Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Sergeant Jack Coleman Cook of Hot Springs, Arkansas, for his heroic actions in World War II. Sergeant Cook was a ball turret gunner on a B- 17 Flying Fortress named the Challenger. On February 3, 1945, the 384th Bomb Group participated in a mission over Berlin. During the mission, the Challenger was hit by flak, damaging multiple engines, gas tanks, and the fuselage, but left the crew unharmed. On the return journey home, the plane began losing altitude and crash-landed in the frigid North Sea. The crewmembers abandoned the aircraft and boarded two life rafts but became separated. Navigator Edward Field, a crewmember who stayed in the water, began to push his raft towards the other raft but became numb and said that he could no longer hold on. Sergeant Cook got into the water so the crew's navigator could get out of the cold sea and take his spot in the raft. The sergeant then swam for 45 minutes until they reached the second raft. Shortly afterward, air-sea rescue located the crew, but Sergeant Cook had little life left in him, and he passed away on the boat. It is with great gratitude and respect that I honor Jack Coleman Cook. Sergeant Cook is a true American hero. He selflessly gave his life for his fellow man, and for this, we remember him more than 70 years later. ____________________”