[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 19]
[Senate]
[Page 25753]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                TRIBUTE TO NORTH CAROLINA WWII VETERANS

 Mrs. HAGAN. Mr. President, I am proud to recognize a group of 
102 World War II veterans from the Triad region of North Carolina who 
are traveling to Washington, DC, on October 28 to visit the memorials 
and monuments that recognize the sacrifices of our Nation's invaluable 
servicemembers.
  The Triad Flight of Honor sponsored this trip to the Nation's Capital 
for surviving World War II veterans in the Triad area. Our veterans 
will visit the World War II, Korean, Vietnam, and Iwo Jima Memorials.
  This will be the second Triad Flight of Honor trip. The organization 
flew their inaugural group of veterans to Washington, DC, on October 3, 
2009. I had the honor of visiting with that group of veterans when they 
returned to Greensboro, NC. I was joined by my father-in-law, MG (Ret) 
Charles T. Hagan, Jr., U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, a World War II 
veteran, just before he died. Two more Triad flights for the spring of 
2010 have already been scheduled, and hundreds of veterans in the area 
are hoping to participate.
  World War II was the defining period for a generation that bravely 
answered the call to serve our country. Young men and women, driven to 
protect America, enlisted in droves. Unfortunately, too many of those 
brave servicemembers met an untimely death on the battlefields of 
Europe and the South Pacific. More than 400,000 American servicemembers 
were slain during the course of the long war, and over 60 million 
people worldwide were killed, including 40 million civilians. The 
Allied Forces' ultimate victory is a testament to the brave soldiers, 
sailors, airmen, and marines who put their lives on the line to fight 
for liberty and freedom.
  This week, 102 Triad veterans will see the memorials dedicated to 
their service. I thank the Triad Flight of Honor for making these trips 
a reality.
  I ask the Senate to join me in honoring these brave veterans who are 
true North Carolina heroes.

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