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Rescue unit honors Florida judge with flag

  • Published
  • By Capt. Cathleen Snow
  • 920th Rescue Wing Public Affairs
PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Six months ago in Afghanistan, Staff Sgt. Brandon Forshaw scrambled across enemy territory to rescue a Marine who had been shot in the leg.

On June 13, a U.S. flag flown in recognition of that rescue ended up in a Florida judicial court. Col. Robert Ament, 920th Rescue Wing vice commander here, presented the flag to the Honorable Alli Baksh Majeed, 18th Judicial Circuit judge in Melbourne, Fla.

"It's our honor your honor," said Ament who carefully folded the flag with the help of Marine veteran Sonny Hartwell and Kenneth Dunivant. Hartwell and Dunivant are former neighbors and forever friends of the judge.

The flag presentation also came with a special certificate identifying the mission number of the HH-60G Pave Hawk rescue helicopter. The helicopter flew over enemy territory, landed so Forshaw and his teammate could treat the injured Marine, and then evacuated them to the nearest military medical facility where the Marine survived his wounds.

"I am touched. I can't tell you how much this means to me to be presented a flag for Flag Day," said Majeed, who served as a judge for the past 19 years. "It brings tears to my eyes."

The judge had another U.S. flag, which he gave to Hartwell who was also wounded while serving during the Vietnam War era from 1967 to 1974.

Majeed is well-known on Florida's Space Coast for his patriotism. He regularly shares patriotic inspirations in his courtroom.

"There are millions of people across the world who wish they could wake up under the American flag," he said.

The judge comes from humble roots. He grew up in Anna Regina, a village on India's Essequibo coast, where rice farming is the main source of living.

"I've had the opportunity to drink from the cup of freedom, liberty and justice," he said of his move to America.

"I have a very special place for this flag," he said. "I'm going to display it in a shadow box for all to see, along with the certificate."