HELENA — More than a hundred veterans, their families and community members braved the cold to honor those who served for the United States in every branch of the military on Thursday.
The Lewis and Clark Veterans Memorial Foundation hosted a ceremony to honor veterans, as well as first responders, and active-duty military personnel.
Raymond Reed a Vietnam veteran says that Veterans Day to him is very special,
“I think about our past and all of the stuff that's happening right now within the throughout the world really, the veterans have been the way forward. They're the ones that have sacrificed and though the ones that continue to sacrifice and continue to serve,” said Reed.
The ceremony also honored those who are prisoners of war and missing in action by providing an empty chair with white roses and a wreath.
The opening remarks were from John Quintrell who is a Vietnam veteran and wrote a book, ‘My 365 Days With the Wolfhounds in Vietnam 1968-1969'.
Quintrell says veterans are a symbol of respect and nobility.
"The guys that came home and the guys even now coming home from the desert they're a living testament to what honor and bravery really is because they're absolutely willing to go over and give everything they got, even though we've taken off the uniform we're all still ready to serve,” said Quintrell.
