Widow of Vietnam War veteran encourages more nominees for In Memory program

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Nebraska Examiner

By: Joshua Haiar - May 25, 2026 7:17 am

A South Dakota woman wants more families of Vietnam veterans to know about a national program honoring those who came home from war and later died.

Bonnie Bjork’s husband, Timothy, died on March 3. She said he suffered from health problems related to Agent Orange exposure. This year, he is being honored through the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund’s In Memory program.

“I believe very few individuals know about this program,” Bjork told South Dakota Searchlight. “And these men deserve to be honored.”

Agent Orange was a herbicide used by the U.S. military during the Vietnam War to remove jungle cover and destroy crops. It’s also highly toxic, and many Vietnam-era veterans later developed illnesses that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs now treats as connected to Agent Orange exposure, including several cancers, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease and more.


Timothy Bjork served in the Army, completing two tours in Vietnam. He died in 2025 and is now being honored by the In Memory program. (Photo courtesy of Bonnie Bjork; illustration by Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight)

Read more: https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/25/repub/widow-of-vietnam-war-veteran-encourages-more-nominees-for-in-memory-program/

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Enjoy Memorial Day.

[mopinko]

1. remembering cliffordu today.

died of service related als.
loved him.

[nitpicked]

2. 768 Vietnam Veterans To Be Honored Through VVMF's In Memory Program In 2026

https://www.vvmf.org/News/768-Vietnam-Veterans-To-Be-Honored-Through-VVMFs-In-Memory-Program-In-2026/

Since the Vietnam War ended, thousands of Vietnam veterans have suffered due to Agent Orange exposure, PTSD and other illnesses as a result of their service. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) believes all those who served in Vietnam should be honored and remembered for their service. The In Memory program enables the families and friends of those who came home and later died the opportunity to have them be forever memorialized.

VVMF is proud to announce that we’ll be inducting 768 Vietnam veterans into the In Memory program in 2026. We look forward to honoring these veterans who returned home from Vietnam and later died. For more information on In Memory and this year’s ceremony, visit: www.vvmf.org/inmemory

((list of names follows))

[nitpicked]

3. Link to details of the 2026 In Memory weekend events around DC 19-21 Jun 2026

https://www.vvmf.org/In-Memory-Program/In-Memory-Ceremony/

(Main ceremony 10 am 20 Jun on the knoll east of the Vietnam Wall)

(Father's Day Rose Remembrance ceremony 10 am 21 Jun - see https://www.vvmf.org/fathers-day/ )

[nitpicked]

4. Nominations closed for 2026, link to application page for 2027

https://www.vvmf.org/inmemory-apply/

[slightlv]

5. I had a good friend back in the 80's who eventually died from Agent Orange.

He never stopped being an activist trying to get the government to do right by veterans where this was concerned. He died. He was my best friend's love of her life, and I felt the loss too keenly with all the time and effort I put in with him.

I'm a Viet Nam era veteran. And the government has never done right by us, IMO. The despicable behavior government is showing ALL vets today is just an example of what the Viet vets have lived with decades before trump. Republicans should all be damned for their hypocrisy in all things... but especially where Veterans are concerned. Today SHOULD be filled with headlines of every law, request, or project FOR Veterans that has been cancelled or killed due only to the Republican votes and actions. And now we have an administration who wants to make slaves out of them, because so many are still homeless. Shame on us! Shame especially on the Magas... especially the veterans of Maga... who voted for him and allow this to continue. Note: I live across the street from one.