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[Pages S4725-S4726]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TRIBUTE TO MARY BALLARD
Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, it is always a privilege to honor the
men and women of America's Greatest Generation. They defended our
national values both at home and abroad, and we owe each one of them a
tremendous debt of gratitude for their service and sacrifice. Today, I
would like to recognize one of these intrepid Americans from my home
State of Kentucky. Mary Somers Ballard volunteered to serve in the U.S.
Army Nurse Corps during World War II, providing healing care to wounded
soldiers across the European theatre. This month, Mary will enjoy her
100th birthday at a celebration with friends and family, and I would
like to add my voice to the chorus of those praising her lifetime of
achievement.
When war broke out, Mary lived in Boston working as a nurse and
attending school. Hearing stories from the front, she was called to
leave her studies and put her talents to work for the war effort. At
the age of 23, she joined the Army's 811th Air Evacuation Unit and
sailed from New York City for Europe. Mary was deployed at a hospital
in Manchester, England, where she cared for wounded soldiers flown back
from France and Germany. In the aftermath of the invasion of Normandy,
Mary traveled to the continent to support the Battle of the Bulge, one
of Hitler's last-ditch efforts to stop the Allied advance. After the
liberation of Paris, Mary was sent to the city to care for troops
there. In her many posts, Mary delivered lifesaving care to many Allied
soldiers, often in challenging surroundings.
More than 59,000 Americans joined the Army Nurse Corps during the
Second World War, many serving under enemy fire. Their service
supported the recovery of countless wounded soldiers at evacuation
hospitals like Mary's.
After the war, Mary was stationed in Indiana where she met Al
Ballard, a young surgical resident. The couple married and moved to
Al's native Kentucky, where Mary has lived ever since. Together, they
raised eight children and, like so many other members of the Greatest
Generation, continued to contribute to their community and our country.
Through the years, Mary has been honored for her brave service. To
celebrate her 95th birthday, for example, she threw out the first pitch
at a Lexington Legends minor league baseball
[[Page S4726]]
game. I am glad to join her family and friends in marking Mary's 100th
birthday. With her lifesaving work in the Army and a longtime
commitment to Kentucky, Mary has made a lasting impression on the lives
of countless many. With all of them, I would like to wish her a happy
birthday and thank her for her remarkable service to the United States.
I urge my Senate colleagues to join me in honoring this Kentucky hero.
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