WEST MANCHESTER TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- It's a day they will never forget, and now it's a day for us to remember.
March 29, 1973 was when the last remaining American troops came back from the Vietnam War.
And now, March 29 is officially National Vietnam War Veterans Day.
The Vietnam Veterans Recognition Act was signed into law Tuesday night by President Donald Trump.
Harold Redding of Spring Grove, York County, joined the Army and was deployed to Vietnam in 1966. He came up with the concept of the day and pushed lawmakers, like U.S. Senator Pat Toomey to take action.
"The experience made me think about for the first time maybe I wouldn't be coming home, and I thought about well would anybody know why I was here? Or will they remember me?" Redding said.
He and other veterans said this war was different than other wars. Troops were not celebrated when they returned home from battle.
Ron Herman, a Vietnam War veteran, said, "When you came into the airport and they demonstrated against you, they spit on you, this was I think a disgrace."
Years later though, those veterans are now receiving some recognition.
"For me it's the government that sent us to Vietnam finally saying thank you," Redding said about the national day of recognition.
People from across York County came to honor the Vietnam War veterans at the York County Expo Center.
The veterans received pins for their services. After the ceremony, they had a vigil.
"A lot of vets still carry with them all the memories, images and experiences with Vietnam. They live with it. And it never really goes away," Redding said.