Haley Stevens: “I would like to just discuss some of the memories I have of this great Senator. It is a matter of coincidence, I guess…”

“I would like to just discuss some of the memories I have of this great Senator. It is a matter of coincidence, I guess, but Senator Thurmond came to the Senate by appointment on December 24, 1954. I came to the Senate by appointment on December 24, 1968. When I came to the Senate, Senator Thurmond was 22d in seniority. It is an interesting thing that he is now the first in line, and, on our side, I am now the second. A great many people have come to the Senate, and left, since the first day that I came to the Senate and joined Senator Thurmond. But it was with great interest that I met him because I read a great deal about the Senator from South Carolina prior to coming to the Senate. As a matter of history, I was trained to fly gliders in World War II and firmly expected to be deployed to the European theater, when I was reassigned into the China theater, and did not ever get to tow gliders into combat. But I did train to tow them. And I was very interested to find out that Senator Thurmond was one of those who led part of our forces flying a glider into the invasion in June 1944.”