May 26, 2004

     Americans will gather this Memorial Day to somberly remember a new generation of heroes and proudly honor the service and sacrifice of those who have fought to defend our country.

 

     This Memorial Day weekend will be especially memorable for WWII veterans and the families of WWII veterans.   In 1993 Congress authorized a National World War II Memorial to be established in Washington, DC to honor those who served and died in World War II.  Saturday, May 29, 2004, will mark an important day for our nation’s “Greatest Generation,” as the dedication of the World War II Memorial will take place 60 years after the war officially ended.

 

     As we pay tribute to all fallen soldiers, we pray for a safe return of the men and women who are on the battlefield, overseas and in hostile territory. Over the past two years, five families from the district I represent have lost their sons in Iraq and Afghanistan:

 

Staff Sergeant Brian Thomas Craig died in Afghanistan on April 15, 2002,
 

Sergeant Keelan Moss died in Iraq on November 2, 2003,
 

Private First Class Armando Soriano died in Iraq on February 1, 2004,
 

Private First Class Leroy Sandoval Jr. died in Iraq on March 26, 2004,
 

Sergeant Gregory Wahl died in Iraq on May 3, 2004.
 

     No words can express our gratitude for the sacrifices these young men made to defend our country. The men and women who have given their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan are heroes, and we will forever be grateful for their sacrifice.  

 

     As this Memorial Day approaches, I ask my fellow Americans to join me in remembering those who have served, those who are serving, and those who have given their lives serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

 

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