:: To be so Grateful ::
The memoir starts simply: “I am 77
years old and in the process of writing my life story. This story is
written mostly for my two sons and my grandchildren so they and
future generations may know about the times in which I lived and
some of the events that shaped my life.
For almost 60 years my life has been something of a storm and heavy
emotional toll. But the many and diverse people throughout my life
have made the course worthwhile. In this story, I hope to recapture
people, times, and places and experiences in my life along with the
family I was born into that I think might be interesting to someone
else.
Because I have had an unusual life, I hope to leave some recording
of where I've been and what I've done. I alone can validate how I
lived because I am custodian of my story and that story is
perishable. Sometimes I wish I could stand back and be more detached
from this story. My memories have exacted a heavy toll on my own
personal life and still do.
In this writing I am taking parts from my memoir so you can realize
the anxiety, the fear, and the heartbreak that so many of us felt at
the time. I am relying a great deal on personal memory. Although I
pride myself on recall, I know others may remember events in other
ways. I have found that out by conflicting stories I've read in so
many histories of World War II. Of all my memories, there are two
that cannot be disputed because I was there and almost 60 years
later, they are as vivid as though they happened yesterday. I'm sure
there is no such thing as ultimate forgetting. Traces once impressed
upon one's memory are indestructible and often recalled.”
The memoir continues to tell the story of Bruce Fenchel, beginning
at age eighteen, who fought all five of the major battles of Europe
under the command of General Patton. Blasted in a tank explosion at
Chaumont, he hung onto a gas truck with frozen hands long enough to
be dropped at a Belgian family home and pub, where he was hidden in
the attic. After fierce battles at Bastogne and the Rhine River, he
witnessed terrifying sites of torture apparatus and death when his
division liberated the Ohrdurf Concentration Camp. Years later he
would return to Germany to witness the very places he had liberated.
Bruce Fenchel’s recollections are just one of thousands captured in
the Library of Congress’ Veterans History Project. This unique
project, which I am proud to sponsor, is designed to develop a
national collection to capture the experiences of war veterans from
all service branches.
In a world that is quick to dismiss the
experiences of others in pursuit of the adventure of tomorrow, there
is no better way to honor and give thanks to our nation’s veterans
than to have their personal experiences recorded as part of the
permanent historical record of our nation. The Veterans History
Project collects and preserves audio- and video-recorded oral
histories from America’s war veterans and those who served in
support of them, along with other first-hand materials such as
memoirs, photographs, diaries, and letters. The project also
presents an online National Registry of Service listing the names of
all individuals from whom the Veterans History Project has received
oral histories.
When Congress created this project, it imagined broad public
involvement - with grandchildren interviewing their grandparents,
students talking with veterans and home-front supporters in the
community, veterans interviewing each other, and libraries, museums,
and civic groups starting their own projects. To date, over 800
national, state, and local organizations have been named Official
Partners of the Veterans History Project.
Please join me in helping to ensure that the stories of Virginia’s
Fourth District veterans are preserved in this important project. If
you are a member of a veterans association, military installation,
library, or museum, please encourage your organization to become an
Official Partner by agreeing to assist in promoting the project,
encouraging volunteers, and developing public programs that support
the program’s objectives. If you know a war veteran please consider
interviewing them for this important national project.
Instructions and guidelines for your participation are available at
my website,
http://randyforbes.house.gov, or by calling the Veterans History
Project at 1-888-371-5848.
Bruce Fenchel ends his memoir as simply as it started: “All this
has helped me to accept the reality I saw as a boy of eighteen and
coming out a seasoned veteran before my 21st birthday. I should be
so grateful.” In actuality, however, it is us that should be so
grateful. And we are.
*Photo courtesy of Bruce Fenchel. Pictured: Fenchel with a fellow
soldier during his time of duty.
:: First Step in Securing Our Border ::
This Thursday marked a promising step
forward in the battle for immigration reform. President Bush signed
the Secure Fence Act into law, authorizing the construction of 700
miles of fencing along the border. In addition to this physical
fencing, the Secure Fence Act authorizes the Department of Homeland
Security to modernize the border by increasing the use of advanced
technology like cameras, satellites, and unmanned aerial vehicles.
In a time where securing our border is vital to our nation’s overall
security, we need to take a common-sense approach towards finding a
solution. I believe one of the first ways to do that is to secure
our southern border with a protective barrier. I am pleased that
Congress, along with the President, has made this small but
important step towards achieving one of our goals in immigration
reform.
The federal government has a responsibility to make sure we know who
is coming into our country, and securing our borders is the first
step in doing so. But it doesn’t stop here. There much is more to
do, and just as you demanded action in securing our borders with a
fence, I encourage you to continue to contact me with your concerns
on immigration reform by visiting my website
http://randyforbes.house.gov. |
ON
THE HILL ....
|
Current
Floor Proceedings
Bills
Coming Up This Week
Monthly
Whip Calendar |
OFFICE
LOCATIONS ....
|
307 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
202.225.6365
505 Independence Pkwy, Suite 104
Chesapeake, VA 23320
757.382.0080
2903 Boulevard, Suite B
Colonial Heights, VA 23834
804.526.4969
425 H. South Main Street
Emporia, VA 23847
434.634.5575
|
|