Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an exceptional veteran in my hometown of Fresno, California, Albert Henderson. In this photo, Albert Henderson and I are here at the veterans home in Fresno, a wonderful facility that provides a continuum of care for those men and women who served our Nation over the years. Albert has an incredible story. He is one of the last living survivors of the USS Bismarck Sea, which sank 75 years ago this month during a World War II battle on the island of Iwo Jima. We all know of that historic battle that took place on Iwo Jima. His is a story of survival, and it is a remarkable one. He joined the Navy as a cook at the age of 17. After learning of the attack on Pearl Harbor, like many Americans who decided to selflessly do everything they could to protect our country, he began his military journey on the USS Bismarck Sea as a chef second class, where he often speaks of the difficulties of preparing food for such a large group of folks. As the ship made its way to the Philippines in 1944, its fate was sealed when it was struck by two Japanese kamikaze pilots. In the kitchen at the time of the attack, Albert made it topside only to discover that all the life rafts and preservers were taken by other members of the crew. He spent more than 4 hours struggling to stay afloat in the choppy waters of the Pacific Ocean, praying for God's help to survive after being rescued by a passing U.S. Navy motorboat.…”