William L. Clay: “Mr. Speaker, it is never too late to honor someone who has done a great deed for our Nation. Harry W. Colmery should be…”

“Mr. Speaker, it is never too late to honor someone who has done a great deed for our Nation. Harry W. Colmery should be honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom because millions of Americans are better off today as a result of his vision and the hard work he put in to making his dream a reality. After returning from duty in the Air Service during World War I, Mr. Colmery was struck by the financial and emotional hardships he and his fellow veterans encountered when they returned home. These hardships included trouble adjusting to civilian life and the inability to find adequate jobs. Holding a law degree and therefore in better shape than most veterans, Mr. Colmery immediately became involved in the newly formed American Legion, where he helped fellow veterans who were less fortunate than he was. He held several legion posts before being named National Commander in 1936. As more and more young men were drafted into service during World War II, Harry Colmery began to think of his own experiences and how he could improve the lives of American veterans when they returned from war.”