JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Vietnam War divided Americans at home and subjected those who fought abroad to unimaginable horror.

Instead of fanfare, most soldiers who fought in the war came home to protests and jeers.

"These are men and women that really didn't get the kind of recognition they deserved when they came home," Rep. Ander Crenshaw said.

Crenshaw hosted a special recognition ceremony Monday for 200 Vietnam veterans from the Fourth Congressional District. He said honoring those who've fought and risked their lives for their country is one of the most important things he can do as a congressman.

It also means a lot to the men and women being honored.

The veterans' names were called one by one, every veteran receiving an individual outpouring of gratitude, something Crenshaw argues they should have received decades ago.

"It's just a great day," Vietnam veteran and former Staff Sgt. Walter Peterson said. "It's been 42 years in the making, and I appreciate it."

All these years later, Peterson can still recount the terror in Vietnam.

"It was like hell on earth, believe me," he said. "We lost a lot of crew chiefs, a lot of pilots, and I just thank God I didn't lose myself."

The war was fought between 1959 and 1975 and is one of the longest and deadliest conflicts in American history. More than 58,000 men and women lost their lives in the war.

Crenshaw said he's trying to figure out what the U.S. is still doing there.

"It was one of the misunderstood wars in our history," Crenshaw said. "It was misunderstood then, misrecorded now."

Regardless of how the tale is told in the history books, countless American men and women lost their lives in combat, and for all who served, Crenshaw said the country must give thanks.

In this case, it is better late than never.