[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 144 (Tuesday, November 13, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6729-S6731]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   RECOGNIZING OUR NATION'S VETERANS

  Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, today I wish to honor John V. Klobofski, a 
veteran of World War II. It is my honor to share the story of John's 
military service because no story of heroism should ever fall through 
the cracks.
  John was born in Cleveland, MT, in 1919. After graduating from 
Chinook High School, he enlisted in the National Guard, where he served 
for 3 years.
  He then attended classes at Northern Montana College and worked for 
the Weather Bureau in Havre.
  John reenlisted in 1940 and was assigned to the 41st Infantry 
Division, made up of guardsmen from across the West. As a member of the 
163rd Infantry Regiment, John was a part of the campaign to capture New 
Guinea, which was then under Japanese control. Dubbed Operation 
Persecution, his unit landed ashore at Aitape on April 22, 1944. Within 
a number of days, the unit had captured and secured two airfields, and 
supplies were being delivered to the island.
  Because of how quickly they were able to seize these airfields, 
John's unit was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation.
  But fighting continued in the region for several days and many men, 
including John, were killed. SSG John Klobofski died on April 30, 1944.
  On October 16, 2012, in the presence of his family, it was my great 
honor to finally present to John's family his Bronze Star Medal, a 
Purple Heart, and a Presidential Unit Citation.
  It was also my honor to present an American Defense Service Medal, an 
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with Two Bronze Stars, a World War II 
Victory Medal, and a Combat Infantryman Badge First Award.
  These decorations are small tokens, but they are powerful symbols of 
true heroism. Sacrifice. And dedication to service.
  These medals are presented on behalf of a grateful nation.
  Mr. President, today I also wish to honor Alan R. Shennum, a veteran 
of the Vietnam war. It is my honor to share the story of Alan's 
military service because no story of heroism should ever fall through 
the cracks.
  Alan was born in Helena, MT, in 1946. After graduating from high 
school, he enlisted in the Army and trained at Fort Wolters in Texas 
before attending flight school at Hunter Army Airfield in Georgia.
  Alan was sent to Vietnam in September of 1968, where he flew 
helicopters as part of the Fourth Army Division.
  In October of 1968, Alan was wounded while flying a combat operation. 
Because his injuries were not severe, he returned to duty and flew over 
30 missions in all. Warrant Officer Alan Shennum retired from service 
in 1971 but never received his medals.
  On October 17, 2012, in the presence of his family, it was my great 
honor to finally present to Alan the National Defense Service Medal, 
the Army Aviator Badge, the Good Conduct Medal, and the Vietnam Service 
Medal.
  It was also my honor to present an Air Medal with 32 Oak Leaf 
Clusters, a Vietnam Campaign Medal, and two Overseas Service Bars.
  These decorations are small tokens, but they are powerful symbols of 
true heroism. Sacrifice. And dedication to service.
  These medals are presented on behalf of a grateful nation.
 Mr. BEGICH. Mr. President, I also wish to commend the members 
of B Company, 1st Battalion, Airborne, 143rd Infantry Regiment of the 
Alaska Army National Guard upon the completion of their deployment to 
Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
  I had the chance to be there in person when the company deployed, and 
I am pleased to offer my best wishes now as we celebrate their safe 
return home.

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  Alaska has a special relationship with our military. That 
relationship started long before statehood during World War II with the 
Alaska Territorial Guard. Thousands of Alaska Natives voluntarily took 
up arms in defense of our Nation and established a history of 
commitment and sacrifice that lives on in Alaska today. We are proud of 
the thousands of Alaskans, and especially Alaska Natives, who continue 
to volunteer to protect our homeland. As members of the Alaska Army 
National Guard, as Alaskans who have stood up for America, the members 
of Bravo Company carry on our State's long legacy of service.
  Bravo Company accomplished incredible things during its time in 
Afghanistan. While deployed to Kandahar, Farah, and Zabul, our 
Guardsmen supported three provincial reconstruction teams. Their 
efforts have contributed enormously to promoting security and the rule 
of law in Afghanistan and have helped moved the United States closer to 
accomplishing its mission in the country.
  I would also like to take this opportunity to recognize the families 
of Bravo Company. Our guardsmen faced a difficult mission in 
Afghanistan, and they simply could not have done it without the support 
of their loved ones back home. Thank you all for your service, 
sacrifice, and dedication.
