[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 14]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 19918]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



   CONGRATULATING MONTGOMERY COUNTY VETERANS OF THE NORMANDY INVASION

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                       HON. CONSTANCE A. MORELLA

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 26, 2000

  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor and congratulate the 
Montgomery County, Maryland veterans who participated in the Invasion 
of Normandy during World War II. Many of the veterans who took part in 
that courageous assault have never before been recognized for their 
valor. This evening, I will be handing out medals at American Legion 
Post #268 in Wheaton, Maryland that symbolize our district and our 
country's thanks for their heroism on the beaches of Normandy.
  Over 56 years ago, the greatest seaborne invasion the world had ever 
seen commenced on June 6, 1944. The German army had established a 
strong line of defense, and Allied forces took heavy losses but their 
determination and valor enabled these soldiers to persevere under the 
most harrowing conditions. For the next 87 days, soldiers from 
Montgomery County, Maryland joined forces with our allies to expel the 
Nazi occupiers and liberate Europe.
  Their supreme efforts ultimately destroyed Nazi Germany and paved the 
way for democracy and freedom to spread throughout Europe and the 
world. Their success did not come without a price. Over 9,300 men 
including 33 pairs of brothers and a father and son lost their lives in 
the Normandy invasion. These soldiers never knew what their service 
meant to America and the rest of the world. They never saw America 
become the prosperous country that has championed the notions of 
liberty, democracy, and equality. They never had the opportunity to see 
a world that has departed from the factionalism and distrust that 
marred the 20th century's first fifty years. But their service is not 
forgotten. The medal that I am presenting today is a reminder that the 
people who you fought for remember your sacrifice and the sacrifice of 
those that did not return from Europe.
  The citizens of Normandy had this medal struck to commemorate the 
50th anniversary of the invasion. The Medal of the Jubilee of Liberty 
was originally presented to the veterans that were able to return for 
the 1994 ceremony. Many of the soldiers who fought there were unable to 
attend, and so the people of Normandy allowed these medals to be given 
out in an appropriate ceremony. Today, we honor the Montgomery County 
veterans that were instrumental in securing our freedom. Their actions 
not only made America the leader of the free world but demonstrated the 
fortitude of democratic nations in surmounting evil and tyranny and 
establishing peace throughout the world.
  Those being recognized this evening are Nicholas Caime, Mortimer 
Caplin, George Copley, Norman Creel, Louis Davids, Donald Foor, David 
Goldberg, Albert Gruber, John D. Fitzgerald, John Hardy, Peter Hayes, 
Roy Hickman, Robert Higgins, Cornelius Holden, Paul Lamb, Elroy Lovett, 
Thomas McDermitt, Howard J. Moore, William Perryman, Alvin Reiner, 
Philip Shepsle, Ira Shoemaker, John Smith, Peter Violante, and Norbert 
Young.

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