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Modesto veterans compare treatment of military members today to 50 years ago

It's been 50 years since the Vietnam War. Veterans back then say they were verbally harassed and spit on when they were back home.

MODESTO, Calif. — Modesto spent the day paying it forward, celebrating and thanking veterans for their service through an annual Veteran’s Day Parade and ceremony immediately after.

Many of the veterans ABC10 spoke with say it’s a much different story from how they were treated when they got out of the service decades ago.

“It’s a much different time than it was in 1969,” said Navy veteran Eric Jacobs.

The year 1969 is when Jacobs got out of the Navy and came back to America.

“I get a lot of 'thank yous' now where when I came home in ‘69, it was welcome home, baby killer,” he said.

Fifty years later, Jacobs says veterans are treated a lot differently.

“Today, we’re celebrating our veterans!” said Denise Aguero, a parade-goer from Modesto.

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“You could walk down the street without somebody making a [snide] remark about being in the military or going to Vietnam,” said Frank Ushler, also a Navy veteran.

It’s a similar story for Ushler, who got out of the Navy 51 years ago.

“The way they treated a lot of veterans [was] very disrespectful, not just the veterans but their wives, or their children that were with them, throwing things at us, things like that,” he said.

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On Monday, after walking in Modesto’s annual Veteran’s Day Parade, Congressman Josh Harder presented Ushler, along with dozens of other Vietnam veterans, a pin as a small token of gratitude, five decades after the fact.

“Today we found dozens and dozens of Vietnam veterans across our community who served in Vietnam. Some of them served a decade in Vietnam and yet had never gotten the recognition that they were owed,” said Harder (D-Turlock).

The Modesto parade was a long-overdue tribute that families say they plan on teaching their kids about each year.

“To show our children and have them show their children what America’s about, what our veterans did and how they fought for our freedom today, we’ve got to solute our Americans,” Aguero said.

“I’m very proud of my service and I’ve always been that way,” Ushler said.

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