HAGERSTOWN, MD - Despite the cold and rain, crowds of people gathered at Marty Snook Memorial Park in Hagerstown to honor veterans Wednesday morning.

A Vietnam War veteran was the featured speaker. Jim Varner survived five and a half years as a prisoner of war.

The 68-year-old was in Vietnam's POW camp at the same time as Senator John McCain.

Warner was tortured in several ways.

He recalls, "I spent the first six weeks tied up because I was moving to the north. Then in the summer of '69 during that interrogation I was really in trouble... and I didn't get any relief until Ho Chi Minh died."

All veterans and first response personnel were also recognized.