[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 90 (Wednesday, May 24, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H4561-H4563]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
MEMORIAL DAY
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of
January 3, 2017, the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Biggs) is recognized
for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader.
General Leave
Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have
5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on the topic of this Special Order.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Arizona?
There was no objection.
Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Speaker, on Monday we observe Memorial Day to honor
members of America's Armed Forces who have died in service to our
Nation. For those who have lost a loved one, a friend, a neighbor, or a
comrade, this day has added significance, remembrance, and sadness.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr.
Thompson).
Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for
yielding.
Mr. Speaker, many of us in this House will attend Memorial Day
ceremonies over the weekend as we honor those who have died in the
service to this great Nation.
Certainly, in this office, one of the more difficult but one of the
most honored opportunities is to be at the grave site of our fallen
heroes as they are laid to rest and that American flag, which flies
over our Capitol, is draped over their coffin.
On this Memorial Day, I really want to highlight my brother-in-law,
Larry Emerman, who in the fall of 1980, in the service of this country
as a pilot in the United States Navy as a lieutenant commander, lost
his life in the service of our Nation.
Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday of May. Memorial Day is
one of America's most solemn occasions. The tradition of Memorial Day
dates back to 1864 in Boalsburg, Pennsylvania, which is considered to
be the birthplace of Memorial Day. Three ladies decorated the graves of
fallen Civil War soldiers, and the custom has continued every year
since then.
It was an early fall day, in 1864, when Emma Hunter and her friend,
Sophie Keller, picked flowers and went to the old cemetery to lay them
on the grave of Emma's father, Reuben Hunter. Dr. Hunter was a young
Boalsburg doctor at the time of the Civil War. When he volunteered to
serve with the Army of the North, he was assigned to the hospital in
Baltimore. In addition to attending the wounded soldiers, he also cared
for the men who had contracted yellow fever while fighting in the
southern swamplands. Dr. Hunter became ill. He died of yellow fever,
and his body was buried in the Boalsburg Cemetery.
On their way that day in that early fall, the two girls met Mrs.
Elizabeth Myers, whose young son, Amos, had been killed the last day of
the Battle of Gettysburg and was also buried in the old cemetery.
Learning where the girls were going, Mrs. Myers asked to join them.
They shared the flowers, and they placed them on both graves. It was
decided then and there that they would meet the following year with
flowers for all who had died in the Civil War. The three young women
told their friends of the plans, and when the day came around, most of
the villagers joined them.
From that simple beginning came the observance of Memorial Day in
Boalsburg, Pennsylvania. Every year since then, the people have met on
the Diamond in Boalsburg Square for the walk to the old cemetery to lay
flowers on the graves of all the soldiers dead.
They are led by a hometown band. All ages join in the walk and
participate in the simple service of remembering. I have been proud to
participate in that tradition which has spanned more than 150 years.
Boalsburg still puts on a traditional Memorial Day celebration
complete with a parade, a community walk to the cemetery, speeches,
military reenactments, and much more.
On Memorial Day, communities across the country will pay tribute to
our fallen veterans who never returned home. Many of us will gather
with family members, friends, and neighbors as we keep those we lost in
our hearts.
Unfortunately, for many of our Nation, Memorial Day has become a day
of picnics and family gatherings, which is not a bad thing, but we must
always remember truly where Memorial Day came from and its purpose,
that we not forget those sacrifices.
So as we raise the Stars and Stripes and as we lay wreaths at the
monuments, memorials, and cemeteries, let us remember that our freedom
is thanks to those who have died in sacrifice. We celebrate Memorial
Day in honor of so many who are no longer with us. May God bless them,
and certainly God bless the United States of America.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Arizona for his leadership
and putting this opportunity today for us to gather on the floor to
speak on the topic of not just Memorial Day but the service and the
sacrifice that warranted its origination.
Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his comments.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter).
Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for
yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Memorial Day on May 29, 2017.
On this day, Americans across our Nation pay respects to and honor
members of the U.S. Armed Forces who have sacrificed their lives
defending the freedoms that we so gratefully enjoy.
The decision to leave families and friends, travel to a land that is
utterly unfamiliar, and risk their lives protecting the lives of others
is among the most selfless acts one can make.
Roughly 1.5 million Americans are currently serving in one of the
five branches of the Armed Forces. Of these Americans, nearly 90,000
are assigned to one of Georgia's numerous military bases which are
scattered throughout our great State.