  As citizen-soldiers, the members of Bravo Company hail from 
throughout Alaska. They come from Anchorage, Bethel, Chevak, Delta 
Junction, Dillingham, Eagle River, Ekwok, Emmonak, Fairbanks, Fort 
Greely, Hooper Bay, Houston, Juneau, Kipnuk, Kodiak, Kongiganak, 
Kwethluk, Little Diomede, Marshal, Nikiski, Nome, North Pole, Palmer, 
Port Graham, Quinaag, Scammon Bay, Shishmaref, Sitka, Tuluksa, Upper 
Kalskag, Valdez, Wasilla, and Wrangell. They return now to communities 
proud of their service and grateful to have them home.
  As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I commend B 
Company, 1st Battalion, Airborne, 143rd Infantry Regiment, for their 
dedication, commitment, and sacrifice. We owe them a debt of gratitude 
that can never fully be repaid.
  To both Bravo Company and the families, thank you again for 
everything you do. God bless you, and God bless the United States of 
America.
  Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize the heroic 
University of Arkansas alumni whose actions earned them the Nation's 
highest distinction for valor in military action, the Congressional 
Medal of Honor.
  Throughout the storied history of the University of Arkansas, many 
men and women have served their Nation with honor and valor, and five 
of these selfless heroes have earned our Nation's highest military 
honor.
  On Monday, November 12, 2012, we recognized these valiant heroes who 
put their lives on the line. We honored their service and 
accomplishments with the dedication of a memorial flag pole on the 
University of Arkansas campus.
  Maurice L. Britt was born in Carlisle, AR, in 1919. On November 10, 
1943, north of Mignano, Italy, Army Lieutenant Britt was wounded in 
battle, but he refused medical attention and proceeded to lead a 
handful of men in a counterattack against the Germans. Lieutenant Britt 
and his men ultimately captured four Germans and enabled captured 
Americans to escape.
  Nathan Green Gordon was born in Morrilton, AR, in 1916. On February 
15, 1944, in the Bismarck Sea, Navy Lieutenant Gordon was the commander 
of a Catalina patrol plane. Braving close-range fire from the enemy, 
Lieutenant Gordon rescued U.S. airmen of the U.S. Army 5th Air Force in 
full view of the Japanese. He made a daring escape under direct fire to 
fly them to safety.
  Edgar H. Lloyd was born in Blytheville, AR. On September 14, 1944, 
near Pompey, France, Army First Lieutenant Lloyd was serving as a rifle 
platoon leader in Company E of the 319th Infantry. Assigned task of 
removing 200 enemy forces from their position, Lieutenant Lloyd's 
company was within 50 yards of the enemy position and suffered many 
casualties. Despite the enemy threat, First Lieutenant Lloyd encouraged 
his fellow soldiers by attacking enemy machine gun positions, 
personally destroying five machine guns. His valor inspired the men to 
overrun the enemy position.
  Seymour W. Terry was born in Little Rock, AR. On May 11, 1945, on 
Zebra Hill, Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands, Army First Lieutenant Terry led 
his company on an attack when his men came under heavy enemy fire. He 
singlehandedly began securing the hill, running directly towards the 
enemy and destroying the strongholds. He sealed 4 pillboxes with 
explosives, killed 20 Japanese and destroyed 3 machine guns. He 
continued his assault on the hill to allow his troops to advance. As 
First Lieutenant Terry was reorganizing the company, he was mortally 
wounded. His heroism inspired the platoon to continue the mission.
  James L. Stone was born in Pine Bluff, AR. On November 21 and 22, 
1951, near Sokkogae, Korea, First Lieutenant Stone's platoon was 
attacked by Chinese forces. Courageously, he stood and directed his men 
while repairing a faulty flamethrower. He was wounded but continued to 
fire on the enemy during a second attack and encouraged the platoon 
members' efforts to protect their position.
  It is people like Maurice Britt, Nathan Gordon, Edgar Lloyd, Seymour 
Terry, and James Stone whose resilience, bravery, and courage exemplify 
the American spirit. Their legacies will live on as we remember all of 
our brave service members who selflessly serve our Nation to protect 
its ideals and interests.
