Memorial Day 2006

MEMORIAL DAY 2006 -- (Senate - May 25, 2006)

Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, Memorial Day is a day we have set aside to remember those who have given their lives--``the last full measure of devotion''--in service to our country.

As President Abraham Lincoln looked out across the cemetery at Gettysburg, he honored the sacrifice of the soldiers who had died there and how their sacrifices preserved the Union and advanced the cause of freedom.

For more than 200 years, men--and later, women--have donned the uniform and met the many challenges of serving our great Nation and the ideals on which it was founded. Countless numbers of them have paid the ultimate price--and we honor them today.

Our freedom was not free. It was bought and paid for by the sacrifices of generations that have gone before. We honor these heroes for their courage and for ensuring that our own freedom is more than a dream--that it is indeed a reality.

Those who fought in our country's Civil War are long passed. And many of those brave men who served in our World Wars too have passed. Members of what we fondly call the ``greatest generation'' are leaving our midst in record numbers, and we mourn their passing--these brave men who liberated so many from tyranny. They are gone, but they certainly are not forgotten.

Memorial Day is not merely the opportunity for a 3-day weekend. It is our duty--indeed, it is our privilege--to reflect on the sacrifices that have paid the price for our freedoms.

We must also acknowledge the heroism and sacrifice of our brave men and women currently serving in the Armed Forces. I know I speak for the people of my State of Texas, and for all Americans, when I thank our soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines--and their loved ones waiting patiently at home--for their service and their dedication to duty.

As a member of the Armed Services Committee, it is my job and my honor to look after the interests of all of our military personnel. We must ensure that the military continues to have the tools it needs to remain the most powerful fighting force the world has ever known.

Our Texas military bases are some of the strongest components of our military readiness in the current global war against terror. These valuable assets help to maintain our status as the world's lone superpower, even as we transform our military to face the challenges of the future.

Soldiers are not just numbers or statistics. These are real Americans. True patriots. They have real families. When someone leaves home to fight for American interests abroad, it affects their entire community; it affects their friends and, most profoundly, it affects their families.

And so while we must remember the sacrifices of the brave men and women who fight on the battlefield, we must also be mindful of the sacrifices of those they leave behind--and so on behalf of a grateful nation, I thank them today, as well.

The difference our military is making in the world is undeniable. Just a short while ago, the idea that the Iraqi people could live free was a concept that many would not treat seriously. But the Iraqi people are forging ahead and have formed a unity government and are firmly embracing the opportunities that freedom provides.

I wish there were more balance in this discussion about Iraq. There are so many good things happening there--so many good things. And largely, unfortunately, they are left unreported.

Recently, Jack Kelly, former marine, Green Beret, and deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force during the Reagan administration, highlighted some of these important stories--for example, the account of marine Sgt Rafael Peralta, who has been posthumously recommended for the Medal of Honor.

I quote: ``Sgt. Peralta was killed on Nov. 15, 2004, during the second battle of Fallujah. His squad was clearing a house. Sgt. Peralta was the first into a room where at least three insurgents lay in ambush. He was shot in the chest and the face, but still had the presence of mind to jump into an adjoining room to give the marines behind him a clear field of fire.

Four marines maneuvered into the room where Sgt. Peralta lay when an insurgent tossed a grenade into it. Sgt. Peralta pulled the grenade to him and smothered it with his body, saving the others from death or serious injury.

Sgt. Rafael Peralta died for a country he loved, but of which he was not yet a citizen. A Mexican immigrant who lived in San Diego, Sgt. Peralta enlisted in the marines the day he received his green card.

``Be proud of being an American,'' Sgt. Peralta had written to his younger brother in the only letter he ever sent him.

While this is only one story, there are hundreds more that should be acknowleged.

In recent correspondence, Iraqi Freedom veteran Major Mark McDaniel of the 301st Fighter Wing in Fort Worth wrote these words: ``Our efforts there in providing security enabled these courageous people to work through the sectarian issues that existed . . . I believe that this weekend has vindicated our presence and our sacrifices in Iraq. I, and the other members of the 301st Fighter Wing . . . believe in our mission there.''

And we here at home believe in our men and women in uniform--in their courage and the cause of freedom they defend. We must always remember our Nation's heroes and live in a manner worthy of their sacrifice.

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