Language Day celebrates culture and Vietnam Veterans

Big crowds at a festival in the heart of Monterey. Language Day attracted thousands to the Presidio.

“To celebrate language and culture, because just as important as language, is the culture associated to that language,” said Col. Lawrence Brown.

Military personnel and civilians get together for food and performances, all the while speaking one of the 19 different languages taught at the Defense Language Institute.

“At the Presidio of Monterey, you find no lack of diversity, of different cultures, different creeds, and different races,” said Col. Brown.

And this year, a special event was held to honor war veterans who never got a true “welcome home.”

“Vietnam wasn’t, initially it was embraced, but afterwards there came a lot of the protest in the 60’s and even early 70’s,” said event MC and veteran Tony Virrueta.

“We didn’t get a lot of the pomp and parades and things and BBQ’s like they do for the service men today. It was a different time back then,” said Vietnam Vet, Doug Kenyan.

“You learned to not mention that you were in the army or in Vietnam, cause the demonstrations were getting worse and worse and worse,” said Vietnam Veteran, Errol Hansen.

But today, the 90 or so Vietnam Veterans from the Central Coast who turned out got some recognition.

“I will be awarding them a special commemorative pin authorized by the Secretary of Defense thanking them from a grateful nation,” said Col. Brown.

Appreciation, one of the only things they wanted when they came home.

“Come up here, receive this honor, and maybe it’s the only time they ever got one, a good handshake and a welcome home, then i hope it means the world to them,” said Virrueta.

“It’s a good thing, it’s a good day. They’re saying thank you for your service. It means a lot,” said Hansen.

“There will be people that argue whether the cause was honorable, but don’t let them ever debate that we failed to serve honorably. We took the time to do right,” said Kenyan.