A wreath honoring National Vietnam War Veterans Day is placed next to the flagpole at Camp Nelson National Cemetery in Kentucky.

On March 29, 1973, the last American combat troops left Vietnam and returned home. Unlike troops of more recent wars, the vast majority of those brave service members did not receive a warm welcome. In fact, many were spat upon, called names and treated with disdain.

Vietnam Veterans bore the horrors of battle in Vietnam only to come home to shoulder the burden of an unpopular war that was no fault of their own. The way they were treated has often been called a national disgrace and rightly so. They did their duty because their country asked them to. That’s what patriots do, they serve when their nation calls.

Now 45 years later, they are getting some of the recognition they earned so long ago.