[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 135 (Saturday, November 20, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2098-E2099]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  IN RECOGNITION OF THE DEDICATION OF THE GREAT FALLS FREEDOM MEMORIAL

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. FRANK R. WOLF

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, November 19, 2004

  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize the Great Falls 
Freedom Memorial, which was dedicated on November 13 on the Great Falls 
Community Library grounds. I was pleased to join in the dedication of 
this memorial, honoring those residents of Great Falls, Virginia, who 
have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation.
  The memorial was proposed by a 17-member Freedom Memorial Committee, 
headed by retired U.S. Marine COL Pete Hilgartner, to honor local 
residents who have given of themselves in service while defending 
liberty. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved 
the project's concept in September 2003.
  The plaza on the Great Falls Community Library grounds has a three-
stone monument as the centerpiece. The large center stone will be 
inscribed with the words: ``The Community of Great Falls, Virginia 
Honors Those Who Have Given of Themselves in Service to the Cause of 
Liberty and Freedom.'' In addition, the granite curb encircling the 
memorial plaza will be inscribed with words that highlight some of the 
principles and virtues held by those who give of themselves in the 
cause of liberty and freedom every day.
  A book on permanent display in the library, titled ``Great Falls 
Freedom Honor Roll,'' includes the names of members of the armed 
forces, firefighters, police officers, the six Great Falls residents 
who died in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and others 
dating from the Civil War who have made the ultimate sacrifice in 
service to the cause of liberty. The common thread among them is 
residency in the Great Falls community. The stand which houses the 
honor roll book was created by Glenn Sjoblom, a resident of the Great 
Falls community.
  The dedication ceremony included presentations of thanks to those who 
made the project possible, musical performances by the Amadeus Brass 
Ensemble and the King Ringers from Christ the King Lutheran Church, 
presentation of national, state and county flags that will fly over the 
memorial, and the reading of names of those honored with this memorial. 
The Honorable Theodore Olson, former U.S. solicitor general who resides 
in Great Falls, addressed the gathering. Ted's wife Barbara, whose name 
is among those on the Great Falls Freedom Honor Roll, was on flight 77 
which crashed into the Pentagon the morning of September 11, 2001.
  I would like to share the names of those inscribed on the Great Falls 
Freedom Honor Roll:
  Civil War: Private James Ballenger; Thomas Coleman, Civilian; Second 
Lieutenant Arthur W. Follin; Sergeant William R. Follin; Private Joseph 
Gunnell; Private Samuel Jenkins; Private F. Thomas Reid; Second 
Lieutenant George W. Swink; Major James W. Thrift; Private W. T. 
Tucker; Private John T. Walker; Private George L. Williams, and Private 
James W. Williams.
  World War II: Sergeant (USAAF) George Frame; Private (USA) Robert 
Girard; Private First Class (USA) Harry Kanmermier; Second Lieutenant 
(USMC) Eugene Niswander, and Private First Class (USA) Ross Robey 
Poole.
  September 11, 2001, Attack on the Pentagon: First Lieutenant Richard 
P. Gabriel, USMC, Retired; Ann C. Judge; Barbara K. Olson; Lisa J. 
Raines; Diane M. Simmons, and George W. Simmons.
  In addition to Ted Olson, I also would like to recognize the 
following individuals who were part of the dedication ceremony: the 
Honorable Joan M. DuBois, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors; Fairfax 
County Fire and Rescue Honor Guard; the Honorable Stu Mendelsohn, 
former member, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors; Amadeus Brass 
Ensemble and their director, Paul Ward; Reverend Paul Gysan of the 
Christ the King Lutheran Church; Pete Hilgartner, chairman of the Great 
Falls Memorial Committee; Mike Kearney, Co-Committee Construction 
chair; Milburn Sanders; Glen Sjoblom; Sam Clay; Roger Sudduth; 
Honorable Vince Callahan, Virginia House of Delegates; Honorable Gerald 
E. Connolly, chairman, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors; Boy Scout 
Troop No. 1577, led by Grant Johnson, Eagle Scout candidate and Co-
Committee Construction chairman, and the Kings Ringers and their 
Director, Jane Cooper.
  I would also like to recognize the hard working individuals who are 
responsible for the creation of this memorial. The members of the Great 
Falls Freedom Memorial Committee are Pete Hilgartner, chairman; Beau 
Dietrich, Marge Gersic, Paul Gysan, Sara Hilgartner, Ellen Johnson, 
Grant Johnson, Michael Kearney, Linda Lammersen, Bob Pattavina, Janet 
Pattavina, Andrew Pendergrass, Milburn Sanders, Katayoon Shaya, Glen 
Sjoblom, Bill Ten Eyck, Nancy Wilson, and also Merritt Peters, with 
Paciulli Simmons & Associates, who

