The publication is reproduced in full below:
HONORING HOLLY'S HISTORY OF SERVICE
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HON. ELISSA SLOTKIN
of michigan
in the house of representatives
Thursday, September 30, 2021
Ms. SLOTKIN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize my little town of Holly and, in particular, its commitment to its men and women who have served in uniform. I am especially proud to commemorate the Holly Area Veterans Resource Center and its dedicated members as they host a Welcome Home event tomorrow for our troops and their families.
Holly's track record of service isn't limited to just one event on one day--far from it. Our village's commitment is absolute, as evidenced by the namesake of the community center where the Veterans' Resource Center holds its events: Lt. Karl Richter.
As a 23-year-old officer in the Air Force, Lt. Richter became the youngest pilot to shoot down a MiG over Vietnam. He would eventually fly 198 missions--the most out of any airman at the time--and would ultimately earn the Air Force Cross, the Silver Star, and Purple Heart for his valor.
Lt. Richter was born and raised in Holly, and the legacy of service that he exemplified continues to live on in our community. The old oak tree in the parking lot of Holly Elementary School is ringed by dozens of yellow ribbons noting which of our hometown heroes are on active duty. Holly is also home to the Great Lakes National Cemetery, where over fifty-thousand of our nation's veterans and their family members have been laid to rest. At their military funerals, it's common to see a joint honor guard of Holly VFW and American Legion members carry on their traditions with a performance.
Lastly, together with local leaders and veterans groups, my team led an effort to rename our local post office. I believe service is the greatest love letter you can send your country, and at the Holly Veterans Memorial Post Office, we will soon be able to pay tribute to that service each time we send letters of our own.
In short, Holly is a place that knows its veterans. We're proud to stand with them throughout their entire careers--from that first bus that takes them to boot camp until their retirement and beyond. After all, when we send folks to fight for us, we have a responsibility to care for them and their loved ones for the rest of their lives.
That said, we know that the return to civilian life can be difficult. With its Welcome Home event tomorrow, Holly honors the service and sacrifice of veterans and their families. With a parade, food trucks, and live music, we will celebrate the folks who stepped up to serve our nation. And through a commemorative pinning for any veteran who served from 1955 to 1975, we will thank them for their willingness to risk life and limb to defend our way of life.
Representing Holly is one of the greatest privileges of my life. I'm proud to honor Holly, so that its legacy of service can forever be remembered.
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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 172
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