  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I wish to acknowledge the millions of 
brave American veterans who have given of themselves to protect this 
great Nation and our precious liberties. I thank not only our veterans 
but also men and women currently in uniform and all their families. The 
sacrifices our veterans and service members make are enormous: remote 
deployments, long deployments, injuries, and worse.
  Despite the inherent risk, the United States continues to attract the 
most qualified and dedicated citizen soldiers. The role of the citizen 
soldier in this country is older than the United States itself. From 
the first shots declaring our independence to the current war in 
Afghanistan, Americans have enjoyed unparallel freedom and security 
thanks to those among us who are willing to put themselves in harm's 
way.
  This past Sunday, we formally honored our Nation's veterans and we 
celebrated how privileged we are to have a fighting force as committed 
to excellence as our own. Our expressions of gratitude, however, should 
manifest themselves in actions that make positive impacts on the lives 
of the veterans to whom we owe so much. President John Kennedy once 
said: ``As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the 
highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.'' So 
today I will utter words I hope you will join me in living by. When we 
say ``we owe our freedom to our men and women in uniform,'' we must 
make sure our veterans are treated as such. We must make sure that 
those veterans who need help transitioning back to civilian life have 
the resources to do so. We need to be sure veterans can find suitable 
jobs. When our men and women return home, they should have access to 
the best medical care, education, and training available so they can 
continue to be beacons of model citizenry.
  Let this Veterans Day be a catalyst for how we treat veterans for the 
rest of the year and beyond. The appreciation, gratitude, and respect 
shown to veterans today should be ever-present. The men, women, and 
families who protect us deserve so much more than just 1 day to be 
publicly appreciated. Every American can do something to repay our 
veterans. There are many organizations dedicated to helping veterans. 
For instance, I have had the distinct honor to work on legislation with 
my colleague C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger to help Fisher House, an 
organization that arranges for travel and accommodations for family 
members who visit their wounded warriors as they recuperate in 
hospitals away from home. Fisher House established a program called 
Hotels for Heroes which allows travelers to donate credit card hotel 
reward points to military families. Many of those families will be 
visiting their loved ones at Water Reed in my home State of Maryland. 
With fewer than 1 percent of all Americans currently serving in our 
All-Volunteer Armed Forces, the sacrifices of the few are not always 
felt by the many. Donating unused frequent flyer airline

[[Page S6731]]

miles and hotel points is a wonderful--and easy--way for Americans to 
express their appreciation for our brave warriors and their families. 
Another worthy organization is America's Vet Dogs, which is working 
with inmates provided by the Maryland Department of Public Safety and 
Correctional Services to train service dogs to aid returning veterans 
who are disabled.
  There are countless other groups doing an immeasurable amount of good 
for our veterans and their families but we always can--and should--do 
more. So on this Veterans Day, I ask that all Americans give something 
back to the people who have given so much for this country. Our 
veterans deserve it, and our country is made stronger when everyone 
makes sacrifices for it. Veterans understand sacrificing for others; we 
honor our veterans if we understood that too.
  Mr. President, as we honor the brave men and women who have served in 
our military, we also must turn our thoughts and prayers to those who 
currently wear a uniform in service to our country, especially those in 
harm's way in Afghanistan and around the world. They are tomorrow's 
veterans. So during this lameduck session of the 112th Congress and as 
we prepare for the 113th Congress, I urge my colleagues to consider our 
Active-Duty service members, our veterans, and their families' needs as 
we legislate. It is my deepest hope addressing those needs will not be 
mired down by partisanship on either side of the aisle.
  In closing, I would like to extend my deepest and most sincere thanks 
to our Active-Duty service men and women, veterans, and their families. 
I thank you for your selfless service, your dedication, your strength 
of character, and your courage. As a nation, we owe you an eternal debt 
of gratitude and appreciation for your innumerable sacrifices on our 
behalf.
  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to 
the outstanding military service of a group of incredible Coloradans. 
These World War II veterans each played a role in defending the world 
from tyranny, truly earning their reputation as the ``greatest 
generation'' through their service and sacrifice. Now, thanks to an 
organization dedicated to honoring these veterans for all they have 
done for us, these great Coloradans came to Washington, DC, to visit 
the National World War II Memorial, to share their experiences with 
later generations and to pay tribute to those who gave their lives. It 
is an honor to have had them here, and I join with all Coloradans in 
thanking them for all they have done for us.
