[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 57 (Wednesday, May 4, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H2944-H2945]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             PRAISING THE ANNIVERSARY OF V-E DAY IN EUROPE

  SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Kuhl). Under a previous order of the House, 
the gentleman from Texas, (Mr. McCaul) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. McCAUL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, tonight I rise to commemorate the 
60th anniversary of our Nation's victory in Europe. And in doing so, I 
also like to honor men like my father and millions of others who 
answered freedom's call in fighting World War II. When we consider 
generations of our past, no one exemplifies the essence of America 
better than those, part of what we now call, the Greatest Generation.
  To this day, and forever, I will be proud to say, my father was a 
part of this outstanding group, which led us to victory during World 
War II. As a 20-year-old bombardier-navigator in the Army Air Corps, my 
father, Major Jim McCaul, flew more than 30 bombing missions over 
Europe.
  This included the largest bombing mission of the war in support of 
the D-day invasion. He flew a B-17 bomber, the flying fortress of the 
war, as he and others helped defeat Adolph Hitler and the Nazi reign of 
terror. And like most men of his generation, my father did not talk 
much about what he had done and seen over the skies of Europe. It was 
simply too painful.
  However, when he did talk about his experiences, dad would describe 
his airplane as a tin can with wings that was easy prey for the flak 
fired from below and the Luftwaffe bullets raining down from above. He 
recalled watching his buddies getting shot down and the loss that he 
personally felt. Indeed on each mission, one out of every three planes 
were shot down.
  And when my father passed away in 1985, he received a letter from 
President Ronald Reagan commending him for his service to his country. 
Perhaps Winston Churchill said it best, when he said of this 
generation, this was their finest hour.
  Our Nation is replete with stories such as my father's. And while the 
names and faces of many of the GI Joes may be forgotten, their heroic 
deeds that helped secure our Nation's ultimate victory in Europe will 
be emblazoned as legends in our National conscience forever.
  Mr. Speaker, as time passes, we come close to forever losing the 
personal connection to these great individuals and their historic 
accounts. In order to preserve these heroic stories for future 
generations, I strongly urge veterans to participate in the Veterans 
History Project housed in the Library of Congress.
  For this generation of Americans, whose character and resolve was 
molded by the Great Depression, defeating tyranny and the hatred of the 
Third Reich was just another call to answer. They performed their duty 
with honor, it was not theirs to question. It was simply expected.
  Instead of succumbing to hardship, their resolve was stiffened and 
they ended up leading our land and our world to one of the greatest 
victories in history. We see that same attitude and determination today 
from the men and women in Iraq and Afghanistan. And like the greatest 
generation, Americans are now in distant lands fighting the threat and 
horror of terrorism.
  Sixty years ago, we defeated fascism. Today, we fight Islamic 
extremism, but the reason we fight is the same, to guarantee freedom. 
The resolve that my father served with came from the support he knew 
that he had at home. We must show that same support for our troops now. 
We must strengthen their resolve by letting them know that their cause 
is just.
  We will never forget their victories, just as we will never forget 
the victories in Europe which came at such a great cost. Hundreds of 
thousands of my parents' generation were killed in the name of freedom 
and democracy. Few cases are as worthy, few prices are as great. We 
must always remember not just the victory in Europe, but also what it 
meant. It saved an entire world from tyranny, and gave people the 
chance to live under flags of freedom.
  Victory in Europe Day will forever stand as an example of how America

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prides its freedom and how our determination can accomplish any tasks 
and defeat any foe. And these accomplishments of the Greatest 
Generation serve as an inspiration to us all.

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