[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 14]
[Senate]
[Page 19421]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 TRIBUTE TO WALLACE ``WALLY'' MATTISON

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, Vermonters have a legacy of service 
unmatched in the Nation. While new generations carry on this tradition, 
we continue to owe so much to the bravery of those men and women who 
served in the past. One of the members of this distinguished community 
is Wallace ``Wally'' Mattison, a native of Bennington, VT. Mr. Mattison 
served in the famed 29th Infantry Division, 115th Regiment as a light 
machine gunner. He fought on the frontlines in Normandy and throughout 
Europe from 1943 to 1945, during which time he was wounded. His 
commitment unwavering, he returned to service after his recovery.
  Our State and Nation have praised Mr. Mattison's essential 
contributions, but the recognition of his service extends beyond our 
shores. Earlier this month, France, a country Mr. Mattision helped 
liberate from Nazi control, awarded him with their highest civil and 
military distinction: the Legion of Honor. With the receipt of this 
award, he joins an exclusive group that includes Dwight Eisenhower, 
Douglas MacArthur, and select others who have served and sacrificed on 
behalf of the citizens of France.
  It is impossible to fully express the gratitude I feel for Mr. 
Mattison's service. Vermonters, Americans, and citizens of the world 
owe him a debt that cannot be repaid with words or awards. We can, 
however, share these stories of bravery and sacrifice. That is why 
today I would like to pay tribute to Wallace ``Wally'' Mattison, and I 
ask unanimous consent that a Bennington Banner article highlighting his 
past service and recent receipt of the Legion of Honor, entitled, ``To 
us, you are a true hero,'' be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

              [From the Bennington Banner, Nov. 23, 2017]

                       To Us, You Are a True Hero

                           (By Derek Carson)

       For his service in France in World War II, Wallace 
     ``Wally'' Mattison has been presented with France's highest 
     civil and military distinction.
       Mattison, a resident of Pownal and native of Bennington, 
     was honored on Wednesday by Valery Freland, the Consul 
     General of France in Boston. The ceremony took place at the 
     Vermont Veterans Home. Mattison was incorporated into the 
     29th infantry division, 115th regiment in 1943, and served as 
     a light machine gunner on the front lines of the Normandy 
     invasion before participating in the Battles of Saint Lo and 
     the Battle for Brest, during the latter of which he was shot 
     while advancing on a German garrison. The bullet barely 
     missed is spine. Upon his recovery in 1945, he continued to 
     serve, participating in the capture of several German cities. 
     He later served as a captain and acting chief of the 
     Bennington Police Department.
       Col. Al Faxon, chief operating officer of the Veterans 
     Home, said that there had not been a Legion of Honor ceremony 
     at the home during his tenure there, and he knew of no other 
     recipients from Bennington. Freland said that Mattison was 
     one of fewer than 10 Legion of Honor recipients this year in 
     his district, which covers all of New England.
       The French Legion of Honor was established by Napoleon 
     Bonaparte in 1802. Mattison was honored as a chevalier, or 
     knight, of the order. American recipients of the honor 
     include many who have served France or the ideals it upholds, 
     including Dwight Eisenhower, Douglas MacArthur, and the U.S. 
     Military Academy at West Point as an institution. Today, 
     there are about 93,000 members of the order around the world.
       ``It's such an honor to have this ceremony in our home,'' 
     said Faxon. ``Without our French allies, we probably would 
     not have won the American Revolution . . . The French aided 
     the colonists by providing military personnel, armaments, and 
     loans. King Louis XVI approved financial assistance to the 
     American colonists only four days after Benjamin Franklin and 
     his comrades requested it. Could you imagine getting a bank 
     loan in four days today?''
       ``If you see the king, tell him we said thank you,'' joked 
     Faxon to Freland.
       During the ceremony, Mattison was surrounded by several 
     generations of his family. At first, he was determined to 
     keep a straight face throughout, but after hearing words of 
     praise from Faxon, State Rep. Mary Morrissey, U.S. Sens. 
     Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders, U.S. Rep. Peter Welch, and 
     Gov. Phil Scott, he finally broke down and began to cry. 
     ``You people,'' he said, ``are too good to me.'' When Faxon 
     offered him the opportunity to say a few more words, Mattison 
     declined.
       ``The Mattison family has a long and proud history of 
     dedicated service,'' said Morrissey. ``It was just several 
     months ago that we were honoring Wally's brother Erwin for 
     his 60 years of service with the Bennington Fire Department. 
     Today we honor Wally, a purple heart recipient, for his brave 
     and honorable World War II military service in France.''
       ``Wally's service-above-self model is well-documented, both 
     by his military service to our country and then for his 40 
     years of service for our community, county, and state, as a 
     police officer who rose through the ranks to become a captain 
     and acting police chief,'' she said.
       Morrissey also read the letters from Governor and U.S. 
     Congressional delegation, who she said all expressed their 
     heartfelt regret that they were unable to attend. Leahy asked 
     that a flag be flown over the U.S. Capitol in Mattison's 
     honor: That flag was presented to Mattison, after being 
     folded in the ceremonial fashion by Faxon and Lieutenant 
     Junior Grade Daniel Tifft.
       Mattison will be honored by the Vermont State Legislature 
     when it returns in January.
       Finally, the time came for Freland to present Mattison with 
     the award. Flanked by the U.S. and French flags, the consul 
     general quoted French President Emmanuel Macron's words 
     earlier this year, when he said, ``It is a privilege to be 
     speaking here before you today and I know who I owe that to. 
     I owe it to all those who, a little over 70 years ago, rose 
     up against a barbaric regime which seized my country, France. 
     I owe it to the nations who heard the cry of these resistance 
     fighters and who sent their children, from America, Africa, 
     Oceania and Asia, to French shores to help.
       ``They did not all know what France was, but they knew that 
     defeat for France also meant the defeat of the ideals that 
     they shared, that they were proud of and for which they were 
     willing to die. They knew that their freedom and their values 
     depended on the freedom of other men and women living 
     thousands of kilometers from them.''
       After Freland had finished reciting the lengthy list of 
     honors and awards Mattison had received throughout his 
     military career, Mattison added, ``I got a good conduct 
     medal, too!''
       ``We remember the ultimate sacrifice made by so many of 
     your comrades, who are now laid to rest in France,'' said 
     Freland to Mattison. ``I know you are very modest, but to us, 
     you are a true hero.''
  

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