[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 15589]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      HONORING THE AMERICAN LEGION POST 71 FOR 86 YEARS OF SERVICE

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. MICHAEL C. BURGESS

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, July 24, 2006

  Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today so that I may honor the 
American Legion Post 71 of Denton, Texas as they celebrate their 86th 
Anniversary. For close to a century, the American Legion Post and its 
members have selflessly served thousands of veterans and their families 
throughout North Texas.
  The American Legion, holding a 3 million part membership nationally, 
was chartered by Congress in the aftermath of World War I as a 
``patriotic, mutual-help, war-time veterans' organization.'' Since its 
establishment, the American Legion has sworn ``to uphold and defend the 
Constitution of the United States of America; to maintain law and 
order; to foster and perpetuate a one hundred percent Americanism; to 
preserve the memories and incidents of our associations in the Great 
Wars;'' to promote service and to harvest a healthy sense of community. 
Today there are over 15,000 posts world-wide.
  In celebration of their 86th Anniversary, Post 71 will honor the 
family of Ernest Dallas Jr., a Denton Veteran of the Iraq War, with a 
``Fallen Heroes Memorial Plaque.''
  Mr. Speaker, I applaud American Legion Post 71 for their honorable 
service to our nation and our heroes. I also recognize one of those 
heroes, Ernest Dallas Jr., who lost his life in Iraq not more than a 
year ago. Our nation truly owes a debt of gratitude to him and our 
other fallen soldiers for their admirable and unyielding service to our 
nation.

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