[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 31 (Thursday, March 3, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1240-S1241]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RELATIVE TO THE DEATH OF FRANK WOODRUFF BUCKLES
Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate
proceed to S. Res. 89.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
The legislative clerk read as follows:
A resolution (S. Res. 89) relating to the death of Frank
Woodruff Buckles, the longest surviving veteran of the First
World War.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the
resolution.
Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Mr. President, today I want to honor the passing of
America's last surviving veteran of the First World War, Mr. Frank
Woodruff Buckles. It is important that we as a nation express our deep
appreciation for the sacrifices that Mr. Buckles and his brothers-in-
arms endured for our country nearly a century ago. Men like Frank have
fought in numerous battles in the defense of this Nation and have made
sure that we as Americans are able to enjoy the quality of life that we
so cherish.
Mr. Buckles witnessed the world change dramatically throughout his
lifetime and had experiences that most of us can only dream about. He
saw the metamorphosis that defined the American social and cultural
revolutions of the last century. As a young man, he served in the
Army's ambulance corps in France and Germany, where he evacuated
wounded soldiers from the battlefield. As a civilian during the Second
World War, he spent more than three years in a Japanese prison camp in
the Philippines.
As a tribute to Mr. Buckles and for all the World War I veterans that
he represents, we must remember all of his brothers and sisters who
defended our country along with him. Nearly 4.5 million U.S. soldiers,
sailors, airmen and Marines joined forces with over 37 million Allied
soldiers to defeat the Central Powers. These service members witnessed
atrocities such as gas warfare that were unprecedented at the time.
Each and every one of them made their own significant contribution to
the war effort that cannot be understated. This generation of dynamic
and dedicated Americans was able to alter the course of history for the
betterment of each and every one of us here today.
As a tribute to Mr. Buckles, I have introduced a bipartisan
resolution so he can lie in honor in the Capitol Rotunda on March 14 to
allow the American people to properly pay their respects. To further
honor his generations' sacrifices, Mr. Frank Buckles will be buried at
Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors. President Obama
has ordered all flags flown over government buildings be flown at half-
mast on this day as we mourn the loss of a citizen and a generation who
will forever hold a place in our nation's history.
I want to conclude by offering my deepest sympathies to Mr. Buckles'
daughter, Susannah Buckles Flanagan. She has been the loving daughter
at his side in recent years taking such good care of him which allowed
him to live at home in dignity, surrounded by family and friends.
As America's longest surviving veteran of World War I, Frank Buckles
represented our final link to a generation that built a legacy as the
defenders of the free world in the first large scale global conflict. I
can promise you that his legacy and the legacy of all veterans will
live on forever in the ideals and values that make America the
strongest nation in the world.
Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution
be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be
laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and that any
statements relating to the measure be printed in the Record.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The resolution (S. Res. 89) was agreed to.
The preamble was agreed to.
The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:
S. Res. 89
Whereas Frank Woodruff Buckles is the last known American
World War I veteran, who passed away on February 27, 2011, at
the age of 110, and represents his generation of veterans;
Whereas America's support of Great Britain, France,
Belgium, and its other allies in World War I marked the first
time in the Nation's history that American soldiers went
abroad in defense of liberty against foreign aggression, and
it marked the true beginning of the ``American century'';
Whereas more than 4,000,000 men and women from the United
States served in uniform during World War I, among them 2
future presidents, Harry S. Truman and Dwight D. Eisenhower;
Whereas 2,000,000 individuals from the United States served
overseas during World War I, including 200,000 naval
personnel who served on the seas;
Whereas the United States suffered 375,000 casualties
during World War I, including 116,516 deaths;
Whereas the events of 1914 through 1918 shaped the world,
the United States, and the lives of millions of people in
countless ways; and
Whereas Frank Woodruff Buckles is the last veteran to
represent the extraordinary legacy of the World War I
veterans: Now, therefore, be it
[[Page S1241]]
Resolved, That--
(1) the Senate recognizes the historic contributions of all
United States veterans who served in the First World War; and
(2) when the Senate adjourns today, it stand adjourned as a
further mark of respect to the memory of Frank W. Buckles,
the longest surviving United States veteran of the First
World War.
Sec. 2. The Secretary of the Senate is directed to
transmit an enrolled copy of this resolution to the family of
the deceased.
Mr. REID. Mr. President, I had the good fortune a short time ago,
when we had a ceremony in the Rotunda of the Capitol, to meet Mr.
Buckles and talk to him. It is amazing he had such vitality at such an
old age. I am happy this matter is completed.
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