Soldiers, sailors and airmen and women of every war since the American Revolution deserve the same reverent recognition from citizens of the U.S. who enjoy freedom and liberty as a result of their sacrifice.

Thankfully, that now includes veterans who served in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War.

Many of those veterans were poorly treated when they returned home from service overseas that was often traumatic. Some were even spit on.

An article in the Sunday Eagle described an event at VA Butler Healthcare in which Vietnam War veterans in the county were invited to receive a lapel pin in recognition of their service from a member of the General Richard Butler Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution.

The Butler Eagle offers a heartfelt salute to those veterans and all who served in Vietnam, and we tip our cap to the D.A.R. for recognizing our county’s own Vietnam veterans who may never have been officially thanked for their brave service.

One veteran, Don Hayes, of Butler, recalled being unable to get a loan to buy his parents’ home when he returned from his stint in Southeast Asia.

“We don’t lend you people money,” Hayes recalled bank officials saying at that time.

Many county residents of a certain age recall watching the TV nervously to see if the lottery number of a family member would be pulled, sending that boy off to war.

Others recall the stars and stripes being crisply and expertly folded over the casket of someone they loved and presented to their mother, wife or child.

All those memories come flooding back upon an event like the one at the VA last week.

The pin attached to the lapels of veterans who attended the event at the VA are welcome home pins to help make up for the chilly reception so many received in the 1960s and early ‘70s.

The veterans also received pocket flags that had graced the graves of veterans in North Cemetery.

Butler County’s residents support our homegrown military heroes, and the Eagle encourages its readers to stop those in a “Vietnam veteran” hat, or call a friend or acquaintance who served during that era to share appreciation for his or her service in Vietnam.

After all, it’s never too late to thank a hero.

— PG