[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 61 (Wednesday, April 6, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E359-E360]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 MICHIGAN WORLD WAR II LEGACY MEMORIAL

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. ANDY LEVIN

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, April 6, 2022

  Mr. LEVIN of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 
groundbreaking of the Michigan World War II (WWII) Legacy Memorial, 
which will take place in Royal Oak, Michigan on April 7, 2022.
  This effort has been a fifteen-year labor of love for a dedicated 
group of volunteers, many of whom had family members who served in the 
military, including in World War II, and some who are veterans 
themselves. In 2007, Honor Flight Michigan began providing one-day 
trips to Washington, D.C. to allow World War II veterans to visit the 
national World War II Memorial on the National Mall. Between 2007 and 
2010, Honor Flight Michigan operated 33 flights, ensuring that all 
1,400 veterans on its waiting list made the trip to our nation's 
capital. The group then committed itself to creating a memorial in 
Michigan. Its intent is best described in the words of the organization 
itself: ``The Michigan WWII Legacy

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Memorial will serve as a place to gather, remember, and inspire. It is 
a memorial designed with the desire to engage the community and educate 
future generations on the vision, values, and heroic efforts of the 
Greatest Generation.''
  The organization chose Royal Oak as the location for the memorial 
because of its central location in the heart of Southeast Michigan, and 
with the strong support of the City of Royal Oak to host the memorial 
at Memorial Park on Woodward Avenue and Thirteen Mile Road. The 
memorial has been designed to be educational and interactive and as a 
center of community activities as well as serving as a place for 
contemplation and remembrance.
  This week, after fifteen years of work, ground will be broken for the 
construction of this important tribute to a defining point in history 
and to the vital contributions millions of Americans made to the 
essential cause of winning World War II. So many people have played 
important roles in guiding this project to this significant day, and it 
would be impossible to name all of them. But I would like to recognize 
the Board of Directors of the Michigan World War II Legacy Memorial for 
their efforts: President John Maten, Vice-President Chris Graveline, 
Secretary Kim Jones, Treasurer J. Michael Mastentuono; board members 
Debi Hollis, Russell Levine, Judy Maten, Ryan Friedrichs and Molly 
Gale; and Honorary Director Retired Air Force Lt. Col. Alexander 
Jefferson who served in the legendary Tuskegee Airmen. I would also 
like to recognize two members of the board who sadly passed away before 
this occasion: Michael Cameron and former Oakland County Executive L. 
Brooks Patterson.
  Madam Speaker, I invite my colleagues to join me in celebrating the 
groundbreaking of the Michigan World War II Legacy Memorial, which I 
have no doubt will be viewed as a jewel in Southeast Michigan, and in 
congratulating all those who made vital contributions to this truly 
momentous occasion.

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