Georgia's First Congressional District that I have the honor and
privilege of representing is particularly important to our Nation's
Armed Forces as it includes Fort Stewart Army Base, Hunter Army
Airfield, Kings Bay Naval Base, and Moody Air Force Base.
The service provided by our Nation's armed services is invaluable.
Throughout our history, millions have paid the ultimate price for
freedom--they have given their lives in order to save ours. I ask that
you please keep these brave men and women in your prayers, not only on
Memorial Day but every day.
It is an honor to represent a State and a district with such a strong
tie to our Nation's defense. I ask that you pray for our troops, and I
ask that you pray for our Nation. God bless each and every one of you
as we observe this great Memorial Day. God bless America.
{time} 1830
Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield to my colleague from
North Carolina (Mr. Hudson).
Mr. HUDSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today because this week is All
American Week, the annual celebration of the 82nd Airborne Division's
mission and the paratroopers who serve to uphold it.
Based in my district at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, the 82nd Airborne
Division is the Nation's Global Response
[[Page H4562]]
Force and can mobilize, load, and strike in a moment's notice. These
rapid reaction forces put the ``air'' in airborne and are absolutely
vital to our national security.
This year marks the division's 100th anniversary, and it is a special
time for us to celebrate its incredible history as America's Guard of
Honor.
Since its inception, the 82nd Airborne Division has played a role in
every major U.S. conflict around the world. It was nicknamed the ``All
American Division'' because of the unique and diverse group of soldiers
who came together to form the division from all across the United
States.
As the Representative of Fort Bragg in Congress, I am so proud of the
82nd Airborne's legacy, of our paratroopers and their families. They
put country before self, and we are so grateful.
I will continue to work to ensure this critical installation remains
the epicenter of the universe and the tip of the spear guaranteeing our
national security.
As we celebrate All American Week this week, I ask my fellow
Americans to join me in praying for servicemembers stationed at Fort
Bragg who are currently deployed and for their families here at home.
We also remember our veterans who served in the 82nd Airborne
Division, particularly those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Today's
paratroopers stand on the shoulders of these giants.
Airborne, all the way.
Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Speaker, each Memorial Day, a newspaper in my State,
the Arizona Republic, publishes one particular letter to remind its
readers of the sacrifice our soldiers made in defense of their country.
The letter is written by Sullivan Ballou to his wife on July 14, 1861.
Sullivan was a major in the Union Army, 32 years old, and about to
enter the first battle of Bull Run. A little more than a week later,
almost 3,000 Union soldiers had perished, including Sullivan.
Major Sullivan's letter reads as follows: ``My very dear Sarah: The
indications are very strong that we shall move in a few days--perhaps
tomorrow. Lest I should not be able to write again, I feel impelled to
write a few lines that may fall under your eye when I shall be no more.
. . .
``I have no misgivings about, or lack of confidence in the cause in
which I am engaged, and my courage does not halt or falter. I know how
strongly American civilization now leans on the triumph of the
government and how great a debt we owe to those who went before us
through the blood and sufferings of the Revolution. And I am willing--
perfectly willing--to lay down all my joys in this life to help
maintain this government and to pay that debt. . . .
``Sarah, my love for you is deathless. It seems to bind me with
mighty cables that nothing but omnipotence could break; and yet my love
of country comes over me like a strong wind and bears me unresistibly
on with all these chains to the battlefield. The memories of the
blissful moments I have spent with you come creeping over me, and I
feel most gratified to God and to you that I have enjoyed them for so
long. And hard it is for me to give them up and burn to ashes the hopes
of future years, when, God willing, we might still have lived and loved
together, and seen our sons grow up to honorable manhood around us.
``I have, I know, but few and small claims upon Divine Providence,
but something whispers to me--perhaps it is the wafted prayer of my
little Edgar--that I shall return to my loved ones unharmed. If I do
not, my dear Sarah, never forget how much I love you, and when my last
breath escapes me on the battlefield, it will whisper your name.
``Forgive my many faults and the many pains I have caused you. How
thoughtless and foolish I have oftentimes been. How gladly would I wash
out with my tears every little spot upon your happiness. . . .
``But, O Sarah, if the dead can come back to this Earth and flit
unseen around those they loved, I shall always be near you; in the
gladdest days and in the darkest nights . . . always, always, and if
there be a soft breeze upon your check, it shall be my breath, as the
cool air fans your throbbing temple, it shall be my spirit passing by.
``Sarah, do not mourn me dead; think I am gone and wait for thee, for
we shall meet again.''
So closes Major Ballou's letter.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield to my colleague, the gentleman
from Virginia (Mr. Brat).
