The 2024 Heritage Day Celebration was held at Slatington Baptist Church on Thursday.

The Heritage Day Band performed several songs including “Stars & Stripes Forever” and “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” the latter being joined by the Heritage Freedom Chorus.

State Rep. Zach Mako, 183rd district, started by saying, “What a great job the Greater Northern Lehigh Chamber and Lehigh Valley Chamber did with this event. The attendance is really great.”

Mako spoke about his time as a helicopter pilot in the Chinook, one of the biggest helicopters in the service. He was deployed to Afghanistan in December of 2012, for nine months supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. He worked 14 days on and one day off, air lifting people from the landing zones.

Capacity for the Chinook was 33, but he had 55 on one run. Mako said common phrases such as “rinse and repeat” and “Valley of the Shadow of Death” were used when going on another pickup. His helicopter was fired upon by at least 65 rockets a month.

Mako continues to do two weeks a year as a pilot in the Army Reserves.

When asked if he would do it all again Mako said, “Yes, I would. Today is a great day to highlight our heritage at an event like this and for me to share my experience.”