[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 154 (Friday, September 29, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1884-E1885]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             WORLD WAR II COMMEMORATIVE COMMUNITY CEREMONY

                                 ______


                           HON. MARCY KAPTUR

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 29, 1995

  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, on August 26 the citizens of Toledo held a 
ceremony in commemoration of World War II. I was privileged to 
participate in that ceremony to honor the 70 million strong allied 
nations who achieved that victory. We honored in particular the 405,000 
Americans who gave their lives in that struggle, our 671,000 wounded, 
and the 16 million who served abroad and on the home front. It was a 
moving ceremony, Mr. Speaker, and I ask that the remarks of the 
participants be included here in the Congressional Record:

             World War II Commemorative Community Ceremony

       We are here today as free citizens, as the heirs of true 
     patriots. It is especially fitting to commemorate together 
     this 50th anniversary of Allied victory in World War II, and 
     that we publicly pay tribute to the 400,000 dead Americans, 
     671,000 wounded, the 16 million who served in that war, and 
     the over 70 million Allies who united in a struggle for 
     freedom.
       I am pleased to tell you that the final site selection for 
     our nation's World War II Memorial to be located in 
     Washington, DC will be made by the first of October. Ground 
     for the Memorial will be broken on November 4, 1995, a 
     dedication which will kick off a week of celebrations and 
     remembrance--of allied victory in Europe, in the Pacific, and 
     in North Africa and the Mediterranean.
       The soon-to-be-built World War II Memorial in our Nation's 
     Capital, which took five years of hard work to gain passage 
     through Congress, will serve as a permanent memorial to the 
     veterans of that war which preserved liberty in this 
     generation. The memorial will also stand in tribute to the 
     homefront families and civilians who served this nation in 
     myriad ways. It is a memorial to the men who captained 
     neighborhood drilling in blackouts, to ``Rosie the Riveter'', 
     to all of the men and women who kept our country running 
     while so many others were overseas, to everyone who bought a 
     War Bond, who planted a Victory Garden, who carefully 
     utilized ration cards for gasoline and food. And it is a 
     memorial to our nation's truest legacy: the children born 
     after the war, and their children, and their children, and on 
     into the 21st century.
       In one way or another America will always be fighting 
     against some form of tyranny, and for the rights of men and 
     women to live in freedom and with dignity. We are reminded of 
     the lofty words in America the Beautiful, ``those heroes 
     proved in liberating strife who more than self their country 
     loved, and mercy and sacrifice more than life.'' We are 
     reminded of how great our debt is to those who went before, 
     and what a real responsibility it is to measure up to them, 
     to plan and work for our secure and free future, and that of 
     our children.
       During this second half of the twentieth century, our 
     country led the world into the nuclear age and tamed its 
     awesome power. Our nation built the Hoover Dam and harnessed 
     the powers of the oceans and the waters. Ours is still the 
     finest health care system in the world even with its 
     shortcomings. Social Security gives our senior citizens 
     dignity in retirement. In the last 50 years, American lifted 
     half of the nation out of poverty and built a middle class.
       The Statue of Liberty, Mother of Exiles, boldly remains a 
     beacon of hope to the world's dreamers seeking sanctuary on 
     our golden shores. She observes us today as the sons and 
     daughters of those who faced a darkened world, with tyranny 
     triumphant, and beat back the global forces of darkness to 
     enshrine the rule of law. Our forbearers preserved the 
     inalienable rights of each person and enlarged freedom for 
     the majority. They forged an industrial and agricultural 
     giant, prosperous and democratic, unknown in all the 
     history of humankind. In things great and small, they 
     affirmed again and again their fighting faith that 
     tomorrow would be better than today, that they could make 
     it so.
       We, the children of freedom, must rededicate ourselves to 
     bettering America and charting a new course for a new 
     century.
       We must infuse the spirit of America--our liberty and our 
     nationhood--with a renewed optimism such as Carl Sandberg 
     captured when he eloquently penned, ``I see America, not in 
     the setting sun of a black night . . . I see America in the 
     crimson light of a rising sun, fresh from the burning, 
     creative hand of God. I see great days ahead, great days 
     possible to men and women of will and vision. . . . ''
       In remembrance of those years of World War II and in 
     recognition of all that has passed in the 50 years that 
     followed the peace of the Spring and Fall of 1945, I am 
     honored to present to Lucas County Commission President Sandy 
     Isenberg this award, conferred by the President of the United 
     States and the U.S. Department of Defense, designating Lucas 
     County, Ohio as a World War II Commemorative Community.
                                  ____


