[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 79 (Thursday, May 21, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S5805]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO HONOR FLIGHT

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I would like to take a moment to 
recognize the first Honor Flight from Kentucky for the 2009 operational 
season. Many members of this body have had the chance to see their 
constituents at the World War II Memorial because of the noble work 
Honor Flight does in transporting surviving World War II veterans from 
around the country to see their memorial free of charge. I am honored 
to have been invited to participate in previous flights from the 
Commonwealth, and I regret that my schedule prevented me from attending 
the one that took place this past weekend. I hope to have the chance 
once again to visit with Kentucky Honor Flight participants.
  On Saturday, May 16, Honor Flight's Bluegrass Chapter arrived in our 
Nation's Capital with 79 World War II veterans from my home State of 
Kentucky to see the memorial which they inspired. It is my hope that 
these veterans felt a sense of pride in seeing their memorial after 
all, pride is the very same feeling these men and women inspire in 
their fellow Americans.
  In my previous experiences in meeting with the participants of Honor 
Flight trips, people of all ages have been humbled by the presence of 
these veterans at the memorial. School children have shook hands with 
the men and women who served in World War II and thanked them for their 
service. Others have asked for the privilege of taking a photo with a 
real-life American hero. Still more, including myself, have shared 
stories that have been passed down through generations about how World 
War II affected their family. In watching these interactions, one thing 
is clear: the sacrifices that these men and women made will never be 
forgotten.
  I wish to express my sincere gratitude to the Kentucky veterans who 
were here over the weekend for having served to protect our great 
nation's principles from the enemies of freedom. I ask unanimous 
consent that the names of the 79 World War II veterans from the 
Commonwealth be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                         World War II Veterans

       Allen Courts, Robert Adams, Charles Alessandro, Donald 
     Cobb, Kenneth Gillespie, Guthrie Catlin, Joe Terrell, Donivan 
     Mahuron, George Spaulding, George Schembari, Dale Tinkle, 
     Jack Distler, Walter Pearce, Joseph Crouse, Kathleen 
     Drummond, Clarence Lange, Leroy Lange, Marcus Shearer, 
     Garland Lewis, Gordon Lewis.
       Herbert Lewis, William Morris, Dewey Smith, Roy Ricketts, 
     Frank Mellon, Jr., Hugo Becker, Robert Byrum, Carl Kiesler, 
     Nelson Moody, Murrell Ramsey, George Pearl, Chesterfield 
     Pulliam, John Canary, William Grantz, Jack McQuair, William 
     Miller, John Noonan, Irvine Stevens, Joseph Blincoe, Richard 
     Burnett,
       Charles Branson, Francis Kindred, Gustave LaFontaine, 
     Carojean MacDonald, Carroll Hackett, Ira Johnston, Billy 
     Turner, William Fender, John Hinkebein, Richard Yann, Edwin 
     Casada, Fitzhugh Roy, Henry Anderson, Marvin Lawson, George 
     Greathouse, Paul Berrier, Sr., Thomas Napier, Thomas Roberts, 
     Ralph Stengel, Chester Sublett.
       Frederick Kleinschmidt, James Williams, Elmer Givan, Leslie 
     Powers, Marion Crockett, Edward Goldner, Loren Charley, Edgar 
     Hodges, Joseph Johnson, Alvin Lawyer, Orin Bond, Antonio 
     Martinez, John Eckert, Lee Bumpus, Donald King, Marcus Combs, 
     Norman Miller, Allen Jones, Roy Vance.

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