# Vietnam Era

This article is part of a series on the :
History of the United States :
Timeline and periodsPrehistoric and Pre-Columbian Erauntil 1607Colonial Era 1607–17651776–1789    American Revolution 1765–1783    Confederation period 1783–17881789–1815    Federalist Era 1788–1801    Jeffersonian Era1801–18171815–1849    Era of Good Feelings 1817–1825    Jacksonian Era1825–18491849–1865    Civil War Era 1849–18651865–1917    Reconstruction Era 1865–1877    Gilded Age 1877–1896    Progressive Era 1896–19171917–1945    World War I 1917–1918    Roaring Twenties 1918–1929    Great Depression 1929–1941    World War II 1941–19451945–1964    Post-World War II Era 1945–1964    Civil Rights Era 1954–19681964–1980    Civil Rights Era 1954–1968    Vietnam War 1964–19751980–1991    Reagan Era 1981–19911991–2008    Post-Cold War Era 1991–20082008–present    Modern Era2008–present :
Topics
American Century
Antisemitism
Civil unrest
Racial violence
Cultural
Cinema
Music
Newspapers
Sports
Demography
Immigration
Economy
Banking
Education
Higher education
Flag
Government
Abortion
Capital punishment
Civil rights
Corruption
The Constitution
Debt ceiling
Direct democracy
Foreign policy
Law enforcement
Postal service
Taxation
Voting rights
Journalism
Merchant Marine
Military
Army
Marine Corps
Navy
Air Force
Space Force
Coast Guard
Party Systems
First
Second
Third
Fourth
Fifth
Sixth
Religion
Social class
Slavery
Sexual slavery
Technology and industry
Agriculture
Labor
Lumber
Medicine
Railway :
Groups
African American
Asian American
Chinese American
Filipino American
Indian American
Japanese American
Korean American
Thai American
Vietnamese American
European American
Albanian American
English American
Estonian American
Finnish American
German American
Irish American
Italian American
Lithuanian American
Polish American
Serbian American
Hispanic and Latino American
Mexican American
Jewish American
Middle Eastern American
Egyptian American
Iranian American
Iraqi American
Lebanese American
Palestinian American
Saudi American
Native Americans
Cherokee
Comanche
Women
LGBTQ
Gay men
Lesbians
Transgender people :
Places
Territorial evolution
Admission to the Union
Historic regions
American frontier
Manifest destiny
Indian removal
Regions
New England
The South
The West Coast
States
AL
AK
AZ
AR
CA
CO
CT
DE
FL
GA
HI
ID
IL
IN
IA
KS
KY
LA
ME
MD
MA
MI
MN
MS
MO
MT
NE
NV
NH
NJ
NM
NY
NC
ND
OH
OK
OR
PA
RI
SC
SD
TN
TX
UT
VT
VA
WA
WV
WI
WY
Territories
DC
AS
GU
MP
PR
VI
Cities
Urban history
Cities :
Outline
List of years
Historiography
Category
Portal :
vte :
Vietnam Era is a term used by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to classify veterans who served during the Vietnam War. Various departments of federal, state and local governments as well as private employers often give Vietnam Era veterans special consideration regarding employment and sometimes assign extra qualifying points.
For VA purposes, in accordance with the Code of Federal Regulations Chapter 38 Paragraph 3.2 (f), the Vietnam Era is "The period beginning on November 1, 1955, and ending on May 7, 1975, inclusive, in the case of a veteran who served in the Republic of Vietnam during that period. The period beginning on August 5, 1964, and ending on May 7, 1975, inclusive, in all other cases." The U.S. Congress, U.S. Department of Defense, and the Department of Veterans Affairs elected to designate those years as such to accord special privileges to all persons who served the country's armed forces during that time. Similar designations have been made for other periods of war.
The date August 5, 1964, is significant because it was the day of the start of U.S. bombing of North Vietnam at the Gulf of Tonkin. Two days later, on August 7, 1964, Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, giving the Johnson Administration significant powers to make war in Vietnam. The Gulf of Tonkin battle is seen as the beginning of the dramatic escalation of U.S. operations in Vietnam. The end of the war is noted as May 7, 1975, because President Gerald R. Ford announced it on that day.