More than 100,000 New Jersey residents served their country in Vietnam. May 7 marks Vietnam Veterans Remembrance Day, and to commemorate it, there was a new beginning at the memorial and museum in Holmdel.

The Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial and Museum, reopened to the public on Tuesday.

“The protests that took place in 1968 and you’re seeing them being repeated today obviously for a different cause, but that era of American history is one that is pivotal in how America moved forward from the ‘60s,” said Louis A. Vlahakes, a Vietnam War veteran and one of the trustees at the memorial and museum.

The walls and exhibits showcase an interactive timetable of one of America’s most tumultuous periods.

“Two million of us served throughout the conflict but the thing is we all saw it from a different perspective,” said veteran and tour guide Joseph Foster.

Foster enlisted in the Coast Guard and was sent to Vietnam. He now shares his experiences with thousands of visitors.

“When you put it all together, and that’s what these educational sessions do, it gives us a chance to give a little more depth and perception to what it was all about,” said Foster.

The $2.5 million renovation includes modernizing the museum into the digital age. State Sen. Vin Gopal. secured the funding.

“We need to preserve and protect the history of all of our Vietnam Veterans. What a challenging history and history will repeat itself,” said Gopal.

The Vietnam Veterans’ Museum is open every Tuesday through Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 pm. Guided tours with Vietnam veterans are always available.