Press Release-Etheridge Legislation Honoring Father of the Airborne Soars Through Committee

News Release
Congressman Bob Etheridge
North Carolina

July 21, 2004

Contact: Sara Lang
Phone: (202) 225-4531

Etheridge Legislation Honoring Father of the Airborne Soars Through Committee

WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge's (D-Lillington) legislation to re-name the Dunn Post Office the "General William Carey Lee Post Office," in honor of a Dunn native and the Father of the Airborne, was approved today by the U.S. House Committee on Government Reform. The next step for the legislation, which was approved unanimously by the committee, will be the House floor.

"I am pleased that the committee passed this legislation honoring the Father of our Airborne and moved it one step closer to the House floor," Etheridge said. "General William Carey Lee embodied the North Carolina values that we hold dear, a can-do spirit, courage, conviction, faith in God and love of family. His contributions to our nation and the world are immeasurable, and I hope Congress will act quickly to pass this legislation recognizing a true American hero."

William Carey Lee was born in Dunn on March 12, 1895 and served in Europe during World War I. In the 1930s he saw firsthand the innovations the Germans were making with parachute and glider troops and returned stateside to develop a test platoon of paratroopers. By the end of 1942, this group had become the Airborne Command headquartered at Fort Bragg, and the 82nd and the 101st airborne divisions had been formed. Major General Lee was the first commanding general of the new 101st Airborne.

After a year of rigorous training, General Lee and his paratroopers departed for England to fight in World War II. Just as the Division was making its final preparations for the invasion of Normandy, General Lee suffered a stroke that forced him to step down from his command. On D-Day the men of the 101st Airborne Division yelled "Bill Lee" as they jumped from their planes and into combat as a tribute to their former commander. The courage of Lee's men is legendary, and they have been immortalized as the "Band of Brothers" in the bestselling book by Stephen Ambrose and the HBO miniseries.

The Dunn community honors General Lee each year with a week-long celebration in June. The General William C. Lee Airborne Museum in Dunn also honors his life and legacy.