ELMIRA, N.Y. (WENY) -- Several Veterans Day Ceremonies took place across the Southern Tier on Friday morning and afternoon.

At an 11 A.M. service at Wisner Park, several guest speakers delivered messages of support for American servicemembers, and reflected on their own time in the service. Elmira Mayor Dan Mandell is a veteran of the Air Force; Chemung County Legislator Martin Chalk served in the U.S. Army, and Dennis Wolfe, Sr. served in the U.S. Army in the Vietnam War. He's currently the president of the Vietnam War Museum in Elmira.

The Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 803 Honor Guard and members of the E.J. Brewer Detachment of the United States Marine Corps League posted the colors and fired salutes at each ceremony. Echo Taps was also performed by buglers Mike Como and Carl Berman.

Wreaths were also laid by veterans at the monuments honoring each war at Wisner Park, dating back to World War I. Guests also laid red carnations in tribute at each monument.

At a noon ceremony at Woodlawn National Cemetery, people and veterans like Edwin Arnold and Andrew Marshall gathered in the rain to honor their fallen colleagues and family members.

"It means that I'm a veteran that sacrificed my time for our nation, our freedom. It was not a burden," said Arnold, who served in the U.S. Army, and fought in the Vietnam War. 

Arnold was one of dozens of people who attended the Veterans Day service at Woodlawn National Cemetery in Elmira. He said when he passes, he will have his ashes interred there, where he will join his predeceased wife.

Arnold said he's seen so many people lose their lives in Vietnam, and he's attends the cemetery service to stand for them in their honor.

"This country it means a lot to me. So I'll keep on serving until the day I die," said Arnold.

While we may celebrate veterans and all they've done, Vietnam veterans weren't always celebrated when they came home.

"It was not ceremonious when I came here. The only people that met me were my family at the train station down in Elmira," said Arnold.

Like Arnold, Vietnam veteran Andrew Marshall had a similar experience when he came home after serving from 1969 to 1970.

"We were all treated terribly, no parades, no nothing. Things were thrown at you, and you were treated terribly," said Marshall.

Marshall said the best way he's been celebrated for his service is through the Honor Flight.

The Honor Flight is a free trip for veterans and it gives them a way to get down to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial to see the tribute and get closure.

Marshall said this trip "was the best welcome home a service man a veteran could ever have."

Marshall believes people should celebrate vets not just on Veterans Day, but every day.

He hopes people come to visit the Woodlawn National Cemetery year round and encourages people to attend next year's ceremony.

"I’ve been coming here every year since 1980 and I just have so many friends here, and a man is never dead until he’s forgotten," said Marshall.