Widow of Vietnam War veteran encourages more nominees for In Memory program

Source: Nebraska Examiner

By: Joshua Haiar - May 25, 2026 7:17 am

A South Dakota woman wants more families of Vietnam veterans to know about a national program honoring those who came home from war and later died.

Bonnie Bjork’s husband, Timothy, died on March 3. She said he suffered from health problems related to Agent Orange exposure. This year, he is being honored through the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund’s In Memory program.

“I believe very few individuals know about this program,” Bjork told South Dakota Searchlight. “And these men deserve to be honored.”

Agent Orange was a herbicide used by the U.S. military during the Vietnam War to remove jungle cover and destroy crops. It’s also highly toxic, and many Vietnam-era veterans later developed illnesses that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs now treats as connected to Agent Orange exposure, including several cancers, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease and more.


Timothy Bjork served in the Army, completing two tours in Vietnam. He died in 2025 and is now being honored by the In Memory program. (Photo courtesy of Bonnie Bjork; illustration by Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight)

Read more: https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/25/repub/widow-of-vietnam-war-veteran-encourages-more-nominees-for-in-memory-program/