September 21, 2012 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E1599 

HONORING MONTANA’S WORLD 

WAR II VETERANS 

HON. DENNY REHBERG OF MONTANA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, September 20, 2012 

Mr. REHBERG. Mr. Speaker, today it is my 

distinct privilege to welcome a very special 

group of men and women to our Nation’s capital. And while it is incumbent upon us to 

honor them, the truth is, they honor us with 

their presence here. 

On September 23, 2012, nearly 100 veterans of the Second World War will arrive in 

Washington, D.C. through the Honor Flight 

program. Since 2005, Honor Flight has worked 

to bring WWII veterans to visit their war memorial at the foot of the Washington Monument, and a few feet from the White House. 

In that first year, 137 veterans participated in 

the program. By last year, that total annual 

participation had swelled to 18,055. 

And while each of the veterans who has 

participated deserves our thanks and our 

honor, this particular group is special because 

it marks the second time this year that Honor 

Flight has brought out a group of veterans 

from Montana. 

You won’t find a state that’s more proud of 

our veterans than Montana. And we have a lot 

of them. In fact, you won’t find many states 

that have more as a percentage of our population. 

On December 7, 1941 the United States 

was pulled into the war and Montanans answered the call to service. Within the first 

year, 40,000 men and women from the Treasure State enlisted. By the end of the war, 

57,000 had served—nearly 10 percent of the 

state’s entire population at the time, one of the 

highest rates in the country. 

They served in every branch and in every 

theater of the conflict. And too many of them 

never made it back to Montana, although I 

think that heaven must be a little something 

like a peaceful sunset over the Yellowstone 

River. 

But Montana’s veterans didn’t sacrifice in 

vain. They bled and died to defeat the greatest threat to freedom the world has ever seen. 

They fought across the bloody islands of the 

Pacific and in the frozen forests of Europe. 

They fought in the air, land and sea. Some 

even fought below the waves. And they won. 

Today, the men and women who fought and 

won that war are justifiably part of what is 

called the Greatest Generation. The sacrifices 

of men and women who arrive in Washington, 

D.C. are the reason for this honorable title. It 

is not something we gave to them, it’s something they earned. 

As they visit this city and reflect on what it 

stands for as a beacon of freedom to the 

world, I think the rest of us should remember 

that the reason liberty still exists is because 

good men stood up to tyranny. They are the 

greatest of the Greatest Generation, and on 

behalf of all Montanans, I want to thank them. 

57,000 Montanans served during World War 

II. Just under 100 are here this week. Please 

join me in welcoming and honoring: 

Lee Alderdice (Polson, MT); Milton Lyman 

Amsden (Broadus, MT); Harry A. Arvidson 

(Lincoln, MT); Peter N. ‘‘Bert’’ Bertram 

(Absarokee, MT); Leonard E. ‘‘Len’’ Bestrom 

(Laurel, MT); Warren Charles Bodecker 

(Plains, MT); Ralph Floyd Brewington 

(Broadview, MT); James C. ‘‘Jim’’ Brook 

(Lewistown, MT); William Boner ‘‘Bill’’ Brown 

(Billings, MT); Jackson Lamar ‘‘Jack’’ Burger 

(Lavina, MT); Filmore Burton Canon (Broadus, 

MT); John M. Clark (Butte, MT); Harold Lee 

‘‘Hal’’ Conrad (Lewistown, MT); Hollis E. Coon 

(Butte, MT); Gool Counts (Livingston, MT); 

Carley Rhein Cromwell (Missoula, MT); Leo 

Eckhardt (Billings, MT); James E. ‘‘Jim’’ 

Elander (Missoula, MT); James ‘‘Jim’’ Ellison 

(Billings, MT); Charles T. ‘‘Bosco’’ Eskro (Billings, MT); Frank D. Evans (Billings, MT); 

Alvin Oscar Fisher (Billings, MT); Samuel W. 

Frank (Laurel, MT); Durl J. Gibbs (Buffalo, 

MT); Raymond P. ‘‘Ray’’ Gregori (Hungry 

Horse, MT); Robert Glover Hall (Potomac, 

MT); Charles E. ‘‘Chuck’’ Halstead (Columbus, 

MT); Thomas A. ‘‘Tom’’ Hanel (Billings, MT); 

Russell LeRoy Hartse (Missoula, MT); James 

‘‘Jim’’ Hasterlik (Great Falls, MT); Milam V. 

Hearron (Billings, MT); McDonald Watkins 

‘‘Don’’ Held (Billings, MT); Lewis Wiliam 

‘‘Louie’’ Holzheimer (Great Falls, MT); Bernard 

E. ‘‘Barney’’ Ilertson (Corvallis, MT); Earl T. 

Jackson (Deer Lodge, MT); Elwin M. Johnson 

(Laurel, MT); George L. Kimmet (Billings, MT); 

Vincent Leo ‘‘Vince’’ Koefelda (Laurel, MT); 

Vernon Lee ‘‘Vern’’ Koelzer (Billings, MT); 

Frank J. Koncilya (Lewistown, MT); Andre 

Rioul ‘‘Andy’’ Kukay (Great Falls, MT); Willard 

E. ‘‘Bud’’ LaCounte (Billings, MT); Albert Raymond ‘‘Al’’ Lasater (Ryegate, MT); Harold J. 

Lasater (Forsyth, MT); Gorvan J. ‘‘Duke’’ 

LeDuc (Laurel, MT); Oscar Lawrence ‘‘Lawrence’’ Lee (Shepherd, MT); Norman D. Leonard (Billings, MT); Joseph Biggs ‘‘Joe’’ Litle 

(Bozeman, MT); Max E. Long (Laurel, MT); 

Robert W. Lubbers (Billings, MT); Leonard 

John ‘‘Pat’’ Mager (Harlowton, MT); James J. 

