[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 143 (Tuesday, September 25, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1979]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  COMMEMORATING THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL

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                               speech of

                             HON. JOE BACA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 18, 2007

  Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 326, the 
resolution that commemorates the 25th anniversary of the dedication of 
the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in our Nation's Capital.
  As a Vietnam-era Veteran myself, I want to thank my colleague, 
Representative Hooley from Oregon, for introducing this resolution that 
celebrates the dedication of a special Memorial that has come to be 
such a physical reminder of what this Nation went through as a whole.
  The Memorial takes me back to a time when my friends and I left our 
families behind. I was fortunate to come back home, some of my friends 
were not.
  The beautiful black granite memorial contains 58,256 names of 
soldiers who died or remain missing. We honor those soldiers. To their 
families we pay our respects and cannot say thank you enough.
  Each time I look upon the etched names on the memorial, I am reminded 
of the deep rooted sacrifice of Americans so many years ago. I wish to 
have my great, great grandchildren be able to visit the memorial and be 
able to sense the same thing.
  It is easy for me to remember, I lived it. However, our future 
generations must not forget that America would be very different had it 
not been for the sacrifice of these honorable soldiers.
  I am glad to be able to be a part of this special recognition. I urge 
my colleagues to support H. Con. Res. 5 and reflect the great 
sacrifices of true American heroes.

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