The war in Vietnam was a nightmare for most, but its memory brought together veterans in the Rancho Cordova City Hall where they finally received the “welcome home” not extended to them during the conflict.

The City of Rancho Cordova honored about 100 Vietnam veterans at the April 4th city council meeting. The city became partners of the United States Vietnam War Commemoration program launched in 2008 by an act of Congress. The Commemoration has honored Vietnam veterans since 2012 and will continue until Veterans Day 2025. The Commemoration and its partners honor veterans who served between 1955 to 1975, the timeframe of the Vietnam War.

“It brought back a lot of emotions and I had a hard time keeping it together up there,” said Jerry Hayes, a United States Air Force veteran who served between 1969 and 1973.

Hayes, 64, said public sentiment toward veterans has changed greatly since his tour of duty. While he remained stateside during his service, he had run-ins with people against the war. Once during a seven hour flight layover he considered changing out of his uniform into civilian clothes to prevent being targeted.

“I couldn’t believe how people were jeering at us as we got off the plane,” he said.

He said his favorite memories from the war were his down time, like watching the sunset from the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in Wash, while he was stationed at McCord Field Air Force base.

“The pressure cooker of the war was enough to drive anyone insane,” he said.

The city currently has a two year partnership with the Commemoration, from 2015 to 2017. The partnership entails two events per year must be dedicated to Vietnam War veterans, said Stacy Delaney, an Air Force veteran in the city manager’s office.

“When Vietnam veterans returned from the war — in California or elsewhere — I think they did not receive the recognition they deserved,” Delaney said. “What we were hoping for with this event is to say ‘welcome home.’ ”

A little more than 3,000 Vietnam veterans live in Rancho Cordova, according to U.S. Census estimates. In Sacramento County there are a total of about 90,000 veterans including those who served during Vietnam, according to CalVet.

City Councilman Robert McGarvey, a former Vietnam serviceman himself, presented each veteran with a lapel pin designed by the Commemoration. The pin features an eagle representing courage, honor and dedicated service and other recognizable symbols on the front and the message “A Grateful Nation Thanks and Honors You” on the back.

“I think the generation who didn’t really honor veterans and called them ‘baby killers’ kind of grew up,” McGarvey said. “I think when we had the Gulf War in ’91 people started paying more attention to veterans.”

McGarvey said he makes a point to represent the needs of veterans living in Rancho Cordova through his position on the city council. He served in the Air Force between 1965 and 1967.

“It takes a while to get these things done, but it’s worth it,” he said.

Marilyn “Sue” Mellow, 70, was another Air Force veteran honored at the meeting. Mellow said the ceremony made her proud to be a member of the Rancho Cordova community, where she has lived for the past 30 years.

“I thought it was an extremely nice gesture,” she said. “I’m very proud of that pin and on Memorial Day, Veterans Day and other special occasions I’ll be wearing it.”