June 3, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 92 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR; Congressional Record Vol. 165, No. 92
(Senate - June 03, 2019)
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[Pages S3153-S3154] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] EXECUTIVE CALENDAR The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the nomination. The bill clerk read the nomination of Andrew M. Saul, of New York, to be Commissioner of Social Security for the term expiring January 19, 2025. (Reappointment) The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Sullivan). The Senator from Arkansas. 75th Anniversary of D-day Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, in the early morning hours of June 6, 1944, 75,000 members of the U.S. Armed Forces and 75,000 of their counterparts in the Allied Expeditionary Force launched Operation Overlord when they stormed ashore five landing areas on the beaches of Normandy, France, to break the Nazi stranglehold on Western Europe. This courageous fight to seize the beaches of Normandy changed the trajectory of history. [[Page S3154]] This week we commemorate the 75th anniversary of this historic operation and express our gratitude and appreciation to the members of the U.S. Armed Forces, including those from Arkansas who participated in this undertaking. Let us also reflect on the courage, heroism, and sacrifice that these selfless Allied heroes demonstrated in the face of evil. While fully aware of the dangers and the perils that were before them, they bravely accomplished their mission to defend our country, ideals, and allies. During an interview for the Veterans History Project, Wallace Cunningham of Little Rock described the scene he saw while in Oxford, England, as the Allies were readying the D-Day invasion. ``Aircraft from one end of the horizon to the other,'' he said. He was overwhelmed by the number of aircraft in the sky, a testament to the power and force that the Allies were marshaling for this strategically vital endeavor. The sight below was similar, with boats carrying GIs across the English Channel bound for France. Arkansans like Cecil Blair remember the rigorous training he and his fellow soldiers underwent in England in early 1944. They didn't know at the time, but they were preparing for D-Day. Blair's boat was hit before landing in France, forcing the crew to pull back and make the trek again 3 days later. The bravery exhibited during this battle will never be forgotten. Allied forces were in German crosshairs, and they willingly faced their fears head-on. The magnitude of their actions continues to be felt and recognized to this day. Now, 19-year old Jesse Beazley of Kentucky was on one of the ships bound for Normandy in June 1944. In an interview for the Veterans History Project nearly 60 years later, he recalled thinking in the moments leading up to the operation about how likely he was to survive, saying he probably didn't have much of a chance to live because he knew what was ahead of him and his fellow soldiers. The other troops in his transport boat were his age, and he remembered their looks and collective feeling. He said: ``All at once it got completely silent, and young men looked like old men.'' They endured great hardships getting to the beach. Beazley's boat was blown up far from shore. He was thrown into the icy water where he was forced to dump most of his gear before swimming to safety, all while German bullets were piercing the air inches away from him. He described the devastation as ``a nightmare.'' Approximately 10,000 Allied soldiers were wounded or killed during the D-Day landings, including 6,000 Americans. Many of these heroic individuals are buried in the Normandy American Cemetery. The graves of brave Americans dot the landscape where these courageous liberators fought and died. The crosses and Stars of David that mark their places of rest shine in the sunlight on the cliffs of Normandy, giving hope for peace and reminding us of the costs of war. The Normandy American Cemetery is the jewel of American Battle Monuments Commission sites. Approximately 1 million visitors each year pay their respects to those who lost their lives in the D-Day invasion and the battles that followed. The cemetery and visitor center recognize the sacrifice of members of the Armed Forces who served at this turning point of the war, including the story of PFC Harold Eugene Sellers of Jonesboro, AR. Sellers was a member of the Army's 101st Airborne Division. As a pathfinder, his mission was to lead the invasion by parachuting behind enemy lines into Normandy and setting up radar lights for C-47s, which had been loaded with additional paratroopers the night before the amphibious landing. He jumped over France and was targeted by German gunfire. He didn't make it to the ground. Sellers landed in a tree not far from Utah Beach, where he was killed. He was one of the first American casualties of D-Day. D-Day was the largest amphibious invasion in history. It remains one of our Nation's greatest military achievements. As a cochair of the Senate French Caucus, I was honored to introduce a resolution recognizing the 75th anniversary of this operation and acknowledging the courage and sacrifice of the Allied troops who came to the aid of those oppressed by Nazi and Fascist regimes. The courage, strength, and determination of members of the Greatest Generation who were called to defend freedom at Normandy will always serve as an inspiration for future generations of Americans. We must honor and continue to defend what they fought for and fulfill our obligation to support all of our veterans and their families. This solemn occasion, the 75th anniversary of D-Day, deserves our utmost respect and admiration. Let us resolve to reflect on the sacrifice and heroism displayed on behalf of our Nation and the cause of freedom. Let us also commit to let it influence us in ways that challenge us to pursue the same devotional service to America as the generation that stormed the beaches of Normandy in 1944. I yield the floor. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The majority leader is recognized.