   Remarks by Rev. George M. Rinkowski at World War II Commemorative 
                           Community Ceremony

       To all assembled here, today, and to the whole Nation! A 
     Benediction is a blessing. We, the United States of America, 
     have been wonderfully blessed during the course of our 
     history. But, we have been a blessings to the world at large 
     and to many nations individually. As we commemorate the end 
     of World War II, we must keep in mind our prisoners of war 
     and our missing in action, are comrades. We must not forget 
     the sacrifices these comrades are still making and the 
     suffering they are still suffering for us and our way of 
     life. They must remain alive in our minds and our hearts. 
     Their families continue to suffer along with them.
       We are ``One Nation Under God'' Indivisible, with Liberty 
     and Justice for all.. These ten words of our pledge of 
     allegiance to the flag of our country summarize the 
     Declaration of Independence made by fathers of our land. We 
     are commemorating with thanksgiving the many sacrifices of 
     our Army, Navy, AirForce, Marines and Coast Guard who brought 
     liberty and justice to those many nations enslaved by the 
     powers of darkness and the evils of aggression..
       In the history of the world there has never been a nation 
     that conquered and the rehabilitated both the freed nations 
     and the aggressor war-mongers. We did good to those who had 
     done so much evil. And we bettered the lives of those who had 
     been overcome by intruders.
       Fifty years and in every year since then we have been a 
     blessing to the world. The principles of government which we 
     established a few centuries ago have become the force for 
     good to many nations and a good example to many more.
       As we remember with thanksgiving the great work of the 
     sixteen million members of our Armed Forces who served as a 
     bulwark against evil aggressors, we want to commemorate the 
     millions of our fellow citizens who worked and supported our 
     fighting forces. The agony and suspense of those at home 
     cannot be calculated. We send prayers to God to reward them 
     for their goodness.
       Thanks be to God!! And God Bless America!

  A China-Burma-India Theater and Pacific Theater Veteran World War II

                          (By Earl W. Hoffsis)

       Over 53 years ago I served half way around the world from 
     Toledo, the place of my birth.
       After a lengthy, 94 day trip from Newport News, VA, I 
     arrived India, the mysterious East. In the China-Burma-India 
     Theater of war, a land area comprising the largest theater of 
     the war, the majority of the 325,000 manpower were in support 
     of the Army Air Force. My unit, XX Bomber command had the 
     task of preparing and utilizing the newly manufactured 
     Superfort the B-29 to shorten the war in the far east. The 
     CBI theater was last in all supplies, men and equipment as 
     the war was getting hot in the European theater with invasion 
     at Normandy imminent.
       In this land of the famous Flying Tigers and Merrill's 
     Marauders and the Mars Task Force, a great deal of the making 
     of the initial airfields was by hand labor with hundreds of 
     Indian and Chinese pulling huge rollers to get the fields in 
     shape for the biggest bomber of the war.
       Since supplies were scarce as was the means of getting them 
     to the forward bases, the ATC and Bomb Groups were also put 
     into action to get the gas, bombs, food, clothing and food 
     over the Hump into China. Due to the extreme altitude and 
     many sudden breaking storms, many planes were lost between 
     India and Kunming, China. The route became known as the 
     ``Aluminum Trail'' due to the many C47's and crews sacrificed 
     through storms, enemy action or accident.
       The 4 engine bombers, B-24's and B-29's flew some of the 
     longest missions of World War II, some in excess of 3200 
     miles, where mines were laid in harbors in the Singapore and 
     Rangoon area.
       The Burma, China terrain was some of the roughest of the 
     war. At times, trails were only wide enough for men and their 
     mules, such as those of the 612th and 613th Field Artillery. 
     Few if any jeeps could make the grade or path width. Some of 
     the diseases of the area accounted for many of the casualties 
     of the CBI.
       Shortly after seeing the Stars and Stripes at half mast in 
     memory of our fallen leader, President Franklin Roosevelt, 
     the XXth Bomber Command was shipped to Tinian Island, where 
     along with the XXIst Bomber Command located on Tinian, Saipan 
     and Guam were better able to complete their bombing missions 
     in the Tokyo area. The round trip time was 12 to 14 hours.
       The gallant Marines, Army and Navy had cleared the 
     Marianas, Okinawa and Iwo Jima with a heavy toll of life. 
     Many heavy bombers were saved by the islands of Okinawa and 
     Iwo Jima being under American Control. In all it reported 
     that over 8,000 airmen were saved from ditching in the 
     Pacific, over enemy territory and with damaged planes 

