[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 119 (Wednesday, September 10, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S9089]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  MAKING BOB HOPE AN HONORARY VETERAN

 Mr. HAGEL. Mr. President, I join my colleagues in praising a 
man who has contributed more to the morale and well being of American 
fighting men and women than anyone else in the 20th century. In every 
conflict where our forces have gone to uphold freedom or to deter 
aggression Bob Hope has traveled with them. As president of the USO, I 
worked closely with Bob Hope on many trips to visit our troops around 
the world. As a combat veteran of the war in Vietnam, I know personally 
how much he improved the lives of young Americans in Southeast Asia. 
The places where he entertained the troops were often dangerous areas 
where the enemy had the opportunity to attack. Bob Hope went there 
anyway, because he knew what he was doing was important to those 
ordinary soldiers. He may have been in danger, but our military 
personnel were in even greater danger. Invariably Bob Hope made the 
trip to these far off places during the holiday season when he could 
have been at home with his family, but he knew the feeling of isolation 
and loneliness that all soldiers feel when they are far away from their 
families around the holiday season.
  Bob Hope has received numerous awards in his life, including the 
Medal of Freedom, and the Distinguished Service Medal, but I can think 
of no finer, no more appropriate award than that of veteran. Certainly 
if anyone in America can be said to have served, and served with 
distinction, it is Bob Hope.

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