[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Page 6912]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         SALUTING OUR VETERANS

  Mr. MANCHIN. Mr. President, I am filled with so much pride every time 
I meet our military veterans who come to the Nation's capital to visit 
the memorials built to honor them and to commemorate the wars in which 
they served so courageously.
  Today, 31 veterans from West Virginia, representing three generations 
of warriors, are here to see the memorials that commemorate their 
sacrifice and valor and for a special ceremony honoring World War II 
veterans.
  And on the occasion of their visit, I want to express my deepest 
gratitude to these special men who helped keep America free and made 
the world safer for liberty-loving people across our country and beyond 
our borders.
  I also want to say how much I appreciate the Honor Flight Network, 
which, since 2005, has arranged for World War II, Korea and Vietnam 
veterans from all over the country to visit the memorials in 
Washington--free of any cost to the veterans.
  In West Virginia, the driving forces behind the Honor Flight Network 
are the Denver Foundation and Little Buddy Radio, located in Princeton. 
These nonprofits were founded by Bob Denver--also known as ``Gilligan'' 
from the iconic television show ``Gilligan's Island''--and his wife, 
Dreama, a West Virginia native.
  But it was Charlie Thomas Richardson, the Operations Manager at 
Little Buddy Radio, who got the ball rolling in West Virginia. He 
introduced the Honor Flight Network to our State, building on the 
organization established in 2005 by Earl Morse, a physician assistant 
and retired Air Force Captain in Springfield, OH, to honor the veterans 
he had cared for.
  The 31 veterans from West Virginia visiting Washington today came 
from Pocahontas, Raleigh, Greenbrier, Mercer, Giles, Wyoming, Nicholas, 
Fayette and Marion counties.
  They range in age from 63 to 94. And while their step has slowed, 
their spirit is keen, their pride is undiminished, and their patriotism 
is unbridled.
  Eleven served in World War II, one in World War II and Korea, 10 in 
Korea, one in Korea and Vietnam, four in Vietnam, and two in all three 
wars.
  Two other veterans are serving as escorts for the group, along with 
three high school ROTC cadets.
  These brave West Virginians served this great country in a wide 
variety of ways--as a B-24 pilot over Italy in World War II; in a heavy 
mortar company at ``Heartbreak Ridge'' in Korea; as a helicopter door 
gunner in Vietnam.
  They stitched up wounds in hospitals; they assembled bombs; they 
inspected combat aircraft; they operated radios and radars; they 
cooked; and they built roads through jungles and bridges over rivers.
  They won the Bronze Star, the Soldier's Medal, the Purple Heart and 
Presidential Citations. Some were lieutenants, some sergeants, some 
corporals. Some served abroad, some stateside.
  But they all served this great country. No matter the war, no matter 
the rank, no matter the duty, everyone of them answered America's call. 
In our time of need, they stepped forward and said, ``I'll do it--I'll 
protect this country.''
  These heroic West Virginians came to Washington to tour our beautiful 
Capitol, the World War II Memorial, the Korean War Memorial and the 
Vietnam War Memorial.
  But the tour of the World War II Memorial is a little different than 
in the past. On the third Always Free Honor Flight in less than a year, 
the visit will include a special ceremony called ``Flags of Our 
Heroes'' to honor World War II veterans who passed away before they 
could ever see their memorial.
  Sadly, we are losing World War II veterans at the rate of 
approximately 800 per day--members of what we have come to recognize, 
and rightly so, as the ``Greatest Generation.''
  This generation of Americans was united by a common purpose and by 
common values--duty, honor, courage, service, integrity, love of family 
and country. And their triumph over tyranny will be remembered forever.
  The ``Flags of Our Heroes'' ceremony involves taking a photograph of 
an American flag with a family photo of the deceased veteran in front 
of the Memorial. The photo and an Honor Flight certificate will then be 
presented to the family--a way to show this Nation's respect and regard 
for their hero.
  This is such a fitting gesture because, at the northern end of the 
World War II Memorial, the words of General George Marshall are 
inscribed, and they are well worth remembering every time we salute our 
veterans and every time this Nation prepares for war: ``Our flag will 
be recognized throughout the world as a symbol of freedom on the one 
hand and overwhelming force on the other.''
  May it ever be so, and may God bless the United States of America and 
all the men and women who keep us free.

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