More than 450 Vietnam-era veterans received a long overdue “welcome home” from The Oxford American Legion Post 108 at a ceremony October 23. Veterans were treated to a warm meal, vintage jazz and swing music, and were each given a federally-sanctioned lapel pin to thank them for their service.

More than 50 years after their return from the controversial war, veterans were finally given the thanks and appreciation so many of them had been denied when they first returned home.

“I always feel at home amongst other veterans,” said Heath Roy, who served in the U.S. Army from 1967-1970 and was stationed in Vietnam for two of those years.

“It took a long time after I got home to start to feel safe and good. Too many people were not kind to us, I’ll put it that way. Relatives would spit on you and people would tell you you should have died when they found out you were in war. But this (event) is a pleasure. It makes you feel good.”