Lehighton American Legion was filled with the chatter of over 160 Vietnam veterans and their significant others on Tuesday afternoon.

The veterans were there to celebrate National Vietnam War Veterans Day with a luncheon, hosted by Together with Veterans NEPA.

Paul Serfass, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and Purple Heart recipient, was one of the veterans in attendance and was happy to see his fellow comrades honored for their service.

“It is so nice to get together for our Vietnam veterans who never got the appreciation that they deserved,” he said.

Serfass, of Jim Thorpe, served in DeNang and Chu Lai.

Jennifer Spitler, regional program outreach coordinator for the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, said that the attendance at the event was impressive with over 100 Carbon County Vietnam War veterans responding.

“It wasn’t that long ago that everybody might remember, for those who did come home, didn’t have the best welcome,” she said. “One of the things that has changed is that we recognize our veterans when they return home and not just when they return home, but continuing that as a component of service.”

Spitler added that Together With Veterans NEPA works with rural area veterans to provide wellness and mental health services, suicide prevention initiatives and more.

Christine LeClair, director for the Carbon County Veterans Affairs, welcomed everyone and thanked the veterans for their service.

The event also included handmade cards from area students thanking the veterans for their service, a salute by the Carbon County Vietnam Veterans and further discussion about services available to veterans.

National Vietnam Veterans Day is celebrated on March 29 because this day in 1973 was the day the last U.S. combat troops departed Vietnam. It was also the day Hanoi released the last of its acknowledged prisoners of war.