A Dove Among Eagles: How the Sister of One Paratrooper Changed the Lives of Tens of Thousands in Vietnam and Beyond

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In 1968, Linda Patterson, then 26, was emerging from a traumatic period when she received a letter from her 18-year-old brother, Joe, a paratrooper in Vietnam. His plea for help highlighted the low morale among his company due to antiwar protests. Joe asked Linda to rally their hometown of San Mateo to "adopt" his unit of 130 soldiers, reassuring them that they were not forgotten. Through her relentless efforts, San Mateo became the only city in the nation to adopt a military unit during the Vietnam War on March 4, 1968. Tragically, just weeks later, SGT Artavia from Joe's company was killed in action, deepening Linda's grief. Determined to honor her brother's wishes, Linda took a courageous step and traveled to Vietnam to spend Christmas with Joe's unit in December 1968, despite lacking government approval. This transformative experience led her to marry LT Steve Patterson and establish a nonprofit, America Supporting Americans, dedicated to troop support. Over the next 50 years, Linda served the military in impactful ways, earning recognition from the highest levels of government. The soldiers from her brother's unit affectionately refer to her as "Sis."