Max Baucus: “George Washington once said: The willingness of future generations to serve in our military will be directly dependent…”

“George Washington once said: The willingness of future generations to serve in our military will be directly dependent upon how we have treated those we have served in the past. Tomorrow, 95 World War II veterans will fly from Montana to Washington to see their memorial with their own eyes for the first time. This trip is made possible by the Big Sky Honor Flight Program. Their mission is to recognize American veterans by flying them to Washington, DC, to see their memorials at no cost. These veterans, and the volunteers who helped send them here, say a lot about what makes the United States of America the greatest country on Earth. Who are these veterans? Their average age is 90. They hail from all parts of our State--from Plentywood to Superior, from Miles City to Libby, and many places in between. Each veteran has a story to tell. Shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Bill Smith left his job as an accountant in Billings and volunteered to fly B 24 Liberator bombers with the 466th Bomb Group. Bill went on to fly 30 missions over Europe from 1943 to 1945. He rose through the ranks and eventually took command of an entire crew. On a typical day, Bill and his crew would rise at 4 a.m., eat a quick breakfast, and receive a mission brief. As crew commander, Bill was responsible for seeing to it that the bomber safely navigated enemy airspace, accomplished its mission on time and on target, and returned to base safely.…”