On the recordMarch 17, 2011
I rise today in honor of a man who gave his life serving the United States of America in World War II. LT Jay Frederick Simpson was a pilot with the ``Mighty Eighth'' Air Force of the U.S. Army Air Corps. On January 9, 1944, Lieutenant Simpson's mission was to test fly a Thunderbolt P-47 over Moreton, England. But something went wrong. His plane caught fire and flipped over in the air. As the P-47 hurtled to the ground, witnesses say Lieutenant Simpson managed to guide it away from nearby homes, avoiding certain casualties. Instead that P-47 crashed in a nearby field, killing the 27-year-old pilot. Today, LT Jay Simpson is still celebrated as a hero in England. In fact, you can find a memorial to him in that grassy field. But for three generations following Lieutenant Simpson's death, his heroism was overlooked by his own country. Until a year and a half ago. That is when a young man in Billings, MT, started doing some research. With help from his father and his grandfather, 14-year-old James Simpson discovered that his great-grandfather Jay never received the recognition he earned as a fallen American hero. Young Jim Simpson wrote me a letter, saying proper recognition of his great-grandfather's service and sacrifice would bring about much needed closure for his family. Indeed, honoring our heroes brings about much needed closure for all Americans.…
