[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 147 (Tuesday, October 26, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2186]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              MEMORIAL DAY SPEECH BY JOHN R. TAPIA, PH.D.

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. BOB STUMP

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 26, 1999

  Mr. STUMP. Mr. Speaker, as we approach Veterans' Day and Members 
reflect on the importance of honoring those who served in the Armed 
Forces, I submit to Members the Memorial Day statement of my good 
friend, Dr. John R. Tapia, which follows:

                    Dr. John R. Tapia--Memorial Day

       Very few in the military ever receive formal decorations. 
     Considering the military establishment as a whole, only a 
     small fraction ever know the hell of actual combat. And of 
     that fraction, only a minute percentage are ever decorated. 
     The great percentage of this combat fraction either get 
     wounded or killed!
       So it was very appropriate that at one time this venerable 
     event initially was designated as Decoration Day, to be 
     observed by placing flowers and flags--in essence, 
     decorating--the graves of our war dead.
       Today, we define this day as Memorial Day, meaning, 
     essentially, ``anything, such as a monument, intended to 
     preserve the memory of a person or event.''
       Memorial Day, then, is a day appointed to commemorate and 
     decorate the dead of our Armed Services, for memory glorifies 
     the brave. And, to glorify the brave with this memory, 
     cemeteries have been dedicated as monuments, to honor them. 
     To honor those who fell in battles, and those who survived 
     the holocausts which wars create.
       These are monuments of concrete and stone to serve as 
     permanent remembrance of our gallant dead. And we must never 
     forget who reposes in these hallowed grounds! To do so would 
     be an act of the greatest treachery!
       As commendable as this intention was, we, however, 
     celebrate this venerable occasion only once a year! Yes, once 
     a year, we officially remember and honor our nation's heroes. 
     And, yes, it is most fitting that we have these cemetery 
     monuments to remind us of their sacrifices and grievous loss, 
     one of them my brother.
       However, grievous as it is, we should also recognize 
     another monument. A monument also dedicated to preserve this 
     remembrance. Not only of the honored dead, but also of the 
     honored living! A monument, not of concrete and stone, but 
     one of compassion and selfless devotion to the care of our 
     honored living!
       It is a living monument of dedicated people concerned with 
     the healing and well-being of those who survived the 
     unspeakable horrors wrought by man's inhumanity to man in the 
     course of wars! This celebration occurs, not once a year, but 
     every living day of the year!
       This living monument of which I speak, is a veterans 
     medical center. It is a living monument dedicated to the 
     preservation of this memory which celebrates the meaning of, 
     not Memorial Day, but rather, Memorial Days!
       As State and National Cemeteries are monuments of 
     remembrance of our honored dead, these Medical edifices are 
     monuments of remembrance, not only of our honored dead, but 
     also of our honored living!
       These selfless acts of mercy, which begin in the 
     battlefields, with the life-saving efforts of those intrepid 
     aidmen known as ``corpsmen'' or ``medic'', and progress 
     through MASH units and General Hospitals, continue in the 
     halls of these esteemed institutions.
       It is also appropriate and proper, then, that, on this 
     august occasion, we, the living legacy of the honored dead, 
     recognize and pay tribute to those magnificent and benevolent 
     volunteers, of all ages, who contribute their time to tend to 
     the care and decoration of the graves of our honored dead, 
     and who so unstintingly and compassionately provide care and 
     comfort to those who courageously and honorably served our 
     country during times of its greatest needs, at home, on 
     foreign lands, on the seas, and in the air!
       In the words of Daniel Webster:
       ``Let our object be our country,
       ``our whole country,
       ``and nothing but our country.
       ``And, by the blessing of God,
       ``may country itself become
       ``a vast and splendid monument--
       ``not of oppression and terror,
       ``but of wisdom, of peace, and of liberty--
       ``upon which the world may gaze with admiration
       ``forever!''
       And, so--
       To those who faithfully pay homage at these revered 
     ceremonies;
       To those who provide care and comfort for our veterans; 
     and,
       To those veterans organizations who render our final 
     salute--
       We, who will join the honored dead in these hallowed 
     grounds--
       Thank you and salute you!

       

                          ____________________