[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 77 (Friday, June 4, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1055]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             FALLEN HEROES

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. MAURICE D. HINCHEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 20, 2004

  Mr. HINCHEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise for Memorial Day to remember our 
fallen soldiers. On this day, we remember the outstanding men and women 
who gave their lives in service to this country, and to them we owe our 
deepest gratitude and respect. No words can express the immeasurable 
debt that we owe these brave people; we must never take for granted the 
freedom that their sacrifices made possible. This freedom manifests 
itself everyday, all over the world, in countries where democracy has 
flourished because of the commitment of our service members.
  I also commend and thank the World War II veterans living in the 22nd 
District of New York, which I proudly represent. This spring marks the 
opening and dedication of the World War II Memorial in Washington, DC 
as well as the 60th anniversary of the D-Day forces landing on the 
beaches of Normandy, France. For these two significant events, our 
entire country takes time to reflect and thank those people involved.
  The new memorial is a fitting tribute to the sacrifices that were 
made by members of our military during World War II, as well as by 
their families. I only wish that the World War II Memorial had been 
created sooner, so that more of the people this memorial commemorates 
could have been on hand to be thanked and honored by it. But we 
remember these citizens with our thoughts and with the tokens of 
appreciation placed on the memorial. The hundreds of thousands of 
people who came to Washington to witness the historic dedication 
provide evidence of the high esteem in which we hold these ordinary 
Americans who accomplished extraordinary things.
  On this Memorial Day, we remember the fallen soldiers of all wars 
fought in our country's history, and humbly thank them for making the 
ultimate sacrifice to ensure our future.

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