On the 50th anniversary of the last combat troops leaving Vietnam, veterans of the war will be honored Wednesday in events across Alabama.

Though the war did not formally end for another two years, the final U.S. troops departed the east Asian country on March 29, 1973. North Vietnam also released the last remaining prisoners of war that day. The exit of the troops came two months after the signing of a peace agreement, which ended eight years of the direct intervention by the U.S.

At its peak, the U.S. had about 550,000 troops in Vietnam in the spring of 1969. According to the U.S. National Archives, the military had 58,220 deaths in Vietnam.

The last American civilians in Vietnam didn’t leave until April 1975.

A list of some of the events planned Wednesday for Vietnam veterans:

• The Birmingham VA Health Care System, Birmingham VA Vet Center, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 668, Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 416, and Disabled American Veterans Chapter 4 will recognize Vietnam veterans at the Kelly Ingram VFW, 1801 11th Avenue N., in Birmingham, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
• The Twickenham Town Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, will visit Floyd E. “Tut” Fann State Veterans Home in Huntsville and an honor guard will present the flag and each veteran will be presented a pin and thanked for their service. A reception for veterans and their families will also be held.
• The Montgomery Vet Center will hold an outdoor event at its location at 4405 Atlanta Highway that will include a brief program, refreshments and entertainment.
• Vulcan Materials will hold a “Thanking Vulcan Vietnam Veterans” event at its location at 1200 Urban Center Drive in Birmingham.
• A ribbon cutting will be held in Ozark at U.S. 231 and Alabama 123 to dedicate the Wiregrass Memorial Wall honoring 50 people from southeast Alabama who died in Vietnam.