Long Island veteran reunites with medic 56 years after Vietnam

Vincent Dellipaoli was paying respects at the Vietnam Memorial when the Long Island veteran was reunited with his former U.S. Army unit’s medic — over a half century after the two last saw one another.

Dellipaoli was visiting The Wall, as the monument is known, with a group of fellow veterans that Southampton-based nonprofit Honor Flight Long Island had flown to Washington, D.C. for its latest one-day trip on Oct. 5 when his reunion with James Hennessy of Maryland was caught on video.

“It’s hard to explain the emotions inside of me,” Dellipaoli, who had not seen fellow U.S. Army veteran Hennessy since 1968, told the Press after landing at Long Island MacArthur Airport (LIMA) in Ronkonkoma. “That was the topping of the whole day.”

Honor Flight Long Island is the local chapter of a national nonprofit that provides complimentary round-trip flights veterans to the nation’s capital to visit their memorials. The group started with World War II veterans and its latest trips have been mostly those who served in the Vietnam War, which ended in 1975.

“For me I hold a special place in my heart for The Wall,” Dellipaoli said. “I have six brothers on the wall. Two of them were my best friends.”

Dellipaoli and Hennessy had been talking on the phone for the past five years, but had not seen each other in person since the war. Hennessy is still helping Dellipaoli today.

“I got him started on his VA claim,” Hennessy said. “He recently got up to the max, which he deserves, if you know what he went through.”

Bill Donohue, who serves on the group’s board of directors, was moved after he caught the reunion on camera.

“I’ve been to 32 honor flights and that’s the top moment,” Donohue said. “It was a beautiful moment.”

When the veterans landed back at LIMA, they were welcomed by hundreds of cheering supporters holding signs thanking them for their service and a marching band performing patriotic songs, as is customary for each biannual trip. For Vietnam veterans in particular, many of whom were drafted but then faced hostility amid widespread anti-war protests after they were discharged, the support was especially appreciated.

“When I came home 55 years ago, I was spat upon, called names,” Rich Moricco of East Meadow, a U.S. Army veteran who served in Vietnam from 1968 to ‘69, recalled upon getting off his plane at LIMA. “This more than made up for it.”

Video courtesy of Bill Donohue, Honor Flight Long Island board member