[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 118 (Tuesday, September 10, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1276]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


  HONORING THE VETERANS OF THE SEPTEMBER 10, 2013 EASTERN IOWA HONOR 
                                 FLIGHT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DAVID LOEBSACK

                                of iowa

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 10, 2013

  Mr. LOEBSACK. Mr. Speaker, today, over eighty-five Iowa World War II 
and Korean War veterans will travel to our nation's capital. 
Accompanied by volunteer guardians, they will visit the monuments that 
were built in their honor.
  For many, today will be the first time they will see the National 
World War II Memorial and the Korean War Veterans Memorial. On behalf 
of every Iowan I represent, I thank these heroes for their service to 
our nation and pay tribute to the incredible sacrifice that they made 
for our country.
  This trip was made possible by the dedicated workforce at Quaker 
Oats' Cedar Rapids facility who raised all of the funds necessary to 
send these heroes to the nation's capital. The generosity of the Quaker 
Oats' workforce and those who donated to this effort demonstrates 
Iowans' commitment to honoring those who have served our nation in 
uniform.
  Iowans know that we owe our veterans a debt of gratitude. As a 
reminder of the service and sacrifice of the Greatest Generation, I am 
proud to have a piece of marble in my office from the quarry that was 
used to build the World War II Memorial. Our World War II and Korean 
War veterans rose to defend not just our nation, but the freedoms, 
democracy, and values that make our country the greatest nation on 
earth. They did so as one people and one country. Their sacrifices and 
determination in the face of great threats to our way of life are both 
humbling and inspiring.
  The sheer magnitude of what the Greatest Generation accomplished, not 
just in war but in the peace that followed, continues to inspire us 
today. Their generation and our country did not seek to be tested both 
abroad by a war that fundamentally challenged our way of life and at 
home by the Great Depression and the rebuilding of our economy that 
followed. But, when called upon to do so, the Greatest Generation 
defended and then rebuilt our nation to make it even stronger. Their 
patriotism, service, and sacrifice not only defined their generation--
they stand as a testament to the fortitude of our nation and the 
American people. Their legacy endures today.
  I am tremendously proud to welcome the Eastern Iowa Honor Flight and 
Iowa's veterans of the Second World War and the Korean War to our 
nation's capital today. On behalf of every Iowan I represent, I thank 
them for their service to our country.

                          ____________________