[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 84 (Wednesday, June 6, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1000]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 WEST VIRGINIA ALWAYS FREE HONOR FLIGHT

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. NICK J. RAHALL II

                            of west virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 6, 2012

  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a group of 
distinguished West Virginia Veterans--the State's first Honor Flight--
who came to Washington today to visit war memorials and our Nation's 
Capitol. It was my privilege to meet with them so that I could 
personally thank them for their outstanding service. I am humbled and 
honored at any opportunity to meet such remarkable American patriots 
and to pay tribute to those who have done so much for us.
  I welcomed them to their Nation's Capitol, and I do mean their 
Capitol, because without them and their service to our Nation, this old 
capitol just might not be here.
  On this day they will visit the World War II, Korean and Vietnam 
Veterans memorials. I asked them while they are at the Korean War 
Memorial, to read the words chiseled in the granite wall there, 
``Freedom is not free.'' Truer words were never uttered.
  And, for their service, we, as a Nation, can never repay them, but I 
have to say, we darn well better never quit trying to honor them in our 
thoughts and prayers and deeds.
  The Honor Flight is a measure of what the service of Veterans has 
meant to those who freely contribute to keep these missions of lasting 
memories for you going. We salute all those who contribute and help 
organize them.
  And it's up to those of us in the public sector to stand firm in our 
Nation's commitment to Veterans' long term health care and other 
benefits.
  From towns born of mining, to our state born of war, to a nation 
under God, each of West Virginia's Veterans symbolizes the depth of 
human giving and the height of divine compassion. One word best 
describes what our Veterans did: sacrifice.
  What they, and those who served with them, sacrificed is reflected in 
the white and black granite of our war memorials. They serve as 
timeless reminders to all who pass their way that we must always 
remember and honor those who stood in harm's way so that freedom's 
light could continue to shine.
  Every time a Veteran steps foot on the grounds of one of the war 
memorials, they honor all who did not live to see it. And their visit 
adds a living testament to the memorial's significance, when each 
returns home and tells family and friends about the experience.
  These West Virginia Veterans defended our Nation under the banner of 
red, white and blue; and on behalf of a grateful Nation, I presented 
each of them our country's colors, Old Glory, to take home with them.
  I am so proud of all Veterans and will continue to fight and to work 
with my colleagues in the House to address their needs. As a Nation, we 
have a duty and responsibility to support and acknowledge the great 
sacrifice that our veterans so willingly made for all of us.
  So much of the Nation's greatness rests on the shoulders of these 
protectors of America--like the members of West Virginia Honor Flight--
whose commitment and duty to God, country, and family keeps strong the 
foundation of our republic.
  May God always bless our Nation with men and women such as these:

       Andrew Semonco--Age 88--WW II Vet.--Bluefield, W. Va.; 
     Harold Lee Dobbins, Sr.--Age 85--WW II Vet.--Beckley, W. Va.; 
     Robert Arthur Day--Age 85--WW II Vet.--Beaver, W. Va.; Frank 
     Martin Johnston--Age 90--WW II Vet.--Bluefield, Va.; Howard 
     B. Candler--Age 86--WW II Vet.--Bluefield W. Va.; Joseph 
     Laenen--Age 84--WW II Vet.--Montcalm, W. Va.; Cecil 
     Pennington--Age 83--WW II Vet.--Princeton, W. Va.; Buford S. 
     Helmandollar--Age 86--WW II Vet.--Princeton, W. Va.; William 
     D. Foley--Age 87--WW II Vet.--Crab Orchard, W. Va.; Ralph L. 
     Kiblinger--Age 82--WW II Vet--Beaver, W. Va.
       Victor T. Birchfield--Age 89--WW II Vet.--Lester, W. Va.--
     joined Army in 1940's in Hotchkiss, W. Va.--Sgt., served in 
     the European Theater in combat units, infantryman; Bruce 
     Blevins--Age 86--WW II Vet.--Princeton, W. Va.; Eugene Lusk--
     Age 87--WW II Vet.--Herndon, W. Va.; Leonard (Whitey) 
     Beckett--Age 87--WW II Vet.--Princeton, W. Va.; James A 
     Harvey--Age 78--Korean War Vet.--Bluefield, W. Va.; Franklin 
     Sargent--Age 77--Korean War Vet.--Bluefield, W. Va.; Conrad 
     (Connie) Jenkins--Age 79--Korean War Vet.--Lashmeet, W. 
     Va.; Joel W. Birchfield--Age 64--Vietnam Vet.--Lester, W. 
     Va.; Raymond A. Desplaines--Age 60--Vietnam Vet.--
     Bluefield, W. Va.; Alphonso Hancock--Age 74--Vietnam 
     Vet.--Bluefield, W. Va.
       Ivan R. Freeland--Age 64--Vietnam Vet.--Fairmont, W. Va.; 
     David A. Simmons--Age 62--Vietnam Vet.--Bluefield, W. Va.; 
     Randall R. Lawhorn--Age 62--Vietnam Vet.; Robert B. Ashby--
     Age 73--Vietnam Vet.--Princeton, W. Va.; Johnnie Williams--
     Age 66--Vietnam Vet.--Bluefield, W. Va.; Justin S. Bays--Age 
     65--Vietnam Vet.--Bluefield, W. Va.; James L. Scott--Age 70--
     Vietnam Vet.--Rock, W. Va.; Donald F. Sternoff, Jr.--Vietnam 
     Vet.--Bluefield, W. Va.; Ernest R. Rose--Vietnam Vet.--Age 
     63--Raysal, W. Va.; Jackie L. Etter--Vietnam Vet.--Age 75--
     Bluefield, W. Va.
       Richard N. Wirt--Vietnam Vet.--Age 74--Princeton, W. Va.; 
     Gary S. Bowling--Vietnam Vet.--Age 63--Bluefield, W. Va.; 
     Richard Sturgell--Vietnam Vet.--Age 63--Thorpe, W. Va.; 
     Stephen O. Beckett--Vietnam Vet--Age 59--Hiwassee, Va.; Laura 
     King and Marie Blackwell--Bluefield, W. Va. representing 
     their father and husband, David Blackwell, Vietnam Veteran 
     who passed away 4 months ago; Dreama Denver--Princeton, W. 
     Va.--President, The Denver Foundation, V Pres. Always Free H. 
     F. representing her deceased father Korean War Vet., Glen E. 
     Peery; Charles Thomas Richardson--Princeton, W. Va.--
     President, Always Free Honor Flight representing his deceased 
     father WW II Vet., Clifford Richardson; Pamela Coulbourne--
     Princeton, W. Va.--Exec. Assistant, The Denver Foundation, 
     Coord. Always Free H.F. representing her deceased father WW 
     II Vet.--Francis L. Fluharty; Steve Coleman--Bluefield, W. 
     Va.--Official Photographer, The Denver Foundation & Always 
     Free H. F. representing his deceased father WW II Vet., James 
     M. Coleman; Burk Allen Adkins--Washington, D.C.--Board Member 
     of Always Free H.F., Public Relations for The Denver 
     Foundation, representing his deceased father WW II/Korea 
     Vet., Stanley Adkins.

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