May 26, 2020 - Issue: Vol. 166, No. 98 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 2nd Session

[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E481-E482]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   RECOGNIZING A BEAUTIFUL REMEMBRANCE OF NATIVE AMERICAN AND APACHE 
                                VETERANS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. TOM O'HALLERAN

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 26, 2020

  Mr. O'HALLERAN. Madam Speaker, it is my honor to include in the 
Record the below piece, by Chairman Terry Rambler of the San Carlos 
Apache Tribe, which appeared in Indian Country Today in remembrance of 
Memorial Day. Chairman Rambler's piece is an excellent example of how 
we should honor Native American Veterans, and all Veterans, on Memorial 
Day.

       Hello everyone. I will share with you some thoughts about 
     Memorial Day. It is a day to honor our fallen heroes, a day 
     to look at the flag and to remember the sacrifices made by 
     our military members, to honor their place of final rest. For 
     some, this is a day for picnics, family gatherings, and 
     barbeques, but it is so much more.
       For the past two months, we all have been consumed with the 
     coronavirus. These are dark, fearful times. Congress has 
     spent more than $6 trillion on mitigation and economic 
     recovery. Some 38 million Americans are unemployed. One in 
     four businesses have closed temporarily, another 100,000 have 
     gone out of business or declared bankruptcy, and some 7.5 
     million small businesses are at risk of closing permanently. 
     Over 1.5 million Americans have been infected by this virus, 
     and over 98,000 have died.
       We have lived with a fear of a kind not known in our 
     lifetimes. We wash our hands, sanitize, avoid crowds and keep 
     everyone 6 feet or more away. Some liken this to a war. But 
     it is not.
       War happens when countries fight over ideals with known 
     enemies. War happens on a battlefield. War brings a different 
     sense of fear than this virus.
       War happens when presidents and kings make their citizens 
     warriors. Warriors put their lives at risk for what their 
     flag stands for--God and country, patriotism, nationhood, 
     protection of the homeland.
       The smell and sound of war create horror and shock. In war, 
     blood is spilled, lives are shattered, people are 
     traumatized, many are maimed for life; others are permanently 
     scarred mentally and spiritually, and lives are blown apart. 
     Through it all, warriors fight to the death.
       That is what our military forces do--they do as they are 
     ordered; they fight to the death, for their flag, for their 
     homeland, for the ideals of their country. Many fight with 
     courage. Many fight with fear wrapped tightly around their 
     heart.
       Today, this Memorial Day, without question, every American 
     must honor those who died fighting for our great country and 
     its ideals of democracy, freedom, equality and liberty. Our 
     fallen warriors are our heroes, after all. They fought and 
     sacrificed themselves for our greater good when we could not.
       For these reasons Memorial Day is the day when we honor our 
     fallen military warriors, our heroes. This day is thus a 
     solemn day, one that was created out of respect for the more 
     than 1 million soldiers who have died in the field of combat 
     over the history of the United States.
       As President Obama once said, Memorial Day is the day 
     ``when we recall all those who gave everything in the 
     darkness of war so we could stand here in the glory of 
     Spring.''
       Apaches, too, have served with valor and distinction. Many 
     did not come home. They made the ultimate sacrifice for our 
     country.
       Of the many, many Apache warriors who died in the field of 
     combat, the late United States Army PFC Ernest Stanley comes 
     to mind. Private Stanley served with the 333rd Infantry 
     Regiment and 84th Infantry Division. He was killed in action 
     during the Battle of the Bulge. In December 1944, 410,000 
     German troops surged into Belgium, France and Luxembourg. 
     During the 40 day battle, there were 89,000 American 
     casualties and 19,000 killed.
       Private Stanley died over 5,000 miles from home on a 
     severely cold, winter day. He was a volunteer, a lone Apache 
     warrior. He joined the Army to fight for our country. He 
     fought for what was right. He fought against the tyranny of 
     fascism and the racist hatred that the Nazis stood for. And, 
     Private Stanley did so willingly and with his brothers at 
     arms, because theirs was a fight for peace and humanity 
     itself--that is the true irony of war; to fight for peace and 
     security.
       I thought of Private Stanley when I visited the American 
     Indian Veterans National Memorial located at the Heard 
     Museum. The Memorial honors the service and sacrifice of 
     tribal members spanning more than 300 years. In the Memorial 
     stands a sculpture known as Unconquered II, by Chiricahua 
     Apache sculptor Allan Houser. It shows two Apache Scouts, one 
     standing, holding a rifle; the other kneeling, holding a 
     spear--both look out in the same direction, their eyes fixed 
     on something in the distance. They are ready--ready to fight. 
     These two bronze figures stand for all warriors, past and 
     present.
       Looking at that sculpture, one word comes to mind, Ahi'yi'e 
     (thank you). Join with me and give thanks to all our fallen 
     Apache warriors. Give thanks to those Apache warriors that 
     died fighting for our Tribe and America, because they did so 
     for our freedom and our liberty. We must all provide our 
     deep, deep respects to our fallen warriors who, like Private 
     Stanley, exemplify bravery, honor, courage, and service.
       Barbeques and family picnics are a good thing. Many do this 
     on Memorial Day. But this Memorial Day, I urge you to take a 
     moment, honor our fallen heroes. Give thanks for those who 
     you can name, and for those whose names have been forgotten 
     to time. Their lives were sacrificed for an ideal--the 
     American dream. They gave everything up for their homeland, 
     so that our Reservation and all of America remains safe and 
     protected. They gave their lives so that we can be here on 
     this clear, beautiful Spring day.
       May our Creator God bless our fallen warriors. God bless 
     you and your families. God bless America. Ahi'yi'e.

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