[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 75 (Friday, May 24, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E896-E897]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        RED HOOK V.F.W. POST 7765 CELEBRATES 50 YEARS OF SERVICE

                                 ______


                        HON. GERALD B.H. SOLOMON

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 23, 1996

  Mr. SOLOMON. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to commemorate the golden 
anniversary of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 7765. This post, I am 
proud to say, is based in Red Hook, NY, in the heart of my 
congressional district, and is celebrating its 50th year of service. 
And this post personifies the outstanding efforts of the entire 
nationwide membership to promote a strong national defense and to help 
veterans and their families. That is one reason I was so pleased to be 
awarded the V.F.W. National Commander's Congressional Award several 
years ago.
  The V.F.W., Mr. Speaker, has been an organization of exceptional 
merit and service to the needs of many veterans. It is only appropriate 
that those brave men and women who placed themselves in harms way 
overseas be represented by such an able organization. The members of 
Post No. 7765 have been receiving just such outstanding service for 50 
years now. It is comforting to know that those who served the needs of 
our country and fought for the principles and ideals of America all 
over the globe can depend on the support of an organization like Post 
7765 back home in upstate New York.
  Mr. Speaker, the service of this post in Red Hook is worthy of 
significant recognition. This post, and others like it, are the reason 
I fought so hard to attain Department level status for Veterans 
Affairs. When Ronald Reagan signed that legislation into law, veterans 
were finally afforded the degree of national consideration they 
deserve. The efforts of V.F.W. posts like this one, Mr. Speaker, having 
served the

[[Page E897]]

needs of veterans since 1946, assured veterans the assistance and 
recognition they deserved prior to approval of this Government 
department and continue to encourage fair consideration of veterans' 
issues. For this, Mr. Speaker, we owe Post 7765 a tremendous debt of 
gratitude.
  The famous historian George Santayana once said, ``Those who do not 
remember history are bound to repeat it.'' V.F.W. posts all across 
America have not forgotten the past or those men and women who made the 
ultimate sacrifice for our country. I ask all Members in the House to 
rise in tribute to V.F.W. Post 7765 and join me in saluting all the 
members, past and present, on the occasion of their 50th anniversary.

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