[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 132 (Friday, September 7, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1828]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   TRIBUTE TO THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE AT 
                          McGHEE TYSON AIRPORT

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                        HON. JOHN J. DUNCAN, JR.

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 7, 2007

  Mr. DUNCAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a piece of history 
in the Second District of Tennessee.
  For the past 50 years, as people flew into my district, they weren't 
just landing in Knoxville but also touching down at a historic 
Tennessee Air National Guard Base.
  Military planes taking off from that runway have been a part of some 
of the noblest causes of modern times, from the Berlin Air Lift to 
Operation Enduring Freedom.
  It's a history of service that exemplifies the spirit that gave 
Tennessee the nickname of the Volunteer State, and once again the 
Knoxville community is at the forefront of that service.
  The base is now celebrating 50 years of operations, and it is 
currently the proud home of the 134th Refueling Wing, as well as the 
228th Combat Communications Squadron, the 119th Command and Control 
Squadron, the I.G. Brown Training and Education Center, the Academy of 
Innovative Ministries, and the 572nd Air Force Band.
  It's not just the longevity of the base that is so remarkable, but 
also the quality of the men and women who serve there. The 134th has 
been consistently ranked nationally for its superb performance.
  I would like to congratulate the nearly 2,000 full-time military and 
civilian personnel at the base and the many thousands more who pass 
through the facility each year for training. Their professionalism 
makes us proud.
  Madam Speaker, in closing, I urge my colleagues to join me as I 
salute the 50th anniversary of the Air National Guard Base at McGhee 
Tyson Airport in Blount County, Tennessee. I know the facility and the 
men and women who operate it will play an important part in protecting 
our Nation for decades to come.

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