Mr. BRAT. Mr. Speaker, first I would like to thank my very good
friend from Arizona (Mr. Biggs), first of all, for his moving testimony
on behalf of the greatest folks who ever served our Nation and for
arranging this Special Order to honor the valiant men and women that
serve our country every day.
While most of America views Memorial Day, rightly, as the official
start of summer vacations and cookouts, which we all enjoy, I hope we
also do not forget to pause and remember the men and women who give the
full, last measure of devotion serving our country. It is a day to
remember those who died defending the freedoms we hold dear and
acknowledge the debt of gratitude we owe to our servicemembers and
their loved ones. This weekend, we stop to mourn so many of our heroes
who served: brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers, aunts and uncles
who never came home.
National cemeteries often serve as the final resting place for those
who served our country. Founded by President Lincoln and enacted by
Congress in 1862, today you can find these cemeteries tucked away in
communities across America. Too often the history and stories they hold
remain untold or forgotten.
In 1867, Culpeper National Cemetery was established and is located in
my congressional district. Earlier this month, a 23-year-old young man
was laid to rest there.
U.S. Army Sergeant Cameron Thomas grew up in Ohio, but his family
later made Culpeper, Virginia, home. I was proud to see so many members
of the Culpeper community lining the streets holding American flags to
honor Sergeant Thomas.
At the age of 19, Sergeant Thomas became one of the youngest soldiers
to ever earn the Ranger designation. On his fifth deployment, he was
killed in action on April 27 in Afghanistan during a night raid on a
remote ISIS stronghold that resulted in killing the head of ISIS in
Afghanistan.
Family members and friends described him as a man who lived with
intention and determination. He believed anything worth doing was worth
overdoing and that moderation is for cowards. He was a man who knew his
mission and served our country with distinction.
Sergeant Cameron Thomas represented the best of our armed services.
He loved his family, passionately served his country, and will be a
soldier we honor and cherish for the rest of our Nation's history.
Mr. Speaker, I want to again thank the gentleman from Arizona (Mr.
Biggs) for doing this service for our country.
Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Speaker, I am going to take a moment to give
recognition to a special veteran from my district who is 90 years old
and is a World War II veteran, who worked in the U.S. Navy during World
War II and saw many trips across the Pacific Ocean and endured the life
of a sailor, sometimes monotonous and sometimes under very perilous
circumstances, including at least one attack by kamikazes of his ship
and convoy.
I pay special tribute at this time to Wayne Whitlock, who has
persevered for many years after service to his country in that great
war.
Mr. Speaker, I am also reminded tonight of President Abraham
Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. As President Lincoln looked out on a
battlefield that had experienced almost 50,000 casualties, he said:
``The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but
it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living,
rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who
fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be
here dedicated to the great task remaining before us--that from these
honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they
gave the last full measure of devotion--that we here highly resolve
that these dead shall not have died in vain--that this Nation, under
God, shall have a new birth of freedom--and that government of the
people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the
Earth.''
[[Page H4563]]
Mr. Speaker, very few of us in this Chamber will be remembered long
after we leave Washington, D.C. Almost no one will remember my speech
tonight, and it will soon become lost in the Congressional Record. Yet
we are here in this body because of the heroic efforts of men and women
who have given their lives for this country for over 200 years. We can
never forget their sacrifices.
The only reason we can participate in the activities of this Chamber
is because of the sacrifices of our Armed Forces, particularly those
who have paid the ultimate price. They have nobly defended our freedoms
and our way of life up to their last measure of devotion. They left
behind fathers, mothers, wives, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters,
friends, and communities to ensure that future generations walk in the
light of liberty.
President Lincoln was resolved that those soldiers shall not have
died in vain. They and all the soldiers who have died defending
American wars and conflicts still deserve that respect and dignity.
Mr. Speaker, we should govern every day with our heroes in mind. We
should strive to make them proud of our speech, our actions, and our
commitment to our promises. The American Dream, spirit, and
Constitution that they fought for should be our charge.
I would be remiss tonight if I did not mention the loved ones these
patriots left behind, who are also patriotic. Countless men, women, and
children have watched their American soldiers walk away from home,
hoping that they will return safely, unaffected physically, mentally,
and emotionally. Sadly, many of those heroes never make it home.
Knowing that no words can do justice to their sacrifices, I can only
say: Thank you. A grateful nation mourns with your loss.
Mr. Speaker, Monday may be the official observance of Memorial Day,
but we live with the memory of our fallen heroes every day across our
country. I am eternally grateful for their sacrifices.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
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