There were several celebrations in the area for Veterans Day this past Friday, Nov. 11 and American Veterans First, headquartered in Riverbank, hosted an America Strong dinner featuring Medal of Honor recipient Robert M. Patterson. There were over 150 people in attendance that were surrounded by patriotic pride.
AVF CEO Duke Cooper recognized the volunteers and the AVF staff that assist in making the organization a success including Executive Secretary Paige McLaughlin, Director of Outreach Shirley Serato and Event Coordinator Gloria Robertson.
The dinner was held at the American Event Center which is right next door to AVF headquarters which is where they were previously. They had appetizers and a bar for guests to enjoy. The tables were set up for dinner service and the dinner was provided by Trinity Ranch Smoke and Grill that served up a variety of items like rolls, pasta, salad, tri-tip and chicken.
“I think the food filled our bellies and it was amazing,” remarked McLaughlin. “I think it really worked out well. It is a big undertaking. Hopefully we will be able to plan a little further in advance for the next event.”
They had a gun raffle provided by Barnwood Arms of shotguns, rifles, and pistols throughout the evening.
“A highlight from the event was having a Medal of Honor recipient here, it is amazing,” said Cooper. “You don’t get that opportunity very often. Those people were all there because they love this country and they’re really tired of what’s been done to our country. So, to stand up on stage and look around and see so many friends was a true highlight of my day.”
The colors were presented and the audience engaged in the Pledge of Allegiance and a performance of the National Anthem by Danny Shatswell. They also played all the battle hymns for each branch of the service and Cooper asked those that served to stand when they heard theirs to honor them. There was also a POW/MIA table set up.
Cooper was the emcee throughout the evening and shared with the crowd some of the things that the organization has done. He shared slides on the screens of the veterans in Juarez, Mexico that have returned to the states through the assistance of AVF including Rudy Molina in El Paso that is what Cooper calls a satellite office of AVF.
“Veterans Day is for all of us veterans,” stated Cooper. “A day to reflect and thank the men and women for their service.”
“I thought the event went well and people really enjoyed themselves,” added McLaughlin. “Our speakers were great. It was nice to have many generations be touched by the speakers. I think that people who have never seen any action were touched by it because they painted a vivid picture of what they went through.”
Army combat veteran, sniper, Purple Heart, and Bronze Star recipient Josh Whitfield gave a profound speech to the guests that brought out cheers and applause. He was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. In his speech he expressed some thoughts on the current status of our country, the reason the fallen fought for this country, American values, not taking our freedoms for granted and being proud to be an American.
“They were not killed because they were white, black or brown, they were not killed because they are Christians, Jews, Muslims, or atheist, they were not killed because they are rich or poor, liberal or conservative, Republican or Democrat, male or female, gay or straight,” expressed Whitfield in part of his speech. “You see it was the very flag that they wore on their shoulders. It is the very idea, the very values that that flag represents, that is what the enemies of our country hate and that is what these cowards fear so very much.”
Guest speaker Sergeant Major Patterson served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. He received the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1969 for his act of bravery and valor during an assault against the North Vietnamese after his platoon was pinned down by heavy enemy fire.
This was Patterson’s second visit to Riverbank speaking at an event for AVF.
“Guest of honor and wife, Bob and Linda were very much honored, pleased and had a great time all the way from Florida,” said Robertson. “Volunteers were extremely helpful, courteous and appreciated. Very patriotic, music, microphone, stage, acoustics, lighting top notch.”
There was a video played for guests that talked in depth about Patterson and his time in Vietnam that warranted the honor. In the video Patterson shared, “A person who wears the Medal of Honor is not wearing it for themselves, they are wearing it for everyone that was there and particularly for the ones that didn’t come back. It is much harder to wear that ribbon than to earn it.”
