[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 86 (Friday, June 8, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1034-E1035]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING MONTANA'S WORLD WAR II VETERANS
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HON. DENNY REHBERG
of montana
in the house of representatives
Friday, June 8, 2012
Mr. REHBERG. Mr. Speaker, today, it is my distinct privilege to
welcome a very special group of men to our nation's Capital. And while
it is incumbent upon us to honor them, the truth is, they honor us with
their presence here.
On June 15, 2012, nearly 100 veterans of the Second World War will
arrive in Washington, D.C. through the Honor Flight program. Since
2005, Honor Flight has worked to bring WWII veterans to visit their war
memorial at the foot of the Washington Monument, and a few feet from
the White House. In that first year, 137 veterans participated in the
program. By last year, that total annual participation has swelled to
18,055.
And while each of the veterans who has participated deserves our
thanks and our honor, this particular group is very special to me in
particular because it marks the very first time Honor Flight has
brought out a group of veterans from Montana.
You won't find a state that's more proud of our veterans than
Montana. And we have a lot of them. In fact, you won't find many states
that have more as a percentage of our population.
On December 7, 1941 the United States was pulled into the war and
Montanans answered the call to service. Within the first year, 40,000
Men and women from the Treasure State enlisted. By the end of the war,
57,000 had served--nearly 10 percent of the state's entire population
at the time, one of the highest rates in the country.
They served in every branch and in every theater of the conflict. And
too many of them never made it back to Montana, although I think that
heaven must be a little something like a peaceful sunset over the
Yellowstone River.
But Montana's veterans didn't sacrifice in vain. They bled and died
to defeat the greatest threat to freedom the world has ever seen. They
fought across the bloody islands of the Pacific and in the frozen
forests of Europe. They fought in the air, land and sea. Some even
fought below the waves. And they won.
Today, the men and women who fought and won that war are justifiably
part of what is called The Greatest Generation. The sacrifices of men
who arrive in Washington, D.C. are the reason for this honorable title.
It is not something we gave to them, it's something they earned.
As they visit this city and reflect on what it stands for as a beacon
of freedom to the
[[Page E1035]]
world, I think the rest of us should remember that the reason liberty
still exists is because good men stood up to tyranny. They are the
greatest of the Greatest Generation, and on behalf of all Montanans, I
want to thank them.
57,000 Montanans served during World War II. Just under 100 are here
this week. Please join me in welcoming and honoring:
Herbert Alvin (Billings, MT); Roy Bloom (Kalispell, MT); William
Boyer (Billings, MT); George Brown (Billings, MT); John Bullis (Hardin,
MT); William Butler (Billings, MT); Marion Callen (Forsyth, MT); Galen
Calvert (Missoula, MT); Murel Clancey (Ennis, MT); Frank Clark
(Billings, MT); Paul Creek (Billings, MT); Donald Cullen (Helena, MT);
Hubert Cummings (Billings, MT); Irvin Cuthbertson (Billings, MT);
Ernest Devries (Joliet, MT); John Donovan (Billings, MT); Thomas Dragoo
(Billings, MT); Duane Erickson (Glendive, MT); Allen Fox (Twin Bridges,
MT); Arnold Funk (Helena, MT); John Gabelman (Butte, MT); William
George (Missoula, MT); Cleburne Gilliland (Billings, MT); Harvey Glover
(Billings, MT); Harold Godtland (Butte, MT); Robert Graham (Billings,
MT); James Gunnels (Laurel, MT); Francis Gustafson (Billings, MT);
Robert Haraden (Bozeman, MT); Delbert Hartford (Alder, MT); Donald
Hecox (Bozeman, MT); Jack Henley (Hamilton, MT); Adam Herauf (Billings,
MT); Victor Hergett (Laurel, MT); Thomas Hoffman (Billings, MT); Q.P.
Hudson (Billings, MT); Frank Jasisko (Great Falls, MT); Herbert
Kindsfater (Laurel, MT); Kenneth Kjelstrup (Kalispell, MT); Dale
Lamphear (Laurel, MT); Ray Lau (Three Forks, MT); John Liggett
(Roundup, MT); Chester Lindblom (Plentywood, MT); Albert Litle
(Billings, MT); Herbert Livingston (Billings, MT); Louis Loushin
(Butte, MT); Phillip Lyons (Butte, MT); Marvin Mackey (Libby, MT);
Richard Marshall (Twin Bridges, MT); Arthur Merrick (Helena, MT);
Marvin Metzler (Billings, MT); Jack Moriarty (Sheridan, WY); Roy
Morrison (Billings, MT); Leo Mullen (Butte, MT); Kenneth Mumme
(Sheridan, MT); John Murphy (Anaconda, MT); Donald Nafus (Billings,
MT); Robert Noll (Missoula, MT); Vernon O'Leary (Helena, MT); Roland
Olijnyk (Billings, MT); Paul Olsen (Billings, MT); Delphine Olson
(Billings, MT); Albert Ottolino (Billings, MT); Harlon Owens (Billings,
MT); Douglas Parrott (Roundup, MT); Robert Paye (Billings, MT); Russell
Peery (Helena, MT); Walter Pfister (Roundup, MT); Drury Phebus (Baker,
MT); James Phipps (Emigrant, MT); Walter Popp (Billings, MT); Jimmie
Ramsey (Bozeman, MT); John Reamy (Billings, MT); Richard Redle
(Columbus, MT); Francis Riebe (Polson, MT); Carl Rivera (Billings, MT);
Robert Ruthford (Superior, MT); Gladys Sandborgh (Butte, MT); Ron
Scharfe (Missoula, MT); Ferdinand Schell (Lewistown, MT); Paul Schuyler
(Roberts, MT); Orval Scow (Helena, MT); Dennis Scranton (Miles City,
MT); J. William Smith (Billings, MT); Wade Smith (Butte, MT); James
Snider (Forsyth, MT); Otto Staack (Butte, MT); Norman Sulenes
(Billings, MT); Harold Van Sickle (Billings, MT); William Van Wieren
(Billings, MT); Joseph Wedlake (Butte, MT); Kenneth Williams (Laurel,
MT); Paul Winhofer (Glendive, MT); David Wittman (Billings, MT);
Margaret Woolston (Billings, MT).
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