[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 178 (Friday, November 10, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2158-E2159]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              VETERANS DAY

                                 ______


                         HON. E. CLAY SHAW, JR.

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, November 10, 1995

  Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of our 
country's veterans. On Saturday, November 11, we will celebrate yet 
another Armistice Day, or as it is more commonly called today Veterans 
Day. This is a day when every American should stand together in 
remembrance, reflection, and gratitude to the men and women who have 
fought for our freedom, a freedom which has endured only through the 
enormous sacrifice of the veterans we remember today.
  More than 1 million veterans did not return to the freedom of 
America. Countless other millions returned wounded in body or in 
spirit. To those soldiers and their families, I pledge today, that we 
will never forget your mighty tribute to our country.
  And on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month we will stand 
and salute the flag which our veterans carried with them to the wars, 
and which serves as a symbol of our national pride. At that moment, 
when the sirens sound, we must reflect on what kind of America we might 
live in today if not for the service of those who we honor each year on 
Armistice Day.
   Mr. Speaker, I include the following for the Record.

                           Veterans Day, 1995

       The threat to freedom and peace is no less sinister than in 
     war. Our country's future must not go by default. The veteran 
     must not fail the Nation's trust.--General Douglas MacArthur
       Veterans Day marks the final day of the closing ceremonies 
     of the 50th Anniversary of World War II. Although this day 
     marks the conclusion of the official end of commemorations, 
     we must never forget to honor the brave men and women who 
     served in the war that changed our future forever.
       Veterans Day provides us with an opportunity to remember 
     and to acknowledge the sacrifice of men and women who have 
     served their country in the Armed Forces of the United 
     States. It is not a day of sadness, but is in the truest 
     sense, a day of reflection; a day of commemoration; a day of 
     honor; a day of celebration.
       Veterans Day allows us to celebrate victory and the 
     ultimate peace achieved on a myriad of battlefields around 
     the world. Peace and victory have been earned with the blood 
     of Americans who sacrificed their lives to preserve freedom 
     and democracy. As terrible as that sacrifice is, nonetheless, 
     it is the most divine of all human sentiments and the 
     unconditional moral evolution of mankind.
       Today, freedom enjoyed by us all is directly due to the 
     sacrifice made by the American soldier, sailor, airman and 
     Marine who was willing to fight and die for freedom.
       He has engraved his imprint upon the souls of his 
     countrymen. He has molded his statue in the hearts of all 
     Americans. He has erected his monument in the memories of his 
     comrades. His legacy has provided Americans with the highest 
     example of patriotism. 

[[Page E 2159]]
     His testimonial has provided posterity with the foremost lessons of 
     liberty and freedom. His recollection belongs to us by virtue 
     of his achievements. His memorial belongs to the ages.
       Our estimation of him was formed on the battlefields around 
     the world and has never changed. We regard him today as we 
     always have--our nation's enduring hero. He has written his 
     own history in the annuals of war in the blood of his enemy. 
     The glory of his name is the legacy of every freedom loving 
     man or woman who has ever lived or died on American soil.
       We do not know the parable of his life. We do, however, 
     know the nobility, the glory, and the significance of his 
     death.
       Men and women who have served their country in war need not 
     be reminded of the high price of freedom. They, more than 
     most, understand that freedom earned is always worth the 
     price paid. That is our birthright; the legacy of America. 
     That birthright, that legacy, and that heritage must never be 
     taken for granted. The more difficult the struggle, the more 
     glorious the victory.
       Today, children must be taught the value of freedom and at 
     what price their freedom was earned. They must be infused 
     with the singular pride and privilege of being an American, 
     and must be taught the deep sense of duty, honor and 
     conviction conferred upon those of us fortunate enough to 
     live in a free country.
       Throughout the history of the United States, succeeding 
     generations of Americans have always been inspired by the 
     deeds, by the valor, and by the sacrifices made by American 
     servicemen who served before them--giants in life and in 
     death. Veterans Day is a gathering of generations, and a 
     gathering of giants, and is the one day that solidifies 
     generations of Americans.
       On Veterans Day, a torch is passed from one generation to 
     the other, and empowers us all to recollect and to express 
     our gratitude for those who have served in wars past. The 
     torch is subsequently passed along to our children and to our 
     grandchildren, and burns brightly within the spirit and the 
     soul of men and women destined to uphold the courageous 
     tradition of American servicemen--patriots all who honorably 
     served their country, not only in World War II, but to those 
     who served in Korea and Vietnam, and whose 50th Anniversary 
     will soon be upon us.
       The American spirit has always been resolute and cannot be 
     deterred, and is the determination which fires our 
     consciousness through any endeavor, through any ordeal, 
     through any conflict.
       Servicemen and women have always been our nation's 
     guardians, and have always protected and defended the sacred 
     traditions entrusted to us by the Constitution. To paraphrase 
     Winston Churchill in honoring British airmen, never has so 
     much been owed, by so many, to so few.
       If history has taught us anything, it is that the American 
     serviceman will bear any hardship, will overcome any 
     obstacle, and will conquer any foe in their quest for 
     liberty, justice, and freedom.
       As we conclude the commemoration ceremonies of the 50th 
     Anniversary of the end of the war, it is fitting that we pay 
     homage and acknowledge the World War II generation for their 
     contribution to our nation. In a true sense, this generation 
     had a rendezvous with destiny.

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