California ? Thousands of people holding signs and waving American flags cheered wildly Saturday to honor the pilot who safely landed a US Airways jetliner in the Hudson River. He told them he and his crew were only doing their jobs.

Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger was given a hero’s homecoming, complete with a marching band, in Danville, the San Francisco suburb where he and his family live.

Sullenberger said he was grateful for the outpouring of support since the Jan. 15 emergency landing, and that he and his crew were only doing their jobs.

“Circumstance determined that it was this experienced crew that was scheduled to fly that particular flight on that particular day,” he told the crowd.

“But I know I can speak for the entire crew when I tell you we were simply doing the job we were trained to do.”