COLONIAL HEIGHTS, Va. -- Beth Holloway walked in to the Colonial Heights Office of the Southern Virginia Chamber of Commerce in early December, expecting see her oldest son, who is a firefighter, receive an award.
The “award ceremony” was a ruse.
What happened next was the culmination of two months of work and a heartfelt personal mission for me.
I first met Beth Holloway in April of 2023, while shooting a Wayne’s World Segment.
As we talked that afternoon, I learned she grew up at Camp Lejeune while her Father was in the Marine Corps.
It was during the conversation I also learned, her Brother, U.S. Marine 1st Sergeant David L. Battle was killed on October 23, 1983, along with 240 others, in the terrorist attack and bombing of the U.S. Marine Corps Barracks in Beirut, Lebanon.
In that moment, I felt a unique connection to Beth and her family.
I was born in Jacksonville, North Carolina, to a totally civilian family, but we moved when I was six.
It was right out of college I started my career back in Jacksonville, covering the City, Onslow County and the U.S Marine Corps at Camp Lejeune and the New River Air Station.
For 5 years I would attend and cover the annual anniversary ceremony at the Beirut Memorial, where all the names of those killed are on the wall, a statue of a Marine stands at the ready and “They Came In Peace” is inscribed.
I would be forever changed after each ceremony, by what I heard and those survivors I interviewed each year.
Even on vacation now, when near Jacksonville, N.C. I always stop and pay my respects at the Beirut Memorial.
As the the 40th Anniversary of the bombing was coming up, Beth and her Family agreed to allow me to attend the ceremony with them, and do a story about her brother and their family.
A few weeks before October 23, Beth told me she would not be able to attend as a medical emergency had come up.
A discussion with my bosses concluded quickly with them saying I could still go and cover the ceremony.
It would be my first time back working at the Beirut Memorial since 1992.
While at the ceremony though, it just didn’t feel right that Beth couldn’t attend.
After all, she had been going for decades.
I decided I needed to do something for Beth and with the Cooperation of the Chamber, came up with idea for my “CBS 6 Month Of Giving.”
Months in the works, I finally got a picture of 1st Sgt Battle and tuned it over to Off Duty Graphics to do a quick turn around of a banner.
Beth walked into the Chamber Office that morning and was surprised to see me, then surprised to see 3 Marines in their Dress Blue uniforms and very much surprised to see a TV Camera.
It was then I explained, how I felt I needed to do something for her, her brother and her family.
As I spoke, the Marines unrolled a five foot, Red, White and Blue Banner, featuring her brothers picture.
As her husband Clint and her son David (named after her brother) watched, the surprise grew as I explained the banner would hang along the Boulevard in Colonial Heights, along with dozens of other service members, to honor David and his service to our Country.
For Beth, the first thing she said after “Thank You”, was she never wanted the Marines killed that day to be forgotten, and this helps ensure October 23, 1983, those U.S. Marines and her brother, 1st Sgt David Battle will continue to be remember.
The look on Beth's face and the hug she gave let me know how much the “Banner” means to her and her family and how proud she is that this summer it will be placed in a position where everyone can see her brother.
The CBS 6 Month of Giving made possible by Virginia Credit Union is underway. Watch for a new surprise every day in December on CBS 6 News. Have an idea about who we should surprise next, click here to email our team.
