[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 193 (Wednesday, December 4, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1532]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                CELEBRATING GEORGE HYAK'S 100TH BIRTHDAY

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                           HON. MICHAEL CLOUD

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 4, 2019

  Mr. CLOUD. Madam Speaker, I rise today to wish Mr. George Hyak, of 
Victoria, Texas, a heartfelt happy 100th birthday and thank him for his 
service to our country.
  George is an example of a life well-lived. He and his precious bride 
Sarah met at church as young teens. They kept in touch with handwritten 
notes while he was deployed a few short years later. Their love has 
lasted for decades--February marked 71 years of marriage and brought 
them two children, six grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, and one 
great-great-grandson. George also co-founded Dicks Food Stores in 1938, 
which his family still operates to this day in my hometown of Victoria. 
His family recalls that from a young age as one of six children, he 
worked to help provide for his family. Throughout his life, George has 
worked with diligence and integrity and in service to others.
  George was drafted in 1942 into the Army VIII Corps under General 
Troy Middleton. Two years into his service, June 6, 1944, became a day 
that not only shaped George's life but the course of our entire nation 
and indeed the world. George joined more than 160,000 troops on D-Day 
as the Allies launched the largest seaborne invasion in history. In the 
words of Winston Churchill, the operation was ``undoubtedly the most 
complicated and difficult that has ever occurred.'' Starting as an 
infantryman, George landed on the beaches of Normandy with the second 
wave of troops and took on enemy fire. Mr. Hyak risked his life to help 
turn the tide of the war in Europe, which ultimately led to its 
liberation.
  What's more, he also bravely fought at the Battle of the Bulge and 
was one of the first in the group to invade Ohrdruf, a German 
concentration camp. As the war in Europe was coming to a close, George 
was in Frankfurt, Germany, awaiting orders to deploy for the invasion 
of Japan. I can imagine the emotions they must have felt when they 
heard the war was finally over--and instead they'd be headed home.
  When George returned home, he continued to operate Dick's Food 
Stores. The longevity of the establishment earned it the Texas 
Historical Commission's Texas Treasure Business Award. It's an honor 
bestowed on businesses for providing employment opportunities and 
boosting the state's economy for at least 50 years.
  George continues to bless the lives of those who've come to know him, 
whether a fellow soldier or friend. As we look to celebrate 
Thanksgiving, we as a nation have a lot to be thankful for. George is 
one of them. May Mr. Hyak's life serve as a reminder of the price that 
he and others like him paid for our freedom.
  God has always had a plan for Mr. Hyak, and for us today George 
Hyak's life paints a picture of sacrifice and duty that we can all 
learn from. I join his friends and family in celebrating 100 years and 
thanking him for his service to our nation. Happy 100th Birthday, 
George.

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