[[Page E 1885]]
     through their making emergency landings on Iwo Jima or Okinawa.
       It was from Tinian, a short distance from our base that the 
     Enola Gay made its flight into history. This date just 50 
     years ago this past August 14 will be known forever as V-J 
     day to all veterans of the China-Burma-India and Asiatic 
     theaters.
       For us old veteran, historians cannot change the events as 
     etched permanently in our memory.

                         Letter to Marcy Kaptur


                                            Veterans Memorial,

                                    Toledo, Ohio, August 26, 1995.
       As a Nation, and as a people, we are always available to 
     celebrate war. Flesh against flesh--blood against blood--
     and--steel against steel. We mark with pride the winning of 
     war, but without ego centered on victory. Equally we turn out 
     collective back on war, if there is no winner.
       Turn back to the end of the war in Korea. Remember . . . 
     that February day when Vietnam released and returned 
     prisoners. Was it victory when Gerry Denton stepped off the 
     plane and held Jane in his arms for the first time in over 
     seven years? It was for Denton, but not for America. We 
     celebrate victory, perhaps, because we have never learned to 
     celebrate peace.
       When I came home to Tucson after my time in the service of 
     my country, my road was--perhaps, different from yours, and 
     yours, not because I am a woman, because no sooner was the 
     ink on my separation papers dry--then I was, along with so 
     many other women, lost in the bright light of victory in Asia 
     and in Europe.
       My return raised more eyebrows than salutes. The question 
     of patriotism lost in the questions. A widow at 20, a reason, 
     perhaps. A call to do what was needed to be done, a need to 
     compete, anything you can do--I can do better. Or was it a 
     legacy of generations of soldiers and sailors, a bloodline an 
     Uncle in South Africa and winning the Victoria Cross, dead in 
     the battle of the Marne in France. Cousins in the battle of 
     Normandy and in the landings in the Pacific. A brother in the 
     North Atlantic on the run to Murmansk (sp) in Russia. Are my 
     genes less willing? Wiling to take the oath. Any less willing 
     to work for victory? Parades? Celebrations! And perhaps--
     thanks for the peace.
       But no parades, no thanks, only the challenge that comes 
     from the feeling--as soon as I took off that uniform, put my 
     wings in a drawer and visited my mother's grave, that I was 
     overcome by the feelings, my service had stepped into the 
     glare of challenge, and somehow, never cast a shadow.
       Like many other women who answered the call, heard the 
     challenge, we marched home to the sound of muffled drums, and 
     vanished. Over the past few years the drums have picked up 
     the beat, was it Desert Storm? Or was it the women, in gun 
     ships, on bomb runs, or was it the shadow of the women in the 
     1940s who hit the flight lines running, who heard the call.
       Was it my cousin who--as a nurse--lead the children into 
     safe haven from the bombing in Liverpool, or was my cousin 
     who commanded an ack ack battery near Dover and who met the 
     ragged convoy coming from France and to find her badly burned 
     brother in those wounded.
       My challenge to myself, and to you, today, will be to 
     pledge to volunteer for peace. To extend that hand that 
     covers your heart and reach out to help. Help the fallen and 
     the falling. To steady the step of those who have lost the 
     way. Take the time to share--time--with those who have only 
     the memory of other times. To wage a war for peace!
       Hear again the call to volunteer, when you raise your right 
     hand to pledge your life, your energy, your compassion to win 
     the peace.
       As veterans we share a common thread of willingness to be 
     counted. Our Nation is calling on you again to be counted. 
     Get out of the back row and step up front. Into the front 
     lines--get the facts. Get the ammo of involvement, and get 
     off your fences and fight for the right to be an American. A 
     nation that shows the way with people, not with the gold of 
     treasury, the strength of industry, but a people who are 
     celebrating peace; hearing and healing.
       I am proud of my American birth, I must also thank the 
     warriors my family gave me in my heritage. A heritage I 
     pledged for war and continue to pledge--again--for peace.
       My husband, of only four weeks, name is on this monument. I 
     honor his name and will not forget his sacrifice.
                                                   Lois M. Nelson,
     Women Airforce Service Pilot, WWII.

                          ____________________