On the recordFebruary 25, 2013
I'm honored to stand here today and say a few words about one of my personal heroes and friends, and one of America's greatest patriots, Sam Johnson. This month is cause for celebration as it marks 40 years since nearly 600 American POWs, including Congressman Johnson, stepped foot on American soil after enduring years of captivity during the Vietnam war. Many of us couldn't endure for one day what Sam Johnson endured for 7 years, much less endure it with unbreakable strength, unending faith in God, and constant hope that this incredible man has. His captors knew him as a die hard, one of the few POWs who refused to give in and cooperate with their anti-American propaganda. His fellow American prisoners knew him as a leader, one whose spirit could not be broken, whether he was in leg stocks or solitary confinement, for 4 years. And his family knew him as their hero, a man who loved serving his country and was willing to sacrifice his life in defense of freedom. I'm honored to know him as a friend. Throughout his 29-year career in the Air Force, he earned many distinguished decorations, awards, and merits. But for those who have had the pleasure of sitting at the dinner table with Sam, you know those years were also filled with laughter and antics. After all, he did fly with the legendary Thunderbirds before the FAA existed. Men like Sam Johnson are what have made our military great--and our country--the greatest force on Earth.…
