[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Pages 7823-7824]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO CHARLES E. BULLOCK

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I rise to congratulate and pay tribute 
to an honored Kentuckian, Mr. Charles E. Bullock. Mr. Bullock is a 
veteran of World War II who enlisted in the Army after the attack on 
Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. But Mr. Bullock was a student at the 
old Hazel Green High School at the time. He missed his senior year 
because he was stationed in Europe fighting the Nazis. Mr. Bullock had 
gone from studying history to making it.
  More than 70 years after putting on his country's uniform, Mr. 
Bullock received his high school diploma at long last from the Laurel 
County Board of Education at a meeting of that organization. This proud 
veteran and recipient of the Bronze Star received a warm, heartfelt 
round of applause from the assembled audience twice--once upon 
receiving his diploma, and again as he left the room.
  I want to congratulate Mr. Bullock, 88, on receiving his diploma, and 
I thank him for his service to our Nation in uniform. This country owes 
him a debt that can never be truly repaid, for his valiant fight 
against the Axis Powers during World War II. It is appropriate as we 
approach Memorial Day that every American reflect on the freedoms we 
cherish and that Mr. Bullock fought to defend. I know my colleagues 
join me when I extend my deepest gratitude and appreciation to Mr. 
Charles E. Bullock in praise of his service.
  An article detailing Mr. Bullock's receipt of his high school diploma 
appeared in the area newspaper the Sentinel-Echo. I ask unanimous 
consent that said article be printed in the Record following my 
remarks.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

World War II Veteran Receives High School Diploma--Bullock Joined Army 
                     in Wake of Pearl Harbor Attack

                          (By R. Scott Belzer)

       Charles E. Bullock, 88, didn't know he would not finish his 
     senior year of high school at Hazel Green in 1942. He also 
     didn't know he would have to wait more than 70 years to 
     receive his high school diploma.
       Bullock--a World War II veteran--was honored on Monday at 
     the bi-weekly meeting of

[[Page 7824]]

     the Laurel County Board of Education with an official Laurel 
     County high school diploma, 73 years after enlistment and 
     deployment cut his high school career short.
       ``After the attack on December 7, 1941, many young men 
     enlisted in the armed services to soldier on behalf of their 
     country,'' said Dr. Doug Bennett, superintendent of Laurel 
     County Schools. ``Some of the young men were high school 
     students aged 17 or 18 who left their high school studies 
     before graduation in order to enlist. We're pleased to have 
     one of those young men with us this evening.''
       Bennett went on to laud Bullock's choice to leave Hazel 
     Green High School to fight in World War II, stating that 
     Bullock chose to be a part of history rather than study it.
       ``He was called to fight and protect the freedoms we enjoy 
     today,'' Bennett said. ``No longer was he reading about 
     history but became part of making history on the front 
     lines.''
       Bennett said that Bullock represented the best and highest 
     ideals of Laurel County and was glad to be a part of his 
     formal recognition.
       ``I appreciate what you men have done,'' Bullock said. 
     ``They took me out my senior year of Hazel Green High School 
     because I wasn't in my second semester. They took six of us 
     out of the high school and put us in the army. Three months 
     later we were fighting in Belgium, France and Germany.''
       Bullock said he stayed in the army until the war was over 
     in 1945. He was awarded a Bronze Star, a medal awarded for 
     acts of heroism, meritorious achievement or meritorious 
     service within a combat zone. The medal, unfortunately, was 
     another thing he had to wait for.
       ``I never got it when I came out,'' said Bullock. ``The 
     dischargers said `You can wait and get your medals, it'll 
     only take 15 days,' and I said, `I'm going home.' About 70 
     years later I got so mad about some things going on and went 
     before Congressman Hal Rogers and he said he'd help me and he 
     did.''
       School board member Joe Schenkenfelder quoted Ronald Reagan 
     in 1983 to end the presentation.
       ``I've been thinking about this all day and I finally found 
     a quote--so often we don't know why we recognize our veterans 
     or why we send men and women out to fight for our country,'' 
     said Schenkenfelder. ``I thought this was very fitting: 
     `Freedom is never more than one generation away from 
     extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the 
     bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected and handed down 
     for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset 
     years telling our children and our children's children what 
     it was once like in the United States where men were free.'''

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