Political Quotes

“I rise today in honor and celebration of the 60th anniversary of Israel's founding and pay tribute to a man who contributed greatly to the freedom and democracy enjoyed both by Israel and the United States. Marvin Belkin enlisted in the U.S. Army at the age of 18 to fight in World War II, and by the age of 19 he was a bomber captain. Ultimately, he flew 51 combat missions over the South Pacific until his plane was shot down on New Year's Day in 1945, when he was subsequently taken prisoner. He was a prisoner of war until August of 1945 when the hostilities with Japan ended. In 1947, Marvin answered the call again and volunteered to travel to Palestine to help support the formation of the State of Israel. In Palestine, Marvin worked to establish the ground school of the Israeli Air Force. He remained in Israel through the War of Independence, playing an active role in training the new Israeli Air Force pilots. Upon returning to the United States in 1949, Marvin was again called back into military service as an instructor during the Korean War. Marvin Belkin's commitment to Israel and the United States is symbolic of the relationship shared by our two nations and his service should be commended, for without it, we may not be here today to celebrate Israel's independence. To all the citizens of Israel, I wish you a great happy birthday. I look forward to the continued growth and strengthening of our relationship with you, our ally and our friend.”