Alamogordo Prepares Hero’s Welcome for Two Vietnam-Era Veterans Returning from Honor Flight April 25th 7 pm

Alamogordo, NM — This Saturday evening, April 25, 2026, the City of Alamogordo will roll out the red, white, and blue carpet for two local Vietnam-era veterans, Chris Hall and Lucio Vazquez, as they return from a memorable Honor Flight mission to Washington, D.C.

The public “Welcome Home Our Heroes” celebration, hosted by Rio Grande Honor Flight with strong support from the U.S. Veterans MC Trinity Chapter and New Mexico Patriot Guard Riders, begins at 7:00 PM at Patron’s Hall, 1106 N. New York Ave. Organizers are calling on the community to show up in force: bring American flags, welcome-home banners, and plenty of patriotism to honor these “forgotten heroes.”

The Veterans Being Honored

Chris Hall served in the U.S. Army as a Specialist 4 (E-4) Still Photographer from 1972–1975. Though he never deployed to Southeast Asia, his family’s service story is deeply moving. His older brother and father were both in Vietnam at the same time — the family even had a chance encounter on Vietnamese soil that led to his father’s return home. Chris was kept stateside to avoid having three family members in the combat zone. A longtime employee of 3M in Minnesota, Hall later returned to Alamogordo. His personal goal on the Honor Flight is to visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and trace the name of a childhood friend killed in action.

Lucio Vazquez, a native of Alamogordo, served as a Staff Sergeant (E-5) and helicopter crew chief with the 101st Airborne Division from 1967–1969. He flew UH-1 Huey missions out of the Hue area and was shot down on the first day of the brutal Battle of Hamburger Hill on May 10, 1969. Vazquez and his crew survived the crash and the rest of the ten-day battle. After eight months in-country, he chose not to reenlist. His civilian career included work as a helicopter crew chief at Holloman AFB, structural engineering on B-1 and B-2 bomber programs, and service at White Sands Missile Range. Vazquez simply wants to “join the club” with fellow crew chiefs who have already made the Honor Flight journey.

Event Details and Support

The veterans are expected to arrive at Patron’s Hall around 6:45 to 7:00 PM. The U.S. Veterans MC Trinity Chapter and Patriot Guard Riders will provide a flag-line escort, joined by New Mexico State Police, Alamogordo Police Department, and Otero County Sheriff’s Office support.

Rio Grande Honor Flight organizes these trips at no cost to veterans, relying on community donations and volunteers to ensure those who served in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam eras can visit their memorials.

This event continues a strong local tradition. The U.S. Veterans MC Trinity Chapter (chartered 2018) and Patriot Guard Riders have helped welcome multiple groups of Honor Flight veterans in recent years, turning these homecomings into annual celebrations of gratitude in Alamogordo and hosting the local event at the Flickinger Center.

All residents are invited to attend and show their appreciation. For more information, visit riograndehonorflight.org or follow local updates on Alamogordo Town News. Let’s give Chris Hall and Lucio Vazquez the hero’s welcome they richly deserve!

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