Kasea Losch, left, a junior at Butler Senior High School, talks with veteran John Yeager, 68, of Mars about her hopes to attend the United States Naval Academy after graduation, while sophomore Cassie Sherman listens.

BUTLER TWP — An estimated 300 Vietnam War veterans gathered Wednesday morning for a breakfast hosted by American Legion Post 778.

The event at VA Butler Healthcare commemorated the 50th anniversary of the war, said Amanda Kurtz, public affairs officer of VA Butler Healthcare.

Lawrence T. Deas, a 67-year-old veteran, traveled from Sharon in Mercer County for the breakfast. He still jokes that his initials have a specific meaning: Little, Tough and Dangerous.

“(Vietnam) was so darn nice, I had to go back twice,” Deas said, speaking of his two tours of duty.

Students in the JROTC program at the Butler School District volunteered to help serve the veterans and to talk with them.

Kasea Losch, a junior at Butler High School, received a challenge coin from John Yeager, 68, of Mars. The challenge coin is a representation of Yeager's service organization, and coins can be given out as a token of appreciation, Kasea said.

Kasea, who is in the JROTC program, told Yeager that she hopes to attend the U.S. Naval Academy after high school.

The event served veterans from Butler, Armstrong, Clarion, Lawrence and Mercer counties.

Kurtz said VA Butler Healthcare serves about 19,000 veterans, with half of them having served in the Vietnam War.