Capt. Chesley B. Sullenberger III, the pilot who had what it took to save the 155 passengers aboard the US Airlines jetliner that ended in the Hudson River in New York, has received a hero’s welcome in his home town of Danville, California.

Capt. Sullenberger, or Sully as his colleagues call him, was modest when talking to the crowd gathered to welcome and applaud him in his hometown, 40 miles east of San Francisco. He told the thousands of people gathered that he and his colleagues were only doing their jobs.

“Just another day at the office,” yelled jokingly a person in the crowd which chanted “Sully! Sully!” when the pilot took the stage.

The initial plans made by Danville’s mayor, Newell Arnerich, and the other local officials included a parade for the hero pilot, but Capt. Sullenberger and his family refused and asked for something more modest.

"Circumstance determined that it was this experienced crew that was scheduled to fly on that particular flight on that particular day," where Sullenberger’s first public remarks about the incident since January 15, when he was left with no alternative but to ditch the Airbus A320 in the Hudson River after both engines malfunctioned.

Capt. Sullenberg gave no details about that particular flight and the crash because he was barred to do so. But he will probably talk about it in his interview with CBS’ Kate Couric which is scheduled to be aired on "60 Minutes" on Feb. 8. However, despite the media fight to obtain the first exclusive with the hero pilot, Capt. Sullenberg did not mention anything about it. All he did was thank the people of Danville for welcoming him home and say that it was great to be among neighbors and friends again.

The welcome ceremony, which had an attendance of about 2000 people, featured three marching bands (the San Ramon Valley High School Marching Wolves, the U.S. Army Reserve Band and a teenage bagpiper) and a pilot who performed a fly-by over the proceedings. Capt. “Sully” was given a medal of valor and handed the key to the city. The 58-year-old pilot was also named honorary police officer by the Danville police chief and handed badge Number 1.

However, the massive welcome ceremony organized by Danville was only the latest pat on the pilot’s back. After safely ditching Flight 1549 in the Hudson River, Capt. Sullenberger also received calls from President George W. Bush and President-elect Barack Obama. The former Air Force fighter pilot and his family received an invitation from Mr. Obama to his inauguration as United States President in Washington.

Meanwhile, the investigation into the January 15 plane crash by the National Transportation Safety Board is undergoing and will probably take a few months at least. Investigators said they found evidence that the engines did hit a soft body, probably some birds from the flock the Flight 1549 pilots said they hit.