Jeff Skiles has his own definition of a hero, and it's one that doesn't necessarily jibe with his inner fabric.

"A hero is someone who runs into a burning building or something like that," Skiles said. "We were just doing our job."

To a nation of admirers — and 150 people in particular — the Oregon resident, who will serve as Grand Marshal for Saturday's Crazylegs Classic, has justifiably been labeled a hero.

As first officer aboard US Airways Flight 1549 on Jan. 15, Skiles' job eventually came down to helping execute a successful water landing on the Hudson River that saved the lives of all 150 passengers and four other crew members.

Skiles was at the controls on that Thursday afternoon as the Airbus A320 ascended from New York's LaGuardia Airport en route to Charlotte, N.C. About 2 minutes after takeoff, Skiles was the first to notice a flock of birds — DNA testing of a feather later found them to be a gaggle of Canadian geese — that eventually hit the plane, disabling its two engines.

Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger assumed the controls as Skiles tried to restart the engines while going through a three-page emergency checklist. Four minutes later, with no other safe alternatives — flying above densely populated midtown Manhattan with Teterboro Airport in New Jersey too far to reach — Sullenberger ditched the plane traveling about 150 mph into the Hudson, where it floated partially submerged on its belly before rescuers arrived on the scene.

"Neither Sully or I are particularly excitable people. It was very calm in the cockpit, very much so. We had duties to perform and we were performing them," said the 49-year-old Skiles, who has 32 years of flying experience.

"I think personally it would have been much worse to be back in the cabin than to be up in the cockpit because while we knew things weren't good, we knew we had options. I had every confidence that we'd be able to land in the river. It's not like I ever had any kind of moment where I thought this is the end.

"You're still in control. It's like driving a car as opposed to skidding out of control in a car."

At a news conference the next day, National Transportation Safety Board member Kitty Higgins said the landing "has to go down (as) the most successful ditching in aviation history. These people knew what they were supposed to do and they did it and as a result, nobody lost their life."

The calm-and-cool demeanor has endeared Skiles, Sullenberger and flight attendants Sheila Dail, Doreen Welsh and Donna Dent to a nation and earned the Master's Medal of the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators.

"There are probably 30 or 40 people you'd have to call heroes if you called us heroes," said Skiles, who graduated from Monona Grove High School and the University of Wisconsin. "The air traffic controller who handled us; the flight attendants, certainly, in the back; the people in the ferry boats that came to save us; all the first responders on the ferry dock.

"A lot of attention is given to the flight crew but we had a role — but a lot of people had a role."

Skiles resumed flying this week — the only crew member to do so — and arrived back in Wisconsin Wednesday in preparation for Saturday's 28th annual Crazylegs run/walk that benefits UW athletics.

"I very much realize what a great honor it is," Skiles said.

Other honors since have included attending Barack Obama's inauguration and throwing out the first pitch at the Milwaukee Brewers' home opener.

"I've lived a lifetime since Jan. 15," Skiles said.