Recognizing General Jozef Haller's ``Blue Army'' Veterans
Floor Speech
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. BERGMAN. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to recognize General Jozef Haller's ``Blue Army'' Veterans buried at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Southfield, Michigan. Dressed in horizon blue uniforms, they valiantly served on the Western Front of World War I and in Poland's subsequent struggle for independence. These individuals deserve unwavering praise and respect for their sacrifices. We posthumously extend our gratitude to all buried at Sepulchre Cemetery and celebrate their legacy for generations to come.
Consisting of 24,000 Polish immigrants from the United States, many of the 68,000 total in the ``Blue Army'' concluded their service in the early 1920s and returned to the United States to further pursue the American Dream. Unfortunately, upon their return stateside, they did not receive the support and recognition they deserved. Many relied on charity in order to survive and could not find support from the United States or Polish governments. For this, I call on us all to come together and share a moment of well-deserved appreciation and thanks to those that had not been properly acknowledged during their lifetimes.
On June 17, 2023, we will show our respect with the placement of a monument and gravestones in honor of those buried at Sepulchre Cemetery. Many families did not have the funds available to properly mark the graves of their loved ones, so to remedy this, the Polish Institute of Culture and Research has worked tirelessly to construct a monument and 60 gravestones to cement the memory of those buried.
Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to recognize General Jozef Haller's ``Blue Army'' Veterans and those buried at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery. I also want to thank the Polish Institute of Culture and Research for their work and for honoring the lives and sacrifices of so many Polish Veterans. On behalf of Michigan's First District, I extend my gratitude to all members of the ``Blue Army'' and their families and wish them all the best in their future endeavors.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Source