JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — On Thursday morning at the Jacksonville National Cemetery, a remembrance was held of all who served and those who paid the ultimate sacrifice during the Vietnam War.
The annual observance ceremony comes this year just two days before National Vietnam War Veterans Day.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
Most of the men and women who served in the Vietnam War didn’t come home to welcoming celebrations back in the late 1960s and early 70s.
“A lot of us went through some of that and we didn’t understand it,” Pat Welch, Chairman of the Sport Committee for Jacksonville National Cemetery, said. “Coming home, we didn’t hear about what was going on back in the states, and when we got here, it was just a shock to a lot of us.”
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
The ceremony served to honor and recognize the service of those who came home haunted by the horrors they saw on the front lines.
“Nobody went to Vietnam and came back the same,” Navy Vietnam veteran Bob Tipton said. “I don’t care who you are and what they say.”
The event also honored those who didn’t come home at all, laying their lives down to serve their country.
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
“For all of us that went over there and didn’t come back, they’re the real heroes,” Tipton said.
The event also aimed to provide comfort to those who did come home, through their shared stories of service.
“It’s like a family reunion. You know, get with your family and everybody loves one another, but you have a big respect for one another,” Tipton said.
Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
