The Legacy of Joe
By Linda, President & Founder
In late December 1967, I received a letter that would alter the course of my life—and the lives of thousands of American service members—forever.
The letter was from my nineteen-year-old brother, Sergeant Joe Artavia. He was deployed in the dense jungles of Vietnam, serving with A (ABU) Company, 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault).
Joe wrote to me with a heavy heart—not about the physical dangers of war, but about the invisible enemy crushing his men: low morale. Many of his buddies were not receiving mail. He asked me for a special favor. Could I convince the City of San Mateo, California, to “adopt” his infantry unit and show them that someone back home cared?
Joe wrote, “You see, by having a town or city adopt us, it brings the morale of the guys up as high as the clouds.”
The year was 1968. Across the bay in San Francisco, the anti-war movement was boiling over. Protesters were burning American flags and labeling our returning soldiers with horrific names. Publicly supporting a military unit during such an unpopular war was a massive political risk.
It took three months of pushing, but on March 4, 1968, I finally stood before the five-member San Mateo City Council.
At first, there was resistance. One councilman argued that Joe was not even from San Mateo. I immediately stood up and countered, “He’s not from Vietnam either, but he’s fighting a war over there.”
I was thrilled to send the good news to Joe. He lived just long enough to know that his wish had been answered and that his men would not be forgotten.
A Wish Granted, a Brother Lost
Exactly twenty days later, on March 24, 1968, Joe was killed in action while bravely attempting to rescue a wounded comrade in Thua Thien Province. He was posthumously awarded the Silver Star for his valor.
The Legacy of Joe’s Letter
Joe’s physical presence was lost, but his spirit built a bridge that has stood the test of time. To this day—58 years later—the community of San Mateo still actively supports A (ABU) Company, 1/327th Infantry.
Out of that single letter, America Supporting Americans (ASA) was born. Over nearly six decades, we have taken San Mateo’s blueprint and used it to connect hundreds of cities across the nation with military units from all branches of service.
Whether our troops are deployed in harm’s way or training at home, they deserve to know that a community stands behind them. We did it for Joe’s unit in 1968, and with your help, we will keep doing it for every unit that needs us today.
While much of the nation turned its back on Vietnam veterans, the people of San Mateo rallied. They flooded Camp Eagle with letters and care packages. In 1972, when Alpha Company finally came home, San Mateo gave them an unprecedented welcome home. It took three months of planning and lasted three days, giving the soldiers a chance to interact face-to-face with strangers who had become family. As they marched down the streets and turned a corner, they saw a local bank’s time-and-temperature sign replaced with a glowing message that read:
WELCOME HOME, SCREAMING EAGLES … tears flowed down the faces of young, battle-hardened troops.