[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 10]
[Senate]
[Page 13425]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING THE KEEP THE SPIRIT OF '45 ALIVE COALITION AND BRIGADIER 
                        GENERAL JAMES B. THAYER

  Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, as our Nation commemorates the 70th 
anniversary of the end of World War II, I would like to recognize and 
honor the achievements of the Keep the Spirit of '45 Alive coalition, 
as well as the remarkable legacy of BG James B. Thayer, Sr. I am proud 
to speak today in recognition of the devotion exhibited by the Oregon 
Spirit of '45 organization, and by one of Oregon's finest.
  Over the past 5 years, the Keep the Spirit of '45 coalition has been 
instrumental in convincing Congress, and various State legislatures, to 
designate an annual Spirit of '45 Day in August. I am incredibly proud 
that Oregon is our Nation's first State to legislate a permanent State 
Spirit of '45 Day to honor the valiant men and women who served on the 
battlefields and on America's home front. However, I am even more proud 
of Governor Brown's recent decision to designate the week of August 9-
16 to be WWII 70th Anniversary Spirit of '45 Commemorative Week, a 
period of profound appreciation and reflection for the actions of a 
truly inspirational generation.
  It has been wonderful to witness the hard work of Oregon's Spirit of 
'45 organization this year. From six performances across the State by 
Oregon's 234th Army Band to wreath laying ceremonies, all of the events 
took an extraordinary amount of planning and initiative. Oregon has 
truly developed a unique State plan to commemorate the end of WWII; a 
plan that not only involves an unprecedented concert tour, but that 
also includes a worldwide tribute coordinated with WWII allies. I also 
look forward to what is unfolding on the national level: the flyovers 
by WWII aircraft, the swing dances and concerts, and the performance of 
``Taps'' during a wreath laying ceremony that will bring many great 
Nations together. Across Oregon and the United States, younger 
generations will truly appreciate our Nation's successful efforts to 
defend freedom worldwide, as well as the 70th anniversary of VJ Day--
which marked the end of the conflict on August 14, 1945.
  As I recognize the efforts of the Keep the Spirit of '45 Alive 
coalition, I must also express my gratitude for General Thayer, who 
serves as the coalition's ground forces spokesperson in Oregon. He has 
served as a guiding force behind the Spirit of '45 organization in 
Oregon. The recipient of numerous military awards, including the Silver 
and Bronze Stars, General Thayer helped save the lives of over 15,000 
Hungarian Jewish refugees. But his legacy does not end there. Following 
his heroic liberation of the Nazi Death Camp Gunskirchen-Lager, General 
Thayer served in the Oregon State Defense Force, eventually ascending 
to the rank of commander. His willingness to serve his country after 
WWII, and work his way through the ranks, as well as his distinguished 
civilian career, speaks highly of his character.
  It is our Nation's responsibility to ensure that the men and women 
who stand by our country are honored for their individual and 
collective sacrifices. Observing the Spirit of '45 Day begins the 
process of properly commemorating the sacrifices of our Nation's 
veterans and home front, at a time when democracy and human rights were 
threatened around the world.
  It is also an opportunity for us to remember the shared sacrifice, 
commitment to service to community and country, and national unity of 
our WWII generation so that their example will continue to inspire 
future generations of Americans, especially the youth of our country.

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