[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 191 (Monday, November 1, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S7536]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO MICHIGAN'S VETERANS

  Ms. STABENOW. Madam President, I rise today to honor all of the brave 
Michigan veterans who have served in our Nation's military.
  When the scourge of slavery threatened to tear our Nation in two, 
Michiganders selflessly marched to war. When fascism rose in Europe, 
Michiganders built an Arsenal of Democracy and kept freedom alive. And 
when terrorists attacked our own country 20 years ago, Michiganders 
stood up and signed up. Over and over again, Michigan men and women 
have served our country to protect our freedoms.
  These veterans all fought different battles and had different 
missions. But all of them were patriots. All of them--and their 
families--made incredible sacrifices. And all of them were willing to 
lay down their own lives to protect their fellow Americans and this 
Nation we love.
  Perhaps there's no better Michigan example of this than Charles S. 
Kettles. Charles was born in Ypsilanti in 1930 and fell in love with 
flying while attending Edison Institute High School in Dearborn. 
Aviation was in his blood; his dad was a military pilot.
  In 1951, Charles was drafted into the Army. He attended Army Aviation 
School and served tours in Korea, Japan, and Thailand. He retired from 
Active Duty in 1956 and continued to serve in the Army Reserves.
  During the Vietnam war, the Army was in desperate need of helicopter 
pilots. So in 1963, Charlie volunteered for active duty and learned to 
fly the UH-1D, ``Huey.''
  Those skills would save lives on May 15, 1967. Then-Major Kettles 
volunteered to lead a flight of six Hueys on a rescue mission.
  Charles's helicopter came under fire, but he kept on flying. After 
the second rescue flight, his helicopter was leaking fuel, and his 
gunner was severely wounded. He found a helicopter that wasn't leaking 
and went back to rescue the stranded men.
  On the way back to the base, he learned that eight troops had been 
left behind. Without a second thought, he returned to the landing zone.
  His helicopter was hit by gunfire and a mortar round. Yet somehow, 
Charles made it back to the landing zone, picked up the stranded 
troops, and brought them safely back to the base. In total, he saved 44 
lives that day.
  Typically, the Medal of Honor must be awarded within 5 years of the 
heroic act. But this kind of heroism has no expiration date. In 2015, I 
introduced legislation with Senator Gary Peters and Congresswoman 
Debbie Dingell to allow Charles to receive the Medal of Honor. In 2016, 
he did.
  And earlier this year, it was an incredible honor to be there when 
the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Ann Arbor was renamed after 
Charles. Lieutenant Colonel Kettles saved lives back in 1967, and the 
Lieutenant Colonel Charles S. Kettles VA Medical Center is saving lives 
today.
  ``We got the 44 out,'' he said during his Medal of Honor ceremony in 
2016. ``None of those names appear on the wall in Washington. There's 
nothing more important than that.''
  Humility, a spirit of service, and the willingness to sacrifice. 
Michigan's veterans have done so much for us. It is our solemn duty to 
keep each and every promise we have made to them.
  Thank you.

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