[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 169 (Thursday, October 24, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S6154]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO MICHIGAN'S VETERANS

 Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, today I wish to pay special 
tribute to the more than 580,000 Michigan residents who have proudly 
served in our Nation's Armed Forces.
  For as long as Michigan has been a State and even before, our people 
have heard the call to serve and bravely stepped up. From the War of 
1812 to Vietnam, from the Civil War to today's fight against terrorism, 
time and again the people of Michigan have proudly worn the uniform and 
proven their deep sense of patriotism.
  Sergeant Don Burgett of Howell was one of these people. His story 
really could be a major motion picture.
  Imagine landing in Normandy on D-day as a 19-year-old, parachuting 
into the Netherlands for Operation Market Garden, fighting behind 
German lines for 72 days, surviving the Battle of the Bulge, and 
helping to capture Hitler's retreat in Germany.
  Sergeant Burgett lost two rifles when they were shot out of his 
hands, was wounded three times, and wrote four highly acclaimed books 
about his experience, one of which received rave reviews from both 
President Dwight D. Eisenhower and historian and author Stephen E. 
Ambrose.
  Of 200 soldiers in his original company, only 11 made it home. 
Sergeant Burgett was very lucky--and so was Michigan. He returned to 
Howell and kept on serving his fellow veterans and his community as an 
active member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, 
Disabled American Veterans, and the Military Order of the Cooties. He 
passed away in 2017 at age 91.
  I was so honored to champion the legislation that renamed the Howell 
Post Office after Sergeant Burgett and to be there during the renaming 
ceremony this past June. It was touching to see just how big of an 
impact one veteran can have on an entire community.
  Sergeant Burgett isn't alone. His story is just one of so many 
examples all across Michigan of veterans serving their communities.
  Whether it is North Oakland VFW Post 334 donating more than $13,000 
to the VFW National Home for Children in Eaton Rapids, which serves the 
children and families of veterans; or the Grand Haven American Legion 
Squadron 28's annual Salmon Boil Dinner, which supports local charities 
and events, including Boys and Girls State; or Amvets members hiking 22 
miles from Howard City to Big Rapids to bring awareness to veterans 
suicide and to connect veterans with services and support 
organizations; or Disabled American Veterans in Detroit hosting a job 
fair to help veterans and their spouses find jobs with employers who 
understand their sacrifice; or the Student Veterans of America 
University of Michigan chapter's dedication to volunteering, including 
at Food Gatherers Community Kitchen in Ann Arbor, when Michigan 
veterans hang up their military uniform, they often put on another, 
whether as coach, teacher, police officer, paramedic, firefighter, 
elected official, or community volunteer. These patriots understand 
that service isn't something you do just once. Instead, it is a way of 
living, and this way of living benefits us all.
  Today and every day, we salute Michigan's veterans and thank them for 
their service, both in our military and in our communities. They truly 
are what makes America great. Thank you.

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