[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 18]
[Senate]
[Page 25089]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS-

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                   TRIBUTE TO LOUISIANA WWII VETERANS

 Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I am proud to honor a group of 92 
World War II veterans from all over Louisiana who travelled to 
Washington, DC, on October 10 to visit the various memorials and 
monuments that recognize the sacrifices of our Nation's invaluable 
servicemembers.
  Louisiana HonorAir, a group based in Lafayette, LA, sponsored this 
trip to the Nation's Capital. The organization is honoring surviving 
World War II Louisiana veterans by giving them an opportunity to see 
the memorials dedicated to their service. The veterans visited the 
World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and Iwo Jima Memorials. They also 
traveled to Arlington National Cemetery.
  This was the second of three flights Louisiana HonorAir made to 
Washington, DC, this fall. It is the 19th flight to depart from 
Louisiana, which has sent more HonorAir flights than any other State to 
the Nation's Capital.
  World War II was one of America's greatest triumphs but was also a 
conflict rife with individual sacrifice and tragedy. More than 60 
million people worldwide were killed, including 40 million civilians, 
and more than 400,000 American servicemembers were slain during the 
long war. The ultimate victory over enemies in the Pacific and in 
Europe is a testament to the valor of American soldiers, sailors, 
airmen, and marines. The years 1941 to 1945 also witnessed an 
unprecedented mobilization of domestic industry, which supplied our 
military on two distant fronts.
  In Louisiana, there remain today about 30,000 living WWII veterans, 
and each one has a heroic tale of achieving the noble victory of 
freedom over tyranny. This group had 36 veterans who served in the U.S. 
Army, 14 in the Army Air Corps, 34 in the Navy, 4 in the Marine Corps, 
one in the Merchant Marines, one in the Coast Guard, and 2 were a part 
of Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Services, WAVES.
  Our heroes, many of them from South Louisiana, trekked the world for 
their country. They fought in Germany, Holland, France, Italy, Africa, 
Guam, Bougainville, Guadalcanal, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, the Philippines, 
New Guinea, Japan, and Saipan. Their journeys included the invasions of 
North Africa, Sicily, and Normandy.
  One of our Army Air Corps was held as a prisoner of war after his 
aircraft was shot down over Germany. Three other Army veterans fought 
bravely in the Battle of the Bulge, all three receiving a Purple Heart 
and one receiving three Bronze stars for his service.
  One Navy veteran earned 10 medals for his service in the Pacific. An 
Army Air Corps veteran served in 20 combat missions in Europe between 
1942 and 1955. Another Navy veteran was present for the surrender at 
Tokyo Bay in 1945.
  One Navy veteran was serving in Pearl Harbor during the infamous 
Japanese attack in 1941. Eight veterans received Purple Hearts and five 
of them were held as prisoners of war.
  I am also proud to acknowledge that of the 92 veterans who visited 
Washington this past weekend, 2 were women who served our country with 
honor and distinction during World War II.
  I ask the Senate to join me in honoring these 92 veterans, all 
Louisiana heroes, who visited Washington, and Louisiana HonorAir for 
making these trips a reality.

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