[[Page E2099]]

created the design for the logo; Dave Jackson with Zadmer Enterprises, 
the general contractor, and Luis Lopez with Fairfax County Department 
of Public Works, who will be responsible for maintaining the plaza.
  Finally, I would like to recognize the sponsors who contributed to 
making the memorial possible. Benefactors were Fine Landscaping, 
William and Gina Luraschi, Pete and Sara Hilgartner, the Allen Family, 
Luck Stone, Elizabeth S. Hooper Foundation, Totaro & Associates, 
William and Mary Callan, Seneca Excavating, M. Sheila and Torn Rabaut, 
and Foley Construction. Patrons were Thomas Hoffman, Turner 
Construction, Virginia Ground Cover, Hanover Architectural Products, 
Zadmer Enterprises, Great Falls Electric and Legg Mason Wood Walker 
Inc.
  I am inserting for the Record a news article from The Times Community 
Newspaper which reports on the dedication of the memorial and the 
ceremony held last week.

          [From the Times Community Newspaper, Nov. 16, 2004]

               Freedom Memorial dedicated in Great Falls

                         (By Beverly Crawford)

       The long-awaited Freedom Memorial in Great Falls was 
     dedicated Saturday with an hour-long celebration that 
     featured government officials and comments by former U.S. 
     Solicitor General Ted Olson.
       Dranesville Supervisor Joan DuBois (R) presided over a 
     ceremony that included U.S. Rep. Frank Wolf (R-10th), Del. 
     Vincent Callahan (R-34th), Fairfax County Board of 
     Supervisors Chairman Gerry Connolly (D), Dranesville Library 
     Board Representative Roger Sudduth, Fairfax County Library 
     Director Sam Clay and former Dranesville Supervisor Stuart 
     Mendelsohn, who launched the initiative during his second 
     term. Fairfax County Executive Anthony Griffin was also among 
     the guests.
       ``My mission here today is to tell you a little bit about 
     this committee,'' said Pete Hilgartner, a former U.S. Marine 
     officer who proposed the memorial and chaired the 20-member 
     committee that designed the memorial and raised some $100,000 
     to pay for it.
       Hilgartner thanked each of the committee members 
     individually: vice chairman Mike Kearney; Luis Lopez, of 
     Fairfax County's Department of Public Works; Katayoon Shaya, 
     of the Department of Planning and Development; Mark Peters; 
     Linda Lammersen; Paul Gysan; Beau Dietrich; Marge Gersic; Boy 
     Scout Grant Johnson and his mother, Ellen; Bob and Janet 
     Pattavina; Nancy Wilson; Bill TenEyck; Glen Sjoblom; Milburn 
     Sanders; Hilgartner's wife, Sara; and Andrew Pendergrass.
       Hilgartner said that, when he organized the committee, ``We 
     recognized fairly quickly that we had a unique group of 
     people'' whose patience and ability to work together saw the 
     project through.
       ``I am so proud of you on my committee that I can't see 
     straight,'' Hilgartner said. ``You have forever made a 
     difference in my life.''
       ``This project would not have happened without Mike 
     Kearney,'' he said.
       Kearney thanked the Allen family on River Bend Road for 
     donating the rock that forms the centerpiece of the memorial, 
     and he thanked Betty Nalls Swartz, their neighbor, for 
     proposing that it be used.
       Kearney said the money raised by Brogue Charities was 
     topped off with a $15,000 matching donation from the 
     Elizabeth S. Hooper Foundation. Local businesses donated 
     money and in-kind services for the memorial.
       Sanders, one of Dranesville's representatives to the 
     Fairfax County History Commission, identified the names for 
     an ``honor roll'' of 13 Civil War soldiers who died at the 
     Battle of Dranesville on Dec. 20, 1861; five people who died 
     in World War II; and the six people from Great Falls who died 
     Sept. 11, 2001, when American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into 
     the Pentagon.
       Mendelsohn read each of their names as a member of the King 
     Ringers, a handbell choir, sounded a bell for each name. 
     ``They gave all they had to keep us free,'' Mendelsohn said.
       Hilgartner and DuBois placed a wreath at the memorial, and 
     a ribbon was cut to symbolize its opening.
       The flags of the United States, Virginia and Fairfax County 
     were raised by members of Boy Scout Troop 1577.
       Olson said his wife, Barbara, and the five other people 
     from Great Falls were ``viciously wrenched from ordinary acts 
     of living'' on Sept. 11, 2001.
       ``They were instruments of monstrous acts of violence,'' 
     wrought by people who slaughtered ``the most innocent and 
     vulnerable among us to show their anger,'' Olson said.
       Six weeping cherry trees were planted at the entrance to 
     the memorial to commemorate their lives.

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