A ceremony was held Saturday at the Cradle of Aviation in Garden City to honor Vietnam veterans.

Forty veterans and their families were honored with special commemorative medals to thank them for their service. Elected officials were on-hand for the event.

The Long Island Air Force Association organized the ceremony. "This is all about recognizing Vietnam veterans. They came back from the war not to a hero's welcome, [they were] often scorned for their service," said Bill Stratemeier, of the association.

Lawrence Truman, of Huntington Station, remembers the backlash all too well. "I was spit on, I was called a baby killer, a monster," he recalled. "I was very ashamed when I first came home."

"We as a country missed an opportunity 50 years ago, and here we are 50 years later taking the opportunity to say thank you, God bless you and welcome you home with open arms," said state Sen. Jack Martins (R-Mineola).

The Long Island Air Force Association says it has given out 160 medals to Long Island's Vietnam vets so far.