We hope that your celebration of America’s birthday was as impressionable as ours. This was a day when the vivid colors of the Stars and Stripes flew high over the City of Malibu.
The audience who attended the outdoor ceremony of Malibu’s Tribute to Heroes listened to the words of 1st Sgt. Brent Holman as he spoke of his unit (members of the famed Screaming Eagles), their proud history, and of the leadership and soldiers carrying on that tradition today. He expressed how overwhelmed he and SFC Steve Johnson and their wives were with the kindness and support they had received from the minute they arrived at LAX and were chauffeured to their “Adopted Home,” Malibu, Calif. When they arrived they had not expected the VIP treatment. During their extra day and a half visit they covered a lot of ground and played tourist to a side of California neither had seen. The Screaming Eagles are based at Fort Campbell, Ky. The only part of California they had ever seen were training exercises in some remote part of the California desert, contrary to the beautiful Southern California coast and the cozy beachfront inn where they were staying.
At the closing of Holman’s speech, when he turned to Mayor Pro Tem Kearsley and presented the city with the warmest of gifts any Military Unit could give, a beautiful framed plaque of his men and their guidon (unit flag), the audience applauded loudly. Kearsley then gave a “Heroes Plaque” to Holman to take back with him.
That evening the soldiers and their wives were the guests at a private party held at the beachfront home of Mr. and Mrs. Cotsen, where they viewed the spectacular fireworks from an ocean barge. Red, white and blue gleamed over the Pacific. America’s birthday party was well attended.
How proud they made us. At that moment we hoped that the soldiers of the 101st would know that we would always be their spiritual shields. They must be our saber. Protect us. Defend us. Love us as we love them. We are family forever.
Linda Patterson, executive director
America Supporting Americans