A new exhibition at the Detroit Historical Museum is shining a light on the history, sacrifice, and continued service of the Vietnam Veterans of America Detroit Chapter #9, the first VVA chapter in Michigan.
Titled “Welcome Home: Vietnam Veterans of America Detroit Chapter #9,” the exhibit opens June 27 and runs through October 19, 2025, in the museum’s Robert and Mary Ann Bury Community Gallery. It arrives as the nation marks 50 years since the end of the Vietnam War.
The exhibit highlights the emotional journey of Detroit-area veterans returning home from combat and chronicles their decades-long push for recognition, support, and community impact. It features a powerful mix of photographs, artifacts, and personal testimonies that reveal how Chapter #9 transformed shared pain into purpose—advocating for better healthcare, creating scholarship programs, and strengthening bonds among veterans and their city.
“We are grateful that the story of Vietnam veterans and Detroit Chapter #9 will be told through this exhibit,” said Paul Palazzolo, president of the chapter. “We hope that everyone takes the time to learn about our service to country, veterans, and the community as a whole.”
The roots of Chapter #9 stretch back to Wayne State University, where student veterans formed support groups like Bamboo Rap and Flight of the Phoenix. In 1980, they helped establish Vietnam Veterans of Michigan, which became an official VVA chapter three years later.
Over the years, the group has made its mark through advocacy work and philanthropy—endowed more than $2 million in scholarships and taking an active role in the annual Metro Detroit Veterans Day Parade.
The Bury Community Gallery, where the exhibit is housed, is known for rotating exhibitions that elevate underrepresented voices and local institutions. In 2020, it earned a national Leadership in History Award from the American Association for State and Local History.
The Detroit Historical Museum is located at 5401 Woodward Avenue in Midtown and is open Wednesday through Sunday. Admission includes access to this exhibit and several long-standing installations, including Streets of Old Detroit, Detroit 67: Perspectives, and Doorway to Freedom: Detroit and the Underground Railroad.
