[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Page 12602]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  TRIBUTE TO CAPTAIN STEVEN J. RAIRDON

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I would like to take a minute to 
recognize CPT Steve Rairdon of Leslie County, KY. Captain Rairdon is a 
member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade and participated in commemorating 
the 70th anniversary of the D-day invasion in Normandy, France, last 
month.
  As an airborne soldier, Captain Rairdon understands the indispensable 
role his predecessors--the first soldiers of their kind--played in the 
D-day invasion. In the earliest hours of June 6, 1944, Allied 
paratroopers dropped behind enemy lines in advance of the amphibious 
invasion to disrupt German lines of communication and to secure key 
roads and bridges. The success of their mission proved vital to the 
success of the invasion as a whole.
  By participating in the 70th anniversary ceremonies, which included a 
jump into Normandy, Captain Rairdon and all those who joined him paid a 
wonderful tribute to our veterans who fought 70 years ago. It is these 
acts of remembrance that continue to illuminate the unimaginable 
sacrifices made by the members of the ``greatest generation''. 
Therefore, I ask that my Senate colleagues join me in honoring Captain 
Steve Rairdon.
  The Leslie County News recently published an article detailing 
Captain Rairdon's time spent in Normandy. I ask unanimous consent that 
the full article be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the article was ordered to be printed in 
the Record as follows:

              [From the Leslie County News, July 3, 2014]

 Telling the American Military Story . . . One Service Member at a Time

       Normandy, France.--Army Captain Steven J. Rairdon stands on 
     hallowed ground, as he and hundreds of other American service 
     members are here commemorating the 70th anniversary of the 
     Normandy D-day invasion in 1944 that changed the course of 
     World War II and history. ``Honoring our history, securing 
     our future'' is the reason the American service members are 
     here today. Rairdon is a member of C Company, 173rd Brigade 
     Support Battalion from Vicenza, Italy, and spent 
     approximately a week in the Normandy region, participating in 
     ceremonies and representing the Americans who fought here 70 
     years ago.
       ``I'm extremely honored to have been given the opportunity 
     to jump here. It's very humbling. I'm proud of our American 
     World War II veterans. They made great sacrifices for our 
     nation, and paved the way for today's airborne community. 
     Thank you to all of our veterans and their families for their 
     sacrifices they've made to keep our country and our NATO 
     allies free,'' Rairdon said.
       Soldiers such as Rairdon remain indebted to the veterans 
     whose service demonstrated the selfless actions of the 
     ``greatest generation'' who not only served to protect and 
     defend our nation, but were part of a global force to defend 
     peace and strengthen our ties with an emerging Alliance. The 
     selfless actions by all allies on D-day continue to resonate 
     70 years later as U.S. forces in Europe remain steadfast in 
     our commitment to our European partners and NATO Allies.
       Rairdon is the husband of Myra Sizemore Rairdon, a 1992 
     graduate of Leslie County High School and the son-in-law of 
     former Leslie County Superintendent Tommy Sizemore of Hyden, 
     KY. Rairdon is the son of Steve Rairdon of Dewitt, Iowa, and 
     Theresa Reeves of Tyler, Texas.

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