[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 112 (Monday, July 8, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S4227]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO MIKE FOLAN

 Ms. HASSAN. Mr. President, I am honored to recognize Mike 
Folan of Alton as June's Granite Stater of the Month. Mike is honoring 
the memory of New Hampshire servicemembers through his volunteer 
efforts at the Wright Museum of World War II in Wolfeboro and through 
his work as a high school teacher inspiring the next generation to 
learn about the remarkable sacrifices that Granite Staters who lost 
their lives on D-Day made. His dedication to these efforts is 
particularly important now, as we have just marked the 80th anniversary 
of D-Day.
  During World War II, Mike's father and uncle served in the Navy and 
the Army, and he grew up hearing from veterans who lived in his 
neighborhood about what they experienced during the war. Learning about 
their heroism inspired Mike to study the war and work to honor the 
legacy of these servicemembers.
  At the Wright Museum and at Prospect Mountain High School, Mike has 
helped Granite Staters of all ages learn more about World War II and 
its ongoing significance today. As a docent at the Wright Museum for 
more than 25 years, he helps welcome visitors and answer any questions 
they may have about World War II or the exhibits. Mike has brought what 
he has learned at the museum to his work at Prospect Mountain High 
School, where he has taught social studies for 18 years. Mike first 
learned at the museum that when servicemembers were killed overseas, 
they were often buried immediately without much, if any, knowledge of 
their background or personal history. During the postwar process, a 
series of documents--called an individual deceased personnel file--was 
created for each servicemember. Mike ordered the individual deceased 
personnel files of 10 Granite Staters, including four who died on D-
Day, and gathered 10 students at Prospect Mountain High School who were 
interested in independently researching the lives of the 
servicemembers. The students reconstructed the lives of the Granite 
Staters and honored their memories on the 80th anniversary of D-Day in 
a presentation at the Wright Museum.
  As the daughter of a World War II veteran, I am particularly grateful 
for Mike's mission to honor the legacy of those who served and keep 
their memories alive. I had the pleasure of meeting Mike and some of 
his students earlier this month, after I returned from a bipartisan 
congressional delegation trip to Normandy to commemorate the 
anniversary of D-Day. It was inspiring to hear the students' enthusiasm 
for their projects and what they learned about the war during their 
studies. The students discussed the connection that they felt to the 
men whom they studied and were particularly interested to hear that, on 
our delegation trip, Senator Jeanne Shaheen and I were able to pay our 
respects at the grave of Private First Class Raymond Cole, one of the 
men whom the students studied. It was clear from my conversation with 
the students that Mike's leadership in creating this research project 
sparked even deeper appreciation for everything that servicemembers did 
to win World War II and save the world from Hitler.
  Mike's commitment to honoring the lives of Granite Staters who fought 
for freedom in World War II exemplifies the Granite State spirit of 
recognizing the courage and sacrifice of those who serve. His 
dedication to keeping history alive and inspiring new generations to do 
the same is why I am honored to recognize him as Granite Stater of the 
Month.

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