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TRIBUTE TO MICHIGAN'S VETERANS
Ms. STABENOW. Madam President, I rise today to honor all of the brave Michigan veterans who have served in our Nation's military.
When the scourge of slavery threatened to tear our Nation in two, Michiganders selflessly marched to war. When fascism rose in Europe, Michiganders built an Arsenal of Democracy and kept freedom alive. And when terrorists attacked our own country 20 years ago, Michiganders stood up and signed up. Over and over again, Michigan men and women have served our country to protect our freedoms.
These veterans all fought different battles and had different missions. But all of them were patriots. All of them--and their families--made incredible sacrifices. And all of them were willing to lay down their own lives to protect their fellow Americans and this Nation we love.
Perhaps there's no better Michigan example of this than Charles S. Kettles. Charles was born in Ypsilanti in 1930 and fell in love with flying while attending Edison Institute High School in Dearborn. Aviation was in his blood; his dad was a military pilot.
In 1951, Charles was drafted into the Army. He attended Army Aviation School and served tours in Korea, Japan, and Thailand. He retired from Active Duty in 1956 and continued to serve in the Army Reserves.
During the Vietnam war, the Army was in desperate need of helicopter pilots. So in 1963, Charlie volunteered for active duty and learned to fly the UH-1D, ``Huey.''
Those skills would save lives on May 15, 1967. Then-Major Kettles volunteered to lead a flight of six Hueys on a rescue mission.
Charles's helicopter came under fire, but he kept on flying. After the second rescue flight, his helicopter was leaking fuel, and his gunner was severely wounded. He found a helicopter that wasn't leaking and went back to rescue the stranded men.
On the way back to the base, he learned that eight troops had been left behind. Without a second thought, he returned to the landing zone.
His helicopter was hit by gunfire and a mortar round. Yet somehow, Charles made it back to the landing zone, picked up the stranded troops, and brought them safely back to the base. In total, he saved 44 lives that day.
Typically, the Medal of Honor must be awarded within 5 years of the heroic act. But this kind of heroism has no expiration date. In 2015, I introduced legislation with Senator Gary Peters and Congresswoman Debbie Dingell to allow Charles to receive the Medal of Honor. In 2016, he did.
And earlier this year, it was an incredible honor to be there when the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Ann Arbor was renamed after Charles. Lieutenant Colonel Kettles saved lives back in 1967, and the Lieutenant Colonel Charles S. Kettles VA Medical Center is saving lives today.
``We got the 44 out,'' he said during his Medal of Honor ceremony in 2016. ``None of those names appear on the wall in Washington. There's nothing more important than that.''
Humility, a spirit of service, and the willingness to sacrifice. Michigan's veterans have done so much for us. It is our solemn duty to keep each and every promise we have made to them.
Thank you.
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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 191
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