Morning Edition

Vietnam veterans never got the homecoming many feel they deserved. On Monday, a group of veterans, the Department of Defense and others will begin the first of many ceremonies to honor those who served and commemorate the 50th anniversary of the start of the Vietnam War. Events will be planned over the next 13 years, concluding with the fall of Saigon. Many will gather Monday at the Vietnam Memorial Wall for a wreath ceremony, including President Obama.

David Greene speaks with NPR's Joe Palca about Morning Edition's upcoming series, "Summer Science."

David Greene talks to Rick Knabb, the newly named head of the National Hurricane Center. Knabb is currently the Weather Channel's resident hurricane expert. When he previously worked at the National Hurricane Center as a meteorologist, he was one of the lead forecasters for Hurricane Katrina.

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

Today is Memorial Day, the day we remember the men and women who've died while serving in the Armed Forces. In Kabul, Afghanistan, the top U.S. commander, General John Allen, laid a wreath at a garden across from his headquarters. And he read a letter written by Marine Sergeant William Stacey to his parents in Seattle.

President Obama has started hitting back at Republicans who accuse him of being the biggest-spending president in history, arguing that the increases in his budgets are the smallest in decades.

Spain's third largest lender, Bankia, is getting a $24 billion lifeline from the Spanish government. The move is a part of Madrid's effort to return some stability to the country's struggling financial sector.

Mel and Joey Schwanke have been married 64 years. The Fremont, Neb., couple appears to be the perfect match — perhaps their secret is matching outfits. The Schwankes told Omaha's KETV they've dressed alike for decades. They've got a closet full of 146 combinations. Mel's tie always matches the patterns on Joey's dresses.

The Syrian government is denying allegations that its military killed more than 100 people, nearly half of them children, in the village of Houla. On Monday, the United Nations' special envoy to Syria, Kofi Annan, was in Damascus to pressure the Syrian government to abide by a cease-fire that most agree has been a failure. For the latest developments, NPR's Kelly McEvers talks with David Greene.