A Day Six Decades in the Making: Vietnam Veterans Find Closure in Honor Flight - 27 East
logo logo logo logo

News / Southampton Press / Neighborhood / 2251254

A Day Six Decades in the Making: Vietnam Veterans Find Closure in Honor Flight

icon 25 Photos
Vietnam veteran Dennis Riordan and his guardian, Southampton Town Supervisor Maria Moore. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Dennis Riordan and his guardian, Southampton Town Supervisor Maria Moore. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Peter Baldwin and his grandson, Eric Greco. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Peter Baldwin and his grandson, Eric Greco. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Robert Cheeseman and his daughter, Southampton Town Housing Director Kara Bak. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Robert Cheeseman and his daughter, Southampton Town Housing Director Kara Bak. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Honor Flight Long Island brought 46 veterans and their guardians to visit their military memorials in Washington, D.C. last Saturday. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Honor Flight Long Island brought 46 veterans and their guardians to visit their military memorials in Washington, D.C. last Saturday. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Dennis Riordan makes an etching of a fallen comrade. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Dennis Riordan makes an etching of a fallen comrade. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Thomas Coughlin reads a letter from home. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Thomas Coughlin reads a letter from home. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Thomas Coughlin makes an etching of a fallen comrade. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Thomas Coughlin makes an etching of a fallen comrade. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Scenes from last Saturday's Honor Flight, which brought 46 Long Island veterans to Washington, D.C. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Scenes from last Saturday's Honor Flight, which brought 46 Long Island veterans to Washington, D.C. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Scenes from last Saturday's Honor Flight, which brought 46 Long Island veterans to Washington, D.C. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Scenes from last Saturday's Honor Flight, which brought 46 Long Island veterans to Washington, D.C. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Scenes from last Saturday's Honor Flight, which brought 46 Long Island veterans to Washington, D.C. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Scenes from last Saturday's Honor Flight, which brought 46 Long Island veterans to Washington, D.C. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Peter Baldwin returns home with his grandson, Eric Greco. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Peter Baldwin returns home with his grandson, Eric Greco. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Dennis Riordan returns home alongside his guardian, Southampton Town Supervisor Maria Moore. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Dennis Riordan returns home alongside his guardian, Southampton Town Supervisor Maria Moore. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Dennis Riordan returns home. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Dennis Riordan returns home. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Thomas Coughlin surrounded by his family after he returned home from the Honor Flight. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Thomas Coughlin surrounded by his family after he returned home from the Honor Flight. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Thomas Coughlin surrounded by his family after he returned home from the Honor Flight. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Thomas Coughlin surrounded by his family after he returned home from the Honor Flight. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Thomas Coughlin surrounded by his family after he returned home from the Honor Flight. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Thomas Coughlin surrounded by his family after he returned home from the Honor Flight. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Honor Flight Long Island President Bill Jones and Southampton Town Supervisor Maria Moore address the participating veterans, and their guardians, in Washington, D.C. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Honor Flight Long Island President Bill Jones and Southampton Town Supervisor Maria Moore address the participating veterans, and their guardians, in Washington, D.C. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam War veteran Dennis Riordan points out a fallen comrade's name. MARIA MOORE

Vietnam War veteran Dennis Riordan points out a fallen comrade's name. MARIA MOORE

Vietnam War veteran Dennis Riordan points out a fallen comrade's name. MARIA MOORE

Vietnam War veteran Dennis Riordan points out a fallen comrade's name. MARIA MOORE

Vietnam War veteran Dennis Riordan points out a fallen comrade's name. MARIA MOORE

Vietnam War veteran Dennis Riordan points out a fallen comrade's name. MARIA MOORE

Vietnam War veteran Dennis Riordan makes an etching of a fallen comrade's name. MARIA MOORE

Vietnam War veteran Dennis Riordan makes an etching of a fallen comrade's name. MARIA MOORE

Vietnam War veteran Dennis Riordan makes an etching of a fallen comrade's name. MARIA MOORE

Vietnam War veteran Dennis Riordan makes an etching of a fallen comrade's name. MARIA MOORE

Vietnam veteran Thomas Coughlin and his daughter, Kate Caporusso. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Thomas Coughlin and his daughter, Kate Caporusso. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Jamie Bowden, Kate Caporusso, Thomas Coughlin, Eric Greco, Peter Baldwin, Maria Moore, Dennis Riordan, Kara Bak and Robert Cheeseman. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Jamie Bowden, Kate Caporusso, Thomas Coughlin, Eric Greco, Peter Baldwin, Maria Moore, Dennis Riordan, Kara Bak and Robert Cheeseman. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Thomas Coughlin embraces his daughter, Kate Caporusso, at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

Vietnam veteran Thomas Coughlin embraces his daughter, Kate Caporusso, at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. MARK CHAMBERLAIN

authorMichelle Trauring on May 8, 2024
Thomas Coughlin is a natural storyteller. He easily reminisces about his life, the people who have shaped him, the experiences he’ll never forget. But for decades he never spoke about... more

You May Also Like:

Beth's Cafe in Quogue To Close for Good on September 21

When Beth D’Alessio set up shop in the small cafe formerly known as the Inn ... 12 Sep 2025 by Cailin Riley

GoFundMe Campaign Aims To Help Former Bridgehampton Man Who Was a Victim of Hit-and-Run

William “B.J.” Walker had a routine. His fiancé, Tiffany Gilliam, would drive him from their ... 10 Sep 2025 by Stephen J. Kotz

Tupper Boathouse Renovation Work in North Sea Is Ready To Begin

The leaders of the effort to restore the Tupper Boathouse on North Sea Harbor say ... by Michael Wright

Answering a Call: Judi Lach Veeck Finds Purpose in Mission Trip to Ecuador

On May 14, Judi Lach Veeck arrived at the Bradley International Airport in Connecticut feeling ... 7 Sep 2025 by Michelle Trauring

A Hidden Nook, Full of Literary Treasures, and With a Good Cause in Southampton Village

On paper, officially, there is not a single bookstore operating in the Village of Southampton. ... 6 Sep 2025 by Cailin Riley

Suffolk Alliance Launches Action Plan To Curb Rising Drownings

In light of drownings in Suffolk County increasing by 60 percent from 2023 to 2024, ... 3 Sep 2025 by Brendan J. O’Reilly

Proposal for Native Plant Garden at Doscher Park in Southampton Village Would Be a 'Win-Win,' According to Committee

When Southampton Village made an official declaration of climate emergency in 2021, it made a ... 2 Sep 2025 by Cailin Riley

Ross School's '25-26 Leadership Team Sees New and Returning Faces: Members Reflect on 'Strategic Expansion' and Goals for the School Year

Going into the 2025-26 school year, Ross School will see some restructuring of its senior ... by Hope Hamilton

Shinnecock Nation Hosts 79th Annual Powwow

The Shinnecock Nation hosted the 79th Annual Shinnecock Powwow, a vibrant celebration of Native American ... 1 Sep 2025 by Staff Writer

Beachcomber, September 4

I can hear the geese flying overhead, a sure sign that fall is right around ... by Alex Littlefield