[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 7858-7859]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 IN RECOGNITION OF THE DEDICATION OF THE NEW BEDFORD WOMEN'S MILITARY 
                                MEMORIAL

                                  _____
                                 

                        HON. WILLIAM R. KEATING

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 13, 2014

  Mr. KEATING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the New Bedford 
Women's Military Memorial, which was dedicated on May 10 at Fort Taber 
in New Bedford.
  This monument is located in the City of New Bedford to honor all 
women in military service from the Revolutionary War to the present 
day, and it is only the second such memorial in Massachusetts. Since 
the founding of our nation, women have served our country with courage, 
patriotism, and selflessness in times of peace and in times of war. In 
addition to their service, these women have fulfilled many other roles, 
including as mothers, sisters, daughters, wives, and of course, 
friends.

[[Page 7859]]

  Although women were not officially recognized in the Armed Forces 
until the founding of the Army Nurse Corps in 1901, countless women 
have served our country both directly and indirectly throughout our 
history. One of the earliest examples is Deborah Samson Gannett of 
Massachusetts who, in spite of her gender, enlisted to serve in the 
Army during the Revolutionary War, using her deceased brother's name as 
an alias. Since then, countless women have contributed to the U.S. 
Armed Forces as nurses, water bearers, cooks, and even saboteurs, 
helping to ensure our freedom. They served at home and abroad, during 
times of peace and on the battlefield, and were essential in helping to 
shape our great nation over the centuries. The New Bedford Military 
Memorial aptly honors these women and the many sacrifices they made.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to recognize the New Bedford Women's Military 
Memorial. I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing our women in 
service, as well as the dedicated individuals who have worked for two 
years to make this memorial a reality.

                          ____________________