Executive Calendar

Floor Speech

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Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. President, it is an honor for me to be here with my fellow Senators. I was very moved by Senator Ernst's recounting not only of her service but of the service of so many Iowans, and Senator Blunt, as well, from Missouri, reminding me of what Memorial Day is for and how it is commemorated around the country for those brave soldiers from Missouri.

So we are getting ready to commemorate Memorial Day, and we will be doing it differently than we have in the past years. But it is still just as important for us to honor the brave men and women of the U.S. armed services. They have selflessly served our country by standing up to protect the freedoms that we hold so dear and going into the line of fire in many ways.

This Memorial Day is particularly momentous because 2020 marks the 75th anniversary of the conclusion of World War II. Earlier this month, on May 8, as Senator Blunt mentioned, we recognized V-E Day, or Victory in Europe Day, marking the anniversary of the Nazi surrender and the end of the Allies' European campaign.

In a few months, on September 2, we will recognize the 75th anniversary of Japan's signing its surrender, subsequently ending the Pacific campaign and the war.

During World War II, the United States lost over 400,000 soldiers, who were fighting to uphold our values and defend the liberties of those abroad as well.

As the daughter of a proud World War II veteran myself, I had the chance to hear firsthand the acts of valor that my father, SGT Arch Moore, witnessed on the battlefield.

I also had the honor this past December to travel with several of my colleagues to Luxembourg and Belgium to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge. My dad was wounded just weeks before the battle, where he was, but his company went on to fight in Belgium, and only 3 of the 36 men made it out alive. I think about those 33 men and their families on this Memorial Day.

Being able to attend those ceremonies and to honor all of the soldiers who fought during the Battle of the Bulge was a humbling experience that I will never forget, and those who returned to commemorate that occasion, most of them were in their nineties--mid to late nineties.

The efforts of our servicemembers in both the European and Pacific theaters were great.

A couple of months ago we marked the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima. I was hoping to go to commemorate that, as well, but the coronavirus got in the way. The U.S. Marine Corps and Navy were able to seize the island and to give America the stronghold needed to win the war months later.

While this year marks the 75th anniversary of the conclusion of World War II, we must also never forget all of the Americans who have lost their lives in battle, whether it be the Korean war, the Vietnam war, the first Gulf war, or the ongoing fight against terrorism in the Middle East and in all of the conflicts that America has fought.

Many of our country's servicemembers have made the ultimate sacrifice to keep our liberties intact.

I recently read a book called ``No Surrender,'' by Christopher Edmonds. You may have heard of it. It is the true story of his father, Roddie Edmonds, who risked his life during the final days of World War II to save others from the Nazis. His heroic duty saved, I think, thousands of lives. He was captured and sent to a POW camp in Germany. He risked his life to prevent hundreds of others from Nazi persecution and possible death, but at the same time he witnessed horrific acts and he also witnessed many, many of his fellow soldiers losing their lives in the name of freedom.

The members of the U.S. military have always put our country first and will continue to do so to keep our flag flying high, and Roddie Edmonds was a perfect example of this. West Virginians have always believed in putting our country and State first, and I am proud of all of the men and women in my State, of which we have a very high percentage--past and present--who have answered the call of duty.

It saddens me that we will not be able to come together in person, as we normally do as a nation, to honor the heroic efforts of the brave men and women in our country who have given the ultimate sacrifice in service, but I know we will come together in spirit. While we might not have the usual parade and barbecues that we have become accustomed to on Memorial Day, we can use this time to reflect upon the sacrifices made by our Armed Forces and their families.

Whether you are at home or with a small group of friends and family, I encourage everyone to take the time to remember those who lost their lives serving our country. Memorial Day is often considered the first unofficial day of the summer, but really it is a time to pay tribute to those who made America the great country that it is today. On Monday, take a moment to pray for those servicemembers who have lost their lives fighting for this country and for their families as well. For the children who are out of school, take time to learn more about the men and women who came before you and defended this country and its values.

I want to say thank you to all of those who have served and to all of those families who have lost loved ones.

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