Before we do now as we call off each crirn, they will stand and well have old glory, the flag thats been taken around the world, presented to each one of them and theyll be saluted for their service. Presenting the flags is a father and son team, jason atiri from the national defense. Iversity and his son r. Garnett h. Hammond. Mr. Hammond enlisted in the u. S. Army reserves Officers Training corps while attending howard university, as an army soldier, he served in the you apparent theater in world war ii serving in england, france, and germany and was a tech 5 sergeant and served as a mail clerk until receiving an Honorable Discharge in 1946. After the war, mr. Hammond worked as the United StatesNational Postal museum in washington, d. C. For 35 years. Ladies and gentlemen, mr. Garnett h. Hammond. Second is mrs. Burt bresher, serving with a woman accepted for volunteer emergency service, the waves, a unit of the United States naval reserve, mrs. Dresser was stationed as pontiff point in rhode island from 19431946 working in the war bound office. Ladies and gentlemen, mrs. Burt dresser. The next is chief Master Sergeant timmons. He was in the United States army during world war ii and was a prisoner of war. During his 18 months in captivity, he escaped three times from the germans and once from the russian liberators before returning to american care. After the war, he tried to join the army again to go back to germany to find the nurse who kept him alive by sneaking him food. Unfortunately, he wasnt allowed to go while in the army due to the agreement with the germans which did not allow prisoners of war to return to germany, so he joined the Newest Branch of the military, the United States air force. After joining the air force, he was stationed in germany, eventually found the nurse he was looking for. They were married seven months later. He retired after serving 24 years in the United States military. Ladies and gentlemen, chief Master Sergeant tippins. Mr. Herman zychek. He served in the Field Artillery as a tech 4 grade headquarters battery. He took part in the normandy invasion on june 6, 1944 landing on utah beach at each hour, first wave. He also took part in the liberation of paris in the liberation of the dachau concentration camp. Mr. Herman zychek. Mr. Petrogalo began his federal service in june of 1943 in the killing group. The military direct decorations include the european, african and middle Eastern Campaign medal with a normandy invasion arrowhead and five bronze stars. Mr. Petrogallo retired from the u. S. States Ordinance School in aberdeen proving grounds on october 20, 1978 after more than 31 Years Service to his country. Ladies and gentlemen, mr. Alfred petrogallo. Mr. Robert reid, mr. Reid joined the Armed Services in 1943 along with seven of his siblings. While waiting in line to enlist in the marines, his brother, pete weather who was a few men ahead of him in the registration line, added his name to the u. S. Navy registry. He was sent to the South Pacific and was the signal man as a Landing Craft infantry number 516. That was modified with machine guns to protect other service men during amphibious landings. Mr. Reid had four other brothers stationed in the South Pacific and three others in europe. In various Armed Service divisions. He recalled one day in particular when he saw a nearby l. C. I. Landing craft infantry ship, that he had the same number his brother pete reid was assigned to. He signaled, asking if he knew, and to his surprise received a message back that you are speaking to him. His boat had been unknowingly sent to relieve his brothers crew and at the end of the war he was assigned a ferryman back to the phillipine islands and then returned back to the United States in 1946. Mr. Reid worked in various jobs after returning from world war ii but felt his calling to reenlist but this time in the United States marines. He was sent to Camp Pendleton for advance combat training and soon found himself on a c47 headed to seoul, korea and his squad was sent on dangerous enemies to draw fire to determine what type of firepower they had and his squad came under power and he could hear the sounds of an injured soldier nearby asking for help. He went to aid of his fellow marine and helped bring him back out of danger. In the process, robert was injured with shrapnel from a mortar shell that was struck nearby. He was awarded the purple heart and returned home in 1952. Ladies and gentlemen, mr. Robert reid. Mr. Robert m. Granter, mr. Granter served with the United States armed air forces fifth air force, advanced echelon laying airstrips behind the invasion trips forward progress in the Pacific Theater in operations including new guinea, philippines and japan. Its a pleasure to have mr. Robert m. Ganter here today, ladies and gentlemen. Mr. Paul hoskins. He enlisted in the United States navy in 1943 at the age of 17. After boot camp, he was selected to attend the navys radio material school. After graduation in 1944 as a radio technician first class, he was shipped overseas to the islands just east of new guinea and north of the bismarck islands. He was assigned to the navy ship repair unit located on the island of lasniegro. He was involved in the preparation of the ships that participated in the invasion and retaking of the philippines islands and later years he held the position of head of the Computer Development unit with the head of ships. When he retired in 1991, every combat ship in the United States navy had one or more computers with mr. Hoskins was involved with. Ladies and gentlemen, mr. Paul hoskins. Mr. Solduk. He enlisted in the navy at 17 in 1942. After boot camp completed his gunnery training aboard the u. S. S. Navy work and assigned to combat duty aboard the destroyer escort u. S. S. Carter as the ships gunner mate and responsible for maintaining all his ships, small arms as well as manning a 40 millimeter antitank carke gun mount during combat operations. During his tour of combat duty, the ship was responsible for capturing three german submarines. He also participated in boarding vessels suspected of smuggling contraband as a armed member of the boarding crew. After the surrender of germany completed a threeyear tour guarding german prisoners at the naval station in philadelphia. Ladies