive, in which Vietcong forces attacked the U.S. Embassy in Saigon and other landmarks, as well as Tan Son Nhut, which was the main U.S. air field in what was then South Vietnam, and which was tenaciously defended by USAF Security Police.
Many historians consider the Tet Offensive to be the turning point of the war, largely due to media coverage which showed that the U.S. was a lot further away from 'victory' in Vietnam than President Lyndon Johnson had claimed.
A Combat Cross will be donated today to the Gold Star Mothers exhibition at the entrance to the exhibits annex Hall of Honor.