Recognizing the 60th Anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge During World War II

RECOGNIZING THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE DURING WORLD WAR II -- (Extensions of Remarks - November 18, 2004)

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.J. Res. 110, recognizing the 60th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge during World War II.

I thank Speaker Hastert for scheduling this bill and giving us this opportunity to pay tribute to the brave Americans who fought and died in that crucial battle. I know that this is personal to the Speaker. His mentor, the former Republican Leader from Illinois, Bob Michel, received the Purple Heart and other citations for his bravery in that battle. I share the Speaker's respect for Leader Michel. Further, the Speaker's family hails from Luxembourg, and the special ties between our countries that resulted from the Battle of the Bulge have great meaning to him.

This is personal to me as well. My uncle, Johnny D'Alesandro, was one of the heroes who gave their lives for their country in the Battle of the Bulge. Like so many other families, his sacrifice was for us a source of both sorrow and pride-deep sadness over the loss of a wonderful man; tremendous pride that one of our own helped to preserve the freedom and values that we cherish as a nation.

But beyond the personal significance that the battle holds for us is the towering importance it holds for human history. The Allied victory in World War II literally saved the world, and that victory became inevitable when the Allied forces successfully repelled the surprise German attack in what we call the Battle of the Bulge.

With bitter cold and blinding snow, it was the bloodiest single battle ever fought by American soldiers. There were 81,000 American casualties, including 19,000 killed in action. The heroes of that battle rightfully take their place among the bravest and most noble in American history.

We dedicated the World War II Memorial on the Mall this year to pay tribute to all of the veterans of that war, and we will honor the heroes of the Battle of the Bulge with ceremonies by citizens of the United States, Belgium, Luxembourg, and many other nations in the coming months. But we can never truly repay the debt we owe them. We can offer only our words of heartfelt gratitude and our promise to never forget the sacrifice they made for our country.

May God bless the heroes of the Battle of the Bulge. May God bless all of the men and women serving in uniform today. And may God bless America.