Groton — Over a plate of fish, fried chicken and rice, Robert Crawford is thinking about the war he fought in more than 40 years ago.

"The politicians weren't behind us. If the politicians were behind us during that war, North and South Vietnam would be one country and they would be free," said Crawford, 73, a Bronze Star recipient who served in the Army as a Green Beret during the Vietnam War.

Crawford is adamant that had politicians at the time given Gen. William C. Westmoreland, who commanded the U.S. forces in Vietnam from 1964 to 1968, what he wanted — more troops — the U.S. would've won the war "with no problem, and it wouldn't have lasted so long."

"They tried to piecemeal it. They tried to do a little bit at a time instead of going right in and doing it," Crawford said.

He, and his twin brother, Richard, who also served in the Army as a Green Beret, were among a small group of local Vietnam War vets honored at the Naval Submarine Base's galley Thursday as part of the first annual National Vietnam War Veterans Day, established by legislation that President Donald Trump signed last fall. States like Connecticut have held similar events. And in May 2012, former President Barack Obama kicked off a 13-year project to commemorate the war.

The men were treated to lunch, given a gold and blue Vietnam Veteran lapel pin with the message "A Grateful Nation Thanks and Honors You" on the back and thanked by sailors, who cheered and clapped as they introduced themselves and spoke a bit about their service.

Several of them said they'd joined the military because family members had served. In some cases, their children also signed up. A Pentagon survey of new recruits from October 2012 to March 2013 found that most had a close relative who had served. Some of the veterans said they think there should be a national service requirement. A few called for the return of the draft.

There seemed to be consensus, as the men sat around a table together eating lunch and talking, that President Trump has been good for the military. U.S. veterans, who widely supported Trump during the 2016 election, largely think that he's been doing a good job as president, according to a May 2017 study from the Pew Research Center.

"I think Donald Trump is behind us 100 percent," Crawford said, as opposed to previous presidents.

The veterans see Trump as a return to the day of big military budgets. In his 2019 budget request, Trump asked for $686.1 billion for the military. They don't want another war, but agree with the idea of peace through strength.

"Without a defense, you're weak," said John Waggoner, 73, a Vietnam veteran from Norwich, whose brother Michael also served in the war and attended Thursday's luncheon.

Obama, on the other hand, "destroyed us from being one of the premier saviors of the world," Waggoner said. Congress is to blame too, he added, noting the 2013 budget sequestration and lawmakers' inability to pass budgets on time.

"You can't cut money from them all the time and expect miracles. We have the best people in the world ... But if you don't have the funds that go with it, what good is it," said Harry Way, 70, of Norwich, who served in the Air Force during Vietnam. "This is what this country needed."

j.bergman@theday.com