BRYAN, Texas — March 29, 1973 marks the arguable end of the Vietnam War for many veterans.
On Wednesday, March 29, several veterans groups are set to come together to honor Vietnam veterans at the memorial located in Downtown Bryan at 10 a.m.
John Kendall Sr. served in the Marines during the Vietnam War, and was a tunnel rat. According to Kirsten Kendall, John's granddaughter, tunnel rats looked for potential traps in tunnels before military members walked through to get to the other side.
Kendall claims that a lot of younger generations are unaware about the lives of veterans who served during the Vietnam War and what their lives were like after. Most Vietnam veterans faced intense criticism, as opposed to other war veterans, because of the lives that were lost during the war.
"People didn't want to hear about it. They didn't want to know. They just wanted nothing to do with it," said Kendall.
Kendall said that, as a society, it's important to educate ourselves about the history within our own families to ensure smarter decisions for our individual futures.
"Wanting to know more, history, I think is crucial. Everyone should want to know more about their history," said Kendall.