Save the Date April 25th -Welcome Home for Our Heroes: Alamogordo Honors Two Vietnam-Era Veterans on Their Return from Washington, D.C.

Alamogordo Honors Two Vietnam-Era Veterans on Their Return from Washington, D.C. -Rio Grande Honor Flight brings two local soldiers home — a Still Photographer who kept his camera ready and a helicopter crew chief who survived Hamburger Hill.

On Saturday, April 25, 2026, the Alamogordo community is invited to Patron's Hall to welcome home two local veterans returning from an Honor Flight mission to Washington, D.C. The event, hosted by Rio Grande Honor Flight, begins at 7:00 PM and asks every attendee to bring their American flags, welcome home banners, and all the patriotism they can carry — because these are, as the organizers put it, "forgotten heroes" who deserve to feel loved and honored in their hometown.

The community will welcome home Chris Hall and Lucio Vazquez — two men whose service spanned some of the most turbulent chapters of American military history. Their stories, one shaped by family sacrifice and one by fire in the skies over Vietnam, are a testament to the lasting bonds forged in service to this country.

“Bring your American flags, welcome home banners and all the patriotism you can carry to make these forgotten heroes feel loved and honored in their hometown.”

Chris Hall

U.S. Army | Specialist 4 (E-4) | Still Photographer | 1972–1975 | Vietnam Era

Chris Hall enlisted in the United States Army in 1972, serving until 1975 as a Specialist 4 (E-4) with the designation of Still Photographer. It was a role that required him to report each day with two essentials always at the ready: his camera and his dress blues.

Though Hall served during the Vietnam era, he never deployed to Southeast Asia — and the reason is one of the most poignant chapters of his family’s story. His older brother was already deployed to Vietnam when Chris enlisted. Their father, an Air Force serviceman stationed at Holloman Air Force Base here in Alamogordo, was also deployed in-country at the same time. In a moment that still strikes the family as extraordinary, father and son actually ran into each other on Vietnamese soil. The Air Force, recognizing the unusual circumstance, sent Hall’s father home. He retired shortly thereafter with 23 years of distinguished service. With two immediate family members already serving in Vietnam, Chris was kept stateside — a decision that kept the Hall family from having three members simultaneously in a combat zone.

After his honorable discharge, Hall built a long civilian career working for the 3M Company in Minnesota. About a decade ago, he returned to Alamogordo — a place where he lived as a boy — trading Minnesota winters for the New Mexico desert. He lives locally with his girlfriend and has two grown daughters and grandchildren.

Lucio Vazquez

U.S. Army | Staff Sergeant (E-5) | Flying Helicopter Crew Chief | 101st Airborne Division | 1967–1969 | Vietnam — Deployed

If Chris Hall’s story is one of sacrifice from a distance, Lucio Vazquez’s is one of fire from above. Vazquez enlisted in the Army in 1967 and was deployed to Vietnam with the legendary 101st Airborne Division, stationed near the city of Huế in the country’s northern reaches. His job: flying helicopter crew chief aboard a UH-1 Huey.

On May 10, 1969, Vazquez and his crew were directly involved in the opening day of the Battle of Hamburger Hill — one of the most costly and controversial engagements of the entire Vietnam War, fought on the slopes of Ap Bia Mountain. That day, their Huey was shot down. He and his crew survived. They were still in-country when the ten-day battle finally ended on May 20. Vazquez remained in Vietnam for eight months total before deciding he had seen enough. He did not reenlist.

His post-service career reads like a blueprint for Holloman’s industrial history. After leaving the Army, Vazquez joined Army Air on Holloman Air Force Base as a helicopter crew chief. He went on to work as a structural engineer on both the B-1 and B-2 bomber programs, with specific work on the Test Track focusing on ejection seat systems for those heavy aircraft. He subsequently served in Civil Engineering on Holloman before finishing his career working a radar site on White Sands Missile Range. A native son of Alamogordo, Vazquez is retired and enjoys his motorcycle and classic cars.

The community is urged to turn out in force Saturday evening. The U.S. Veterans MC (Motorcycle Club) Trinity Chapter are the local host and organizers and along with the Patriot Guard Riders they will be providing a dignified escort and a wall of flags as well as state police, APD and the local sheriffs department escorts. All Alamogordo residents are welcome. 

Hall and Vazquez will arrive at Patron’s Hall, 1106 N. New York Ave, around 7:00 PM.

