[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 8879]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    CELEBRATING THE DEDICATION OF THE VETERANS FREEDOM FLAG MONUMENT

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JIM JORDAN

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 20, 2010

  Mr. JORDAN of Ohio. Madam Speaker, it is with great pride that I 
commend to the House the dedication of the Veterans Freedom Flag 
Monument in Lima, Ohio.
  Twenty-five feet high and 36 feet long, this unique, five-panel 
monument is the largest free-standing American flag in the nation. It 
pays rich tribute to the more than 43 million veterans who have 
sacrificed for the many freedoms we enjoy.
  The idea for the monument dates back to 2002, with design bids 
solicited the following year. Ground was broken and construction 
commenced in 2007, with much of the work performed by volunteers of all 
ages working regardless of weather conditions.
  Appropriately, it sits on land adjacent to Lima's Joint Systems 
Manufacturing Center, where so many have worked since World War II to 
provide cutting-edge military equipment to our armed forces. This land 
was leased in part from the Norfolk Southern Corporation and the 
General Dynamics Corporation, which operates JSMC for the federal 
government.
  Members of United Auto Workers Local 2075 at JSMC spearheaded 
construction efforts and worked diligently to raise money for this 
important project.
  Madam Speaker, the UAW will host a dedication ceremony at the 
monument this Saturday, when it will be formally accepted into the 
Johnny Appleseed Metropolitan Park District. On behalf of the Fourth 
Congressional District of Ohio, I congratulate the monument committee 
and everyone else who aided in construction and fundraising to make 
this fitting tribute to our veterans a reality.

                          ____________________