A Day Six Decades in the Making: Vietnam Veterans Find Closure in Honor Flight - 27 East
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News / Southampton Press / Neighborhood / 2251254

A Day Six Decades in the Making: Vietnam Veterans Find Closure in Honor Flight

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Vietnam veteran Dennis Riordan and his guardian, Southampton Town Supervisor Maria Moore. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Dennis Riordan and his guardian, Southampton Town Supervisor Maria Moore. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Peter Baldwin and his grandson, Eric Greco. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Peter Baldwin and his grandson, Eric Greco. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Robert Cheeseman and his daughter, Southampton Town Housing Director Kara Bak. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Robert Cheeseman and his daughter, Southampton Town Housing Director Kara Bak. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Honor Flight Long Island brought 46 veterans and their guardians to visit their military memorials in Washington, D.C. last Saturday. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Honor Flight Long Island brought 46 veterans and their guardians to visit their military memorials in Washington, D.C. last Saturday. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Dennis Riordan makes an etching of a fallen comrade. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Dennis Riordan makes an etching of a fallen comrade. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Thomas Coughlin reads a letter from home. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Thomas Coughlin reads a letter from home. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Thomas Coughlin makes an etching of a fallen comrade. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Thomas Coughlin makes an etching of a fallen comrade. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Scenes from last Saturday's Honor Flight, which brought 46 Long Island veterans to Washington, D.C. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Scenes from last Saturday's Honor Flight, which brought 46 Long Island veterans to Washington, D.C. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Scenes from last Saturday's Honor Flight, which brought 46 Long Island veterans to Washington, D.C. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Scenes from last Saturday's Honor Flight, which brought 46 Long Island veterans to Washington, D.C. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Scenes from last Saturday's Honor Flight, which brought 46 Long Island veterans to Washington, D.C. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Scenes from last Saturday's Honor Flight, which brought 46 Long Island veterans to Washington, D.C. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Peter Baldwin returns home with his grandson, Eric Greco. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Peter Baldwin returns home with his grandson, Eric Greco. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Dennis Riordan returns home alongside his guardian, Southampton Town Supervisor Maria Moore. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Dennis Riordan returns home alongside his guardian, Southampton Town Supervisor Maria Moore. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Dennis Riordan returns home. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Dennis Riordan returns home. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Thomas Coughlin surrounded by his family after he returned home from the Honor Flight. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Thomas Coughlin surrounded by his family after he returned home from the Honor Flight. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Thomas Coughlin surrounded by his family after he returned home from the Honor Flight. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Thomas Coughlin surrounded by his family after he returned home from the Honor Flight. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Thomas Coughlin surrounded by his family after he returned home from the Honor Flight. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Thomas Coughlin surrounded by his family after he returned home from the Honor Flight. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Honor Flight Long Island President Bill Jones and Southampton Town Supervisor Maria Moore address the participating veterans, and their guardians, in Washington, D.C. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Honor Flight Long Island President Bill Jones and Southampton Town Supervisor Maria Moore address the participating veterans, and their guardians, in Washington, D.C. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam War veteran Dennis Riordan points out a fallen comrade's name. MARIA MOORE

Vietnam War veteran Dennis Riordan points out a fallen comrade's name. MARIA MOORE

Vietnam War veteran Dennis Riordan points out a fallen comrade's name. MARIA MOORE

Vietnam War veteran Dennis Riordan points out a fallen comrade's name. MARIA MOORE

Vietnam War veteran Dennis Riordan points out a fallen comrade's name. MARIA MOORE

Vietnam War veteran Dennis Riordan points out a fallen comrade's name. MARIA MOORE

Vietnam War veteran Dennis Riordan makes an etching of a fallen comrade's name. MARIA MOORE

Vietnam War veteran Dennis Riordan makes an etching of a fallen comrade's name. MARIA MOORE

Vietnam War veteran Dennis Riordan makes an etching of a fallen comrade's name. MARIA MOORE

Vietnam War veteran Dennis Riordan makes an etching of a fallen comrade's name. MARIA MOORE

Vietnam veteran Thomas Coughlin and his daughter, Kate Caporusso. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Thomas Coughlin and his daughter, Kate Caporusso. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Jamie Bowden, Kate Caporusso, Thomas Coughlin, Eric Greco, Peter Baldwin, Maria Moore, Dennis Riordan, Kara Bak and Robert Cheeseman. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Jamie Bowden, Kate Caporusso, Thomas Coughlin, Eric Greco, Peter Baldwin, Maria Moore, Dennis Riordan, Kara Bak and Robert Cheeseman. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Thomas Coughlin embraces his daughter, Kate Caporusso, at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Thomas Coughlin embraces his daughter, Kate Caporusso, at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

authorMichelle Trauring on May 8, 2024
Thomas Coughlin is a natural storyteller. He easily reminisces about his life, the people who have shaped him, the experiences he’ll never forget. But for decades he never spoke about... more

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