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Floor Speech

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Mrs. MOODY. As the newest, most junior Member from the great State-- the free State of Florida, I rise today--as well as the proud granddaughter of a World War II Army veteran--and I rise today to congratulate Mr. Duane Brewton of Cantonment, FL, on the extraordinary occasion of his 109th birthday celebrated on February 5, 2026.

Mr. Brewton is Florida's oldest living World War II veteran and among the oldest surviving veterans of the Second World War in the United States. He is a proud member of what history rightly calls the ``Greatest Generation''--ordinary Americans who answered the call, did extraordinary things, and helped save the world.

They did not do it for recognition. They did not ask for praise. They simply did their duty. Honoring their service while they are still with us is both a privilege and a responsibility.

When his country called, Duane Brewton answered. He served from 1944 to 1945 as a private in the U.S. Army during the Second World War. He was stationed in Vire, France, where he was wounded in the line of duty and later returned home.

For his sacrifice, he was awarded the Purple Heart, a lasting testament to his courage, humility, and devotion to freedom. The world owes a debt to Mr. Brewton and to his generation that can never be repaid.

Born and raised in Pensacola, FL, Mr. Brewton returned home after the war. He raised a family and devoted his life to faith, service, and community.

A devout Christian, he lived his values daily and by example. His daughters recall that throughout their childhood, their father rose every single morning at 4 a.m. to study the Bible and pray, an enduring memory that shaped their lives and reflected the quiet strength of his character.

That faith extended far beyond his home. Mr. Brewton was a founder of the Brownsville Assembly of God in Pensacola, a church that continues to serve his community today.

Through his life, he set a shining example--before his children, his family, all who knew him, and to us--of what it means to honor God and country.

May we all strive to live with the same humility, discipline, and integrity that he has shown for more than a century--109 years, to be exact.

In recent years, Mr. Brewton has resided in an assisted living community where he is deeply loved by residents and staff alike. I am told that they are all watching today.

On his 109th birthday, it was marked by a joyful celebration of family, friends, and community members gathering in great numbers. Surrounded by his two daughters and loved ones, the occasion was fittingly warm and celebratory--centered, as it should be, on a man whose life had meant so much to so many.

Florida is the proud home to more than 1.4 million veterans. Florida is also home to the second largest number of living World War II veterans, a distinction we hold with deep gratitude and respect.

We honor their service, we cherish their presence and recognize our responsibility to preserve their stories and sacrifices.

Mr. Brewton embodies the very best of Florida and, indeed, the very best of America: faith, family, humility, duty, and service. His life stands as a living reminder of the generation that answered the call, endured unimaginable hardship, and secured liberty for generations that they would never meet.

On behalf of the people of Florida and a grateful nation, I congratulate Mr. Duane Brewton on his 109th birthday, thank him for his extraordinary service, and wish him another joyous year surrounded by faith, family, and the enduring appreciation of a nation forever indebted to him.

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