[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 79 (Thursday, June 6, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Page S3971]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     SIXTY-NINTH ANNIVERSARY OF D-DAY AND THE HONOR FLIGHT PROGRAM

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, today is the 69th anniversary of the D-
day invasion. On June 6, 1944, 160,000 allied troops landed along a 50-
mile stretch of heavily fortified French coastline in a surprise attack 
against the forces of Nazi Germany. The cost was exceedingly high--more 
than 9,000 allied soldiers were killed or wounded that day--but the 
Normandy invasion was the beginning of a successful conclusion of the 
war.
  I am also honored to recognize the distinguished group of World War 
II veterans from my home State of Kentucky who have made the trip to 
our Nation's Capital today--appropriately enough on D-day--to visit the 
National World War II Memorial on the Mall. This memorial celebrates 
their service, as well as the service of the brave warriors who landed 
on Normandy Beach, and every man and woman in uniform who fought to 
defend freedom in World War II.
  This group includes 26 veterans who were able to make the trip to see 
their memorial thanks to the Honor Flight Program. The Bluegrass 
Chapter of Honor Flight has brought over 1,000 veterans, most of them 
from Kentucky, to Washington, DC for this purpose. This program 
provides transportation, lodging, and food for the veterans. Without 
Honor Flight many of these veterans would never be able to visit the 
Capitol or see the World War II Memorial.
  As have many of my colleagues, I have been privileged to visit with 
groups of Honor Flight veterans on several occasions before, and I am 
pleased to report that I will be meeting with today's group at the 
Memorial as well. My father served in World War II. He got there after 
D-day and after the Battle of the Bulge. He was there from March of 
1945 through the end of war when we were pushing the Germans back into 
their own country. I wish he had lived long enough to have had an 
opportunity to visit the World War II Memorial. I know it would have 
meant a lot to him, as it does to today's surviving veterans.
  As World War II recedes further into the past, sadly, we are losing 
more of these living legends. We have just had to say goodbye to our 
friend Senator Frank Lautenberg, the last World War II veteran to serve 
in this body. The passage of time makes it all the more important to 
thank these heroes for their service before it is too late.
  Today is a perfect occasion to do just that, and I look forward to 
meeting this group of courageous Kentucky veterans from towns such as 
Owensboro, Hartford, Louisville, Covington, Berksville, Lexington, 
Springfield, Mount Washington, and Taylorsville.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.

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