Kevin Roberts: “I rise today to recognize a distinguished group of World War II veterans from Kansas who are now visiting their Nation's…”

“I rise today to recognize a distinguished group of World War II veterans from Kansas who are now visiting their Nation's Capital this week as part of the Honor Flight Network. The Honor Flight Network is an organization with the main mission to give veterans the opportunity to visit their memorials on the National Mall, free of cost to the veteran. The veterans who participate are many times unsung heroes of World War II, and in many cases their remembrances and their stories are shared for the first time and become public for the first time for families and hometowns. In many cases, young people traveling with these veterans hear the stories and can put the stories of these famous battles that protected our country in their local newspapers and in their school newspapers. It is history--it is history shared, lessons learned, and certainly renewed thanks to the ``greatest generation.'' Many of these veterans are in their eighties and nineties. There are fewer than 20,000 World War II veterans in Kansas. As time marches on, that number only decreases. Nationwide, the VA estimates that approximately 740 members of the ``greatest generation'' pass each day. So I am especially pleased that this Tuesday a group of 28 veterans will fly in to our Nation's Capital from Kansas to see their World War II memorial, and other memorials, and allow us the privilege to pay homage to their heroism.…”