ARDMORE, OK -- With song, salutes and silence - past veterans were remembered and current veterans are honored. The Carter County Veterans Council hosted the program "Lest we forget." Organizers estimate about 500 people came out for the ceremony at the Oklahoma Veterans Center in Ardmore.

"You never forget about the war. I still think about it all the time,” Dale Brookey said.

Dale and his brother Jim Brookey together gave a decade of service to our county.

"If you would have been in San Francisco in 1966 - when I stepped off a ship there was not one person to greet you back,” Jim Brookey explained.

This Memorial Day, Vietnam vets like the Brookeys got some long over-due recognition.

This year Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry declared "The year of the Vietnam vet." And the memorial wreath was placed by gold star mother, Carmeleta Addington, who lost her son in Vietnam

"It's honoring my son. We just can't honor him enough. It’s something you don't get over,” Addington said.

Hundreds of people, from generations before and after the Vietnam War gathered to pay tribute, so the service and sacrifice of countless men and women will not be forgotten.

"It's because of those individuals that made the ultimate sacrifice that we have the freedom to have programs like this."

While Memorial Day may mean something a little different for everybody - veterans and organizers of the program hope people don't forget the purpose of the holiday, and take the time to say a simple “thank you” to our veterans.