In honor of Flag Day, local historian Chuck Langerman shared that on Monday, June 14, 1971, John Kerry spoke at a Flag Day Rally in the Cheltenham High School auditorium before an estimated crowd of 1,200.

At the time, Kerry was a 27-year-old former Navy Lieutenant, Yale University graduate, and aspiring public servant. After serving in Vietnam and being awarded numerous combat medals, he joined the Vietnam Veterans Against the War.

At Cheltenham High, he spoke out strongly against the Vietnam War and talked about his public service ambitions.

Kerry went on to serve as Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts from 1983 to 1985 and was appointed the 68th United States Secretary of State under President Barack Obama from 2013 to 2017. In 2004, he was defeated by George W. Bush after being nominated as the Democratic candidate for President of the United States.

Nowadays, Kerry works in the private sector and philanthropic spheres focused on clean energy investing, climate change, and global oceans initiatives.

You can watch his “Meet the Press” interview on April 18, 1971 below:

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Screengrab: NBC News