Scottsdale Civic Center East Bowl
Hosted by the Scottsdale Veterans Advisory Commission, the free public event is a communitywide show of appreciation for those who served during the Vietnam era. Complimentary lunch will be provided for registered guests.
This year’s featured speaker is Vietnam veteran Francisco “Frank” Moreno, a former U.S. Army paratrooper and helicopter pilot whose service spans some of the most significant chapters of American history.
As a young soldier with the 101st Airborne Division, Moreno was among the paratroopers who enforced President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s desegregation order at Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1957.
He later volunteered for flight school and served two tours in Vietnam as a helicopter pilot. During the 1965 Battle of Ia Drang at Landing Zone X-Ray, Moreno flew 14 missions into an active combat zone to evacuate wounded soldiers. He and his crew rescued 33 service members, all of whom survived.
His actions earned him the Silver Star, and the award is currently under review for a potential upgrade to the Medal of Honor.
