[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 72 (Tuesday, May 12, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5370-S5371]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       SOUTH DAKOTA HONOR FLIGHT

 Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, today I recognize a group of 122 
South Dakota World War II veterans who traveled to Washington, DC, on 
May 1 and 2 to visit the World War II Memorial. This trip was made 
possible by the Honor Flight Network, a nonprofit organization 
dedicated to bringing World War II veterans to Washington, DC, to visit 
the World War II Memorial at no cost to the veterans.
  South Dakota's veterans have played an important role in making our 
Nation great. Through their sacrifices, America has triumphed, remained 
a free and vibrant nation, and helped others obtain their own freedom. 
I was honored to welcome these American heroes to our Nation's Capital 
to see the symbols of the freedoms they have protected around the 
world. I am humbled by their sacrifice and appreciated the opportunity 
to meet with them and

[[Page S5371]]

thank them for their service. We cannot thank our veterans enough for 
putting their lives on the line when America's security demanded it.
  The Honor Flight veterans, in alphabetical order, are as follows: 
Robert Anderson, Ray Anderson, Arlie Asmussen, Robert Bailey, Albert 
Barber, Raymond Baumgart, Rudolph Becker, Robert Benz, Edmund Bouvette, 
Tom Brady, Mark Breuer, Thomas Briggs, Don Brommer, Robert Camp, Robert 
Carlson, Ralph Christensen, Maynard Christiansen, Elmer Cohlman, Hobart 
Cole, Leonard Conrad, Cloyd Conroy, Burdell Coplan, Stanley Dahl, Earl 
Dains, Harland Danielsen, Howard Daugaard, Lyle Davis, Charles Dawes, 
William Degler, Mildred Diekman, Dale Dieltz, Delmer Dooley, Merle 
Driggs, Clair Ellingson, Harry Erickson, Edward Erlandson, Gerald 
Erlandson, John Erlandson, Orwin Fodness, Howard Franey, Kenneth 
Freeman, Harvey Glover, Fred Gorter, Peter Gortmaker, Kenneth 
Gregersen, Emmett Guthmiller, Donald Haan, Keith Hagerman, Glen Hansen, 
Paul Harris, James Harris, Kenneth Harthoorn, Harold Hatting, Raymond 
Heger, Richard Hempel, Dale Hendricks, Fay Hendricks, Noel Henrichs, 
Orville Hill, Verlyn Hill, Eugene Hoekman, Walter Holtkamp, Claude 
Hone, George Huizenga, Harry Irwin, Albert Jager, Louis Jarding, Roland 
Jensen, Arden Jensen, Ervin Jensen, Ralph Johnshoy, Billy Jones, Erland 
Juntunen, John Kagel, William Kerr, Alfred Knaack, Ralph Kock, Hampton 
Lane, Fred Lassle, Cleone Lauer, Eugene Lauer, Howard Lee, John Lewis, 
Howard Livingston, Richard Luther, Duane Lyman, Morris Magnuson, 
William Merrill, Norbert Miles, Quentin Miles, Duane Miller, John 
Miller, Kareen Millis, David Moore, James Moore, James Morton, Harold 
Muetzel, Howard Opheim, Arnold Pederson, Delbert Petersen, Wayne Pool, 
Wade Pringle, Roy Radloff, Vernon Ramesbotham, Carl Renz, Kenneth 
Salisbury, Gerald Sanborn, Ray Schmitz, Ronald Scott, Lloyd Seger, 
Thomas Simpson, Lowell Stagebert, Herman Ulrich, Robert Van Ningen, 
Frances Vanderbush, Ivan Vitek, Steven Wachtel, George Wagner, Eugene 
Weidenbach, John Wilds, Robert Williams, and Ernest Zimbelman.
  It gives me great pleasure to honor those who have defended our 
freedom and to recognize the service and sacrifice of these courageous 
South Dakotans who served during World War II. I am proud that they 
were able to see the memorial that was built in their honor.

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