Marshall (Missoula, MT); William R. ‘‘Bill’’ Matthew (Anaconda, MT); Paul Messer (Billings, 

MT); Elizabeth Steele ‘‘Betty’’ Meyer (Paradise, MT); Geraldine E. ‘‘Gerry’’ Mihalic (Missoula, MT); Gerald Kenneth ‘‘Jerry’’ Nelson 

(Billings, MT); John H. ‘‘O’bie’’ O’Bannon (Stevensville, MT); Clarence Allan ‘‘Ole’’ Olson 

(Billings, MT); Eddie C. Olson (Vida, MT); Ray 

A. ‘‘Ole’’ Olson (Billings, MT); Thomas F. 

‘‘Pat’’ Patterson (Stevensville, MT); Roy Louis 

‘‘Pete’’ Peters (Roy, MT); John W. Porter 

(Deer Lodge, MT); Carl ‘‘Corky’’ Redding (Billings, MT); Michael Gene Rhodes (Billings, 

MT); Robert V. ‘‘Bob’’ Ryan (E. Helena, MT); 

Charles Franklin ‘‘Frank’’ Sandford (Missoula, 

MT); Dave Schledewitz (Townsend, MT); Laurence Norbert Shipp (Miles City, MT); William 

James ‘‘Jim’’ SiveIle (Poison, MT); Anthony 

William ‘‘Bill’’ Skorupa (Bridger, MT); Charles 

E. ‘‘Chuck’’ Smith (Billings, MT); Donald E. 

Smith (Melville, MT); Kenneth C. ‘‘K.C.’’ Smith 

(St. Regis, MT); Robert M. ‘‘Bob’’ Standefer 

(Billings, MT); John R. ‘‘Jack’’ Stevenson (Missoula, MT); Frank Phillip Thatcher (Billings, 

MT); Clifford V. ‘‘Cliff’’ Thomsen (Billings, MT); 

Robert E. ‘‘Bob’’ Torgrimson (Billings, MT); 

Ronald Wilmar ‘‘Buck’’ Torstenson (Kalispell, 

MT); James Arthur ‘‘Jim’’ Vick (Billings, MT); 

Albert ‘‘Al’’ Wade (Billings, MT); James Forest 

‘‘Jim’’ Walker (Billings, MT); Bernard Edgar 

Wanderaas (Vida, MT); Joseph A. ‘‘Joe’’ 

Weber (Deer Lodge, MT); Allen L. ‘‘Buster’’ 

Whittington (Billings, MT); Bryce Wood Williams (Billings, MT); Andrew R. ‘‘Pete’’ Winter 

(Ronan, MT). 

WISHING THE PEOPLE OF TAIWAN 

A JOYOUS NATIONAL DAY CELEBRATION 

HON. BLAKE FARENTHOLD OF TEXAS

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, September 20, 2012 

Mr. FARENTHOLD. Mr. Speaker, I rise 

today to extend my congratulations and best 

wishes to President Ma Ying-jeou on the occasion of Republic of China (Taiwan)’s National 

Day. This national holiday commemorates the 

1911 Wu-ch’ang uprising that ended centuries 

of monarchy and led to the birth of the Republic of China. 

Taiwan and the United States enjoy a robust relationship that reflects our two countries’ historical, cultural and economic ties over 

the last century. Despite lack of formal relations between the two countries, the United 

States and Taiwan continue to be strong partners in trade, cultural and educational exchanges as well as cooperation in many other 

areas. Taiwan’s cooperation with the United 

States in combating global terrorism has 

earned the trust of the American people and 

boosted exchanges and friendship between 

our two nations. Such relations also extend to 

discussions over Taiwan’s military needs. A 

strong Taipei-Washington relationship is in 

both governments’ best interests for the stability of East Asia. This year, we celebrated 

the 33st anniversary of the enactment of the 

Taiwan Relations Act, the cornerstone of U.S.- 

Taiwan relations. 

My additional congratulations to the people 

of Taiwan for their continued participation in 

the World Health Assembly meetings this May 

in Geneva. I hope Taiwan will also soon join 

the International Civil Aviation Organization 

(ICAO). 

I join my fellow colleagues in wishing the 

people of Taiwan a joyous National Day celebration and look forward to expanding our 

strong relationship. 

f 

RECOGNIZING MR. ROBERT SMALL 

HON. JEFF DENHAM OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, September 20, 2012 

Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to 

recognize and thank Mr. Robert W. Small for 

the time and energy he has dedicated to the 

Military Academy Nomination process by serving the constituents of the 19th Congressional 

District as a member of our Academy Selection Board. 

Robert W. Small was born in Lordsburg, 

New Mexico on February 11, 1935. Mr. Small 

served his country in both the United States 

Marine Corps and the United States Army. 

While in the Marine Corps, he was called to 

duty on combat missions in both Korea and 

Vietnam; yet, his service went beyond combat. 

Mr. Small completed duty as a Marine Corps 

Drill Instructor and Marine Corps Recruiter in 

addition to assignments with Inspector Instructor Staff, Hawk Missile System, and Infantry 

and Tanks. 

Beyond his work with the United States Marine Corps, Mr. Small has a distinguished career with the United States Army. As an Army 


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