Jerry Moran: “on the last Monday in May, our Nation sets aside the day to remember, honor, and pay respects to those who have made the…”

“on the last Monday in May, our Nation sets aside the day to remember, honor, and pay respects to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in our Nation's military. Flags are flown at cemeteries, and families visit the graves and war memorials. They are sharing and reliving memories of the ones we have lost. This Memorial Day will be different for the family of U.S. Army SGT John O. Herrick. Nearly 80 years ago, Sergeant Herrick was killed off the coast of Normandy, and his body was never identified. The ending to his story was left unwritten until earlier this year, when his family received word that their soldier would soon be coming home 80 years later. During World War II, Sergeant Herrick was assigned to Company B of the 149th Engineer Combat Battalion in the European theatre. He was on board Landing Craft Infantry 92, alongside 200 other servicemembers on the way to Omaha Beach, when the craft was hit by an underwater mine. Everyone on board was killed. At the tender age of 19, on June 6, 1944, during the D-day landings, Sergeant Herrick paid the ultimate sacrifice for our Nation's freedom. Sergeant Herrick--a young boy from a small town, Allen, with a population of about 100--is memorialized on the Normandy American Cemetery's Walls of the Missing. When I was there, I saw his name.…”