EVENT SPONSORS & SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS

Rio Grande Honor Flight | riograndehonorflight.org

The organizing force behind this welcome home celebration, Rio Grande Honor Flight is a nonprofit dedicated to flying New Mexico’s veterans — particularly those from the World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam eras — to Washington, D.C. to visit the memorials built in their honor. The program operates at no cost to veterans and relies entirely on community donations and volunteers. Rio Grande Honor Flight is the reason Chris Hall and Lucio Vazquez are coming home to a hero’s welcome tonight.

Patriot Guard Riders | patriotguard.org

“Riding With Respect.” The Patriot Guard Riders are a national organization of motorcycle riders who attend the funerals and homecomings of fallen and returning military members. Formed in 2005, the group provides flag lines and respectful escort. Their presence Saturday ensures Hall and Vazquez will be greeted with a corridor of American flags as they come home.

U.S. Veterans MC (Motorcycle Club)

The U.S. Veterans MC is a motorcycle club open exclusively to honorably discharged veterans of the United States Armed Forces. The club emphasizes brotherhood, community service, and honoring those who served. Their leadership in organizing the local events and participation in Saturday’s welcome home ceremony reflects the deep bonds of the veteran community in Alamogordo and across southern New Mexico.

2nd Life Media / alamogordoTownNews.org and KALHRadio.org Lead Media Sponsor

Alamogordo’s leading hometown digital news source, and Alamogordo’s community radio voice, KALHRadio.org has long served as a connector for veterans and residents across the Tularosa Basin. Covering community events, military and veterans affairs, local government, and the stories of the people who make this city specials. 2nd Life Media is proud to serve as a leading media sponsor for this evening’s welcome home celebration and to help tell the stories of Chris Hall and Lucio Vazquez to the wider Alamogordo community. Visit AlamogordoTownNews.org for full coverage and updates. 

Saturday’s welcome home celebration for Chris Hall and Lucio Vazquez is not a one-time gesture. It is the latest chapter in a sustained, years-long commitment by two Alamogordo organizations — the U.S. Veterans MC Trinity Chapter and the New Mexico Patriot Guard Riders — to ensure that the veterans of this community are seen, honored, and never forgotten. Together, these groups have hosted or co-hosted at least eight to ten documented public events in Alamogordo since 2018, with the Honor Flight welcome home ceremonies now firmly established as an annual tradition in the heart of downtown.

U.S. Veterans MC — Trinity Chapter | Alamogordo, NM | Est. 2018

The U.S. Veterans MC was founded nationally in 2007 in New York and expanded across the country over the following decade. The Alamogordo Trinity Chapter was chartered in 2018 with a straightforward and powerful mission: veterans helping veterans. When a veteran in the community needs assistance — whether navigating benefits, finding resources, or simply needing someone in their corner — the Trinity Chapter works to point them toward a solution, directly or through its network of affiliations. The chapter is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

A Record of Service in Alamogordo

New Mexico Patriot Guard Riders | patriotguard.org | Est. Nationally 2005

The Patriot Guard Riders were formed in August 2005 in Mulvane, Kansas, originally to shield military families from protesters at funerals. Their mission quickly expanded far beyond that origin. Today they are a 100% volunteer, federally registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit that attends memorial services and welcome home celebrations for veterans, active duty service members, law enforcement, and first responders. Membership requires no motorcycle, no veteran status, and no political affiliation — only a deep respect for those who serve. The organization has grown to more than 220,000 members nationwide.

In Alamogordo and the Tularosa Basin, the New Mexico Patriot Guard Riders have been a visible presence at veteran funerals, military homecomings, and community events for many years. Their documented Alamogordo history includes:

Together, the U.S. Veterans MC Trinity Chapter and the New Mexico Patriot Guard Riders represent something Alamogordo does exceptionally well: showing up. Through rides and receptions, flag lines and escorts, fundraisers and fellowship, these two organizations have quietly built one of the most active and consistent veteran support networks in southern New Mexico. April 25th is not their first mission for Alamogordo’s veterans nor will not be their last. Stay turned to AlamogordoTownNews.org and KALHRadio.org to hear further events hosted by these two extraordinary Veterans organizations. 

More News from Alamogordo

• Otero County Junked Vehicle Ordinance Sparks Debate Over Enforcement, Property Rights, and Potential Conflicts of Interest by Amy Barela Otero County Junked Vehicle Ordinance Sparks Debate over blight, private property rights and Barela ethics questions...
• Owner of Alamogordo Technology Solutions Faces 41 Criminal Counts as District Court Hearing Set for Wednesday David Pena, 42, charged with felony and misdemeanor fraud spanning four years and 32 identified victims