  I also want to say a word about the volunteers from Honor Flight of 
Southern Colorado who made this trip possible. They are great 
Coloradans in their own right, and their mission to bring our southern 
Colorado veterans to Washington, DC, is truly commendable. They have 
been doing great work since their inaugural flight in June 2012, this 
week bringing another group of American heroes to Washington, DC. The 
volunteers of Honor Flight of Southern Colorado believe our veteran 
heroes aren't asking for recognition, but they certainly deserve it. 
This opportunity to come to Washington is just a small token of 
appreciation for those who gave so much.
  I wish to publicly recognize the members of the Southern Colorado 
Honor Flight who visited their Nation's Capital, many seeing for the 
first time the memorials their Nation built as a tribute to their 
selfless service. These are the lucky veterans, the ones who came home. 
Their war memorials also pay tribute to those who have paid the 
ultimate price. Today I honor these Colorado veterans on their visit to 
Washington, DC:
  From the U.S. Army: Adolph Wolff, Jack Traxler, Earl Clark, Leroy 
Jensen, James Beham, and Sherwood Gray; from the U.S. Army Air Corps: 
Howard Casey and Will ``Lew'' Finlaynson; from the U.S. Navy: Raymond 
Feather, Howard Pease, Pete Demario, James Welty, and Clyde Womer; and 
from the U.S. Marine Corps: Jess Masias.
  Our Nation asked a great deal of these individuals: to leave their 
families to fight in unknown lands against a deadly enemy. And each of 
these brave Coloradans bravely answered the call, placing themselves 
between this country and harm. They served our country through 
dangerous times, when democratic nations and ideals around the world 
were threatened, and they saved entire continents from falling to 
fascism and tyranny.
  Please join me in thanking these Colorado veterans and the volunteers 
of Honor Flight of Southern Colorado for their tremendous service to an 
eternally grateful nation.
  Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, we have all paused to remember our 
Nation's veterans this week. This year, the Daniels Scholars wrote 
letters to our country's heroes in uniform. These letters, published in 
Because of you . . . Letters of Gratitude from the 2012 Daniels 
Scholars to the Defenders of American Freedom, are heartwarming.
  The Daniels Scholarship Program was created by a true American 
patriot, Bill Daniels. Bill was awarded the Bronze Star for his service 
in the Navy in World War II. He was called back into service during the 
Korean War. Bill went on to have a tremendously successful career. Due 
to his generosity, young people from Wyoming, Utah, New Mexico, and 
Colorado are selected to be Daniels Scholars. In addition to their 
college tuition and fees, they receive tremendous support and 
encouragement to give back to their communities.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record 
the letter written by Megan Saylor from Casper, WY. May it inspire all 
who read it.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

       Dear Soldier,
       I would like to begin by thanking you from the bottom of my 
     heart for your military service to our country. I'm 
     struggling to find the appropriate words that can explain how 
     thankful I am, but the truth is, there are none. Because of 
     you, I am able to sit in this room and freely express my 
     thoughts and begin my path on to a bright future. You made 
     the sacrifice for me, and now it's my turn to return the 
     favor to you. I may not be able to repay you with what you 
     gave me, my freedom, but I can assure you that I will reach 
     for my dreams. I will be successful. I will make a 
     difference. As a 2012 Daniels Scholar, I will live my life 
     with integrity, honesty, loyalty, character, and I will 
     contribute and give back to my community. All too often, we 
     take for granted our rights and freedoms; we live in the best 
     country in the world and you made that possible. You and your 
     family. Actually, after listening to our speakers from the 
     military, meeting with my friend who just returned from 
     Afghanistan, and now writing this letter to you, my major 
     could be changing. Helping our country's soldiers would be 
     the ultimate way to return the favor. You are an amazing 
     person for what you did for our country. Just know wherever 
     you are, whatever struggle you are going through, just know 
     you aren't forgotten. I'll think about you constantly, 
     praying for you and those who are still fighting, and those 
     who will never return. Because of you, I am living a better 
     life, and I won't disappoint you, my country and my 
     community. Thank you again from the bottom of my heart. Never 
     give up!
       Sending my highest regards, respect, and love, Megan 
     Saylor, Casper, Wyoming.

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