[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 66 (Wednesday, May 12, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E834]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




RECOGNIZING THE VETERANS WHO SERVED DURING WORLD WAR II, THE AMERICANS 
 WHO SUPPORTED THE WAR, AND CELEBRATING THE COMPLETION OF THE NATIONAL 
                         WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. ALCEE L. HASTINGS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 11, 2004

  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of 
House Resolution 409, recognizing with humble gratitude the more than 
sixteen million veterans who served in the U.S. Armed Forces during 
World War II, and all the Americans of that generation who supported 
the war effort at home. This resolution further celebrates the 
completion of the National World War II Memorial on the National Mall.
  After years of devotion by numerous veterans, politicians, 
architects, actors, corporations, schools, and other individuals, the 
dedication of the National World War II Memorial serves as an honorable 
way to recognize the veterans and citizens who sacrificed so much for 
the cause of human freedom.
  This extraordinary memorial at the heart of our Nation's Capital is a 
fitting reminder to us all that some of the most valorous and 
courageous moments in our history occurred when our Nation was unified 
in defense of liberty and democracy against the forces of fascism and 
barbarity.
  I shudder to reflect on where our world might be without the 
exceptional courage and dignity displayed by the members of the U.S. 
Armed Forces in World War II. These veterans took it upon themselves to 
place their bodies in harm's way to defend against an evil that 
threatened not just our Nation, but all the world's nations. The men 
who stormed the beaches of Normandy, who flew hair-raising missions 
over Berlin, who fought beneath the surface of the ocean, and who 
weathered the Battle of the Bulge displayed the kind of selflessness 
that should be an inspiration to all who stand up against tyranny and 
aggression.
  Mr. Speaker, World War II was won not just by soldiers alone but also 
by the nation that supported them. In the theater of war, men and women 
served as doctors, nurses, journalists, photographers, suppliers, 
drivers, and many other roles in direct support of the combat troops. 
Here at home, millions of women took to the factories to produce the 
material and machinery so vital to winning: planes, jeeps, ships, guns, 
radios, and thousands of other products used everyday by the troops in 
the field.
  The new National World War II Memorial is an important and invaluable 
dedication to the men and women of the United States who stood up to 
the forces of tyranny and oppression. Their courage, dignity, valor, 
and sacrifice will inspire future generations to reflect on the meaning 
of our Nation and on the meaning of the values we hold so dear.
  I urge my colleagues to give their full support to the passage of 
this legislation.

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