[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 12034]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        THE GREATEST GENERATION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. McCaul) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. McCAUL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, one of the most monumental battles 
of World War II took place in October of 1944 in the Pacific theater in 
the Battle of Leyte Gulf. One of those heroes who fought on Hell's 
doorstep in this battle was Major Alan McKean. Major McKean served in 
the United States Army and was among the millions of others who 
answered freedom's call in the largest armed conflict in recorded 
history.
  When we consider generations of our past, no one exemplifies the 
essence of America better than those, part of what we now call the 
greatest generation. For this generation of Americans, like Major 
McKean, whose character and resolve was molded by the Great Depression, 
defeating Adolf Hitler and the Axis powers' reign of terror was just 
another call to answer. They performed their duty with honor. It was 
not theirs to question. It was simply expected. We will never forget 
their triumphs, and we will never forget those victories like the 
battle of Leyte Gulf which came at such a great cost. Few causes were 
as worthy. Few prices were as great. Perhaps Winston Churchill said it 
best when he said of this generation, This was their finest hour.
  Men like Major McKean saved an entire world from tyranny and gave 
people the chance to live under flags of freedom by answering the call 
to service. To this day and forever, we recall these heroic deeds and 
we remember and honor those who liberated the world.
  Like the soldiers of America's greatest generation, today's service 
men and women are in distant lands fighting the threat and horror of 
terror by spreading freedom and making our homeland more secure. 
America will continue to honor our past and present military because 
the triumph of its ideals resides in the actions of its heroes. I 
salute Major Alan McKean and all the service men and women who put 
themselves in harm's way so that we may live in freedom.
  May God bless America, may He bless Major Alan McKean and his wife 
Dorothy, and may He hold them in the palm of His hand.

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