[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 8]
[Senate]
[Pages 10425-10426]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           MEMORIAL DAY 2008

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, in observance of Memorial Day this 
year, I had the distinct honor of meeting a group of World War II 
veterans from Kentucky who had traveled to our Nation's Capital to see 
the World War II Memorial. A couple of the veterans, by the way, told 
me this was their first trip to Washington.
  This memorial, completed in 2004, is a fitting tribute to the 
millions of Americans--some who returned home, some who did not--who 
put on their country's uniform to fight the greatest and most 
destructive war the world had ever seen. The awe the memorial inspires 
reminds us all why this group of patriots is called the ``greatest 
generation.''
  The 35 Kentucky World War II veterans I met were able to travel to 
Washington thanks to the nonprofit organization Honor Flight, which 
transports World War II veterans from anywhere in the country to see 
their memorial, free of charge. Many veterans, for physical or 
financial reasons, are unable to make the trip on their own, and so 
without Honor Flight they would not get the chance to visit the 
memorial created for them and their fellow fighters at all.
  About 36,500 World War II veterans live in Kentucky today, with about 
2.5 million throughout the country. Unfortunately, that number shrinks 
each day as time advances for these brave warriors. Honor Flight and 
its volunteers, many of whom are veterans themselves, are doing a great 
service for our Nation by making it possible for these veterans to make 
this important trip.
  So this Memorial Day, I hope everyone says thank you to a man or 
woman who wore the uniform. We should remember the bravery of those who 
made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. And while most of us will 
never know the heroism shown by the World War II veterans I was 
privileged to meet, we can marvel at the courage shown every day by our 
current generation of heroes serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
  I mentioned to the veterans from Kentucky yesterday my own father who 
served in Europe during World War II, who arrived after the Battle of 
the Bulge and was in the conflict from about March of 1945 forward, 
until he met with the Russians at Pilsen, which I believe is now in the 
Czech Republic. I mentioned to them that I have a letter he wrote to my 
mother. There were a number of letters, but this particular one is 
etched in my memory because it is dated May 8, 1945.
  Underneath the date he wrote ``V-E Day,'' so they were calling it 
Victory in Europe Day even then. He had seen some very severe fighting 
and lost a great many of his company, and one could sense the elation 
in his voice that the conflict was now ended.
  But then there was a subsequent letter I thought was quite prophetic, 
particularly for a regular foot soldier who was not an officer. He had 
a chance to interact with some of the Russians because they met the 
Russians in Pilsen. He said to my mother: I think the Russians are 
going to be a big problem down the way.
  So it was interesting that there was this sense, even to the foot 
soldiers, that our alliance with the Soviet Union was a short-term 
marriage of convenience and might subsequently be a big problem down 
the road. Of course, his prophecy was proven accurate.
  While in Pilsen, he got a chance to befriend some Czechs, and I have 
some letters that were exchanged with friends from what was then 
Czechoslovakia. He told me that all of those letters stopped a couple 
years later when the Iron Curtain descended across Europe and he was 
unable to communicate further with any of the Czech friends he made. I 
share that story of my own father on Memorial Day for my colleagues.
  In closing, I would mention that the particular flight from Kentucky 
yesterday was dedicated to the memory of John Polivka, who had planned 
to be on the trip. He was a World War II veteran who planned to be on 
the trip but who passed away on Monday, May 19, just this week. So the 
veterans dedicated their Honor Flight to Washington to their colleague 
whom they had hoped would be able to join them. Even though there was 
great sadness over his loss, there was great joy in being able to 
witness the World War II Memorial which symbolizes their extraordinary 
contribution to our country.
  I ask unanimous consent that names of the World War II veterans who 
were here this week be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                         World War II Veterans

       Homer Brown, Jr.; Joseph Raley; James Thomas; George 
     Coffey; Charles Hanson; Donovan Chard; Bernie Carr; William 
     Pickerill; Robert Barrow; Robert Davis; Gainey ``Ed'' Sipes; 
     Emmett Leezer; Charles Mauer; Leroy Faber; Russell Harrison; 
     Morell Milroy; Blue Lynch; George Wolford; Norman Inman; 
     Frank Godbey; John Toy; Burnett Napier; Bobby Barker; Oscar 
     La Fontaine; Joel O'Brien, Jr.; Louis Tracy; Garnett Clark; 
     Joseph McFadden; Earl Wieting; Woodrow Bryant; Raymond 
     Roggenkamp; Robert Weixler, Sr.; Richard Lewis; Thomas 
     Shields; and Joseph Pottinger.

                     Directors of the Honor Flight

       Brian Duffy, Jean Duffy, William Garwood, James T. 
     MacDonald, and Robert Hendrickson.

     This Honor Flight was dedicated to the memory of John 
     Polivka, who passed away on Monday, May 19th.

  Mr. McCONNELL. I conclude by saying they were indeed the best of the 
``greatest generation.''

[[Page 10426]]

  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Rhode Island.

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