and gentlemen, mr. Fred soladuk. Lieutenant colonel after frelled ebtula. In may of 1944 he was commissioned as Second Lieutenant in the Army Air Forces working as an Aircraft Maintenance officer on a b24 aircraft at dale marbary air force tennessee and chat ham air force base in georgia. Reassigned to the corps of engineers he trained with the aviation engineer battalion in airfield and structure repair. In 1945 he shipped to the Pacific Theater for the assignles at tinian island, sipan in okinawa and his efforts involved preparation for the invasion of mainland japan, constructing and repair of airfields. After a period of time on okinawa, he was reassigned to the Army Air Forces and became a maintenance officer in a b29 aircraft until japan surrendered on september 2, 1945. He retired from the air force in december of 1976 after 34 years of reserve and active duty. He then began working on aircraft structural testing with Systems Research laboratories in dayton, ohio. He retired in 1990 and was active flying with the civil air patrol. Ladies and gentlemen, Lieutenant Colonel alfred neptula. Mr. Carol george. Mr. George tried to get into the United StatesCoast Guard Academy before world war ii but on the first of four attempts, he was not admitted so he went to georgia tech and studied engineering and was accepted by the United States navy as a mid shipman for o. S. C. Training and was within a few weeks of getting a Naval Commission officer reserves after serving on a battleship in the atlantic when he showed up at the Coast Guard Academy dressed in a naval midshipmens uniform. He was finally accepted in 1941. He graduated in three years in a cross sword wedding after graduating and was deployed to the atlantic where his ship was nearly torpedoed by a nazi u boat. After 19 4 in early 1945 in the atlantic and pacific, his ship was sent to okinawa. His ship was shot down by four japanese planes, mr. George said he was more worried about his pregnant wife back in the United States than the battle at okinawa. His ship is still afloat in Baltimore Harbor today. Ladies and gentlemen, mr. Carol george. Mr. Harry miller. Mr. Miller is a veteran of 22 years of military service in the United States army and air force. He served in world war ii in the United States army with the 740 tank battalion as a tank crewman in the assault gun platoon of Headquarters Company and in the Message Center of Battalion Headquarters taking part in the battle of the bulge. He served in the korean war in the United States army in again mcare churs headquarters in the Communication Center and served in the United States air force in vietnam war as Strategic Air command. Mr. Miller retired from the United States air force in january of 1966 as a senior Master Sergeant. Ladies and gentlemen, mr. Harry miller. Colonel james riffey. He is a 95 years old, young, purple heart veteran, world war ii. He entered the army as a private in 1942 and retired as a colonel in 1972. He participated in the battle of okinawa as a leader of the infantry platoon and commander of an Infantry Rifle Company and Intelligence Officer and plans and Operations Officer of an entry battalion. Ladies and gentlemen, colonel riffey is airborne qualified and jump master. We like that. Airborne. Ladies and gentlemen, colonel james riffey. Mr. Wendell birch. Mr. Birch served in the navy as a yeoman, second class and cryptologist in the Pacific Theater and participated in the gilbert and marbling islands and okinawa and iwo jima. Its a pleasure to have with us today mr. Wendell birch. Mr. Leo w. Renn was a member of the Army Air Corps and was a instructor on the b24 training squad and the p38 training squad. He was a radio teletypist in guam in the 55th weather reconnaissance in the guam island, also. Its a pleasure to have mr. Leo. Wren here. Mr. Will fred pitgood served in the Army Air Forces, served in panama and in washington, d. C. And his brothers also served in europe and he was a world war ii veteran. So glad to have today with us mr. Will friday pitgood. The final world war ii veteran today is mr. Lee jennings. Isaw a member of the cech nation of the indians and is a world war ii vet and korean vet, also, and he served in the delta force and also he served in okinawa. Ladies and gentlemen, mr. Lee jennings. Ladies and gentlemen, what you have in front of you is a group of heroes today who are so glad that they are here with us to share this veterans day as we commemorate and honor all of our veterans. Ladies and gentlemen, at this time, wed like to introduce our master of ceremonies for this event, mr. Mike haydeck who has been with us and is on channel 9 early in the mornings and a great american. He loves our world war ii veterans and all veterans and has done so very much to spread this message to our schools throughout the washington, d. C. Area. Ladies and gentlemen, its our pleasure to introduce mike hydek. Good start, right . Fortunately they put these things in scripts. I bring my own script, too. Good morning. I hope you guys are trying to stay warm today. The wind is a bit of a challenge this morning. Again, as you heard, my name is mike hydek, the morning anchor for channel 9 in washington, d. C. And im honored once again to be asked back as your master of ceremonies to help honor our greatest generation. Can you hear me ok . Ok. Trying to make sure with all the wind here. On behalf let me move this so i can see it. On behalf of the friends of the World War Ii National memorial here in washington, d. C. , we are honored to be here to recognize the greatest generation. As citizens of a grateful nation, we salute our greatest generation who helped preserve freedom around the globe and we offer a special salute to the men and women of the armed forces who continue to serve and sacrifice in the ongoing war on terrorism. We want to let them know that their service is deeply appreciated. All of these warriors, veterans , past and present. We owe a debt of gratitude and our lasting appreciation for their service to our country. And ladies and gentlemen, it is now my pleasure to introduce our official party today, our keynote speaker to my right, mr. Allen will fred howardton. Our world war ii veteran and former senator, the honorable robert dole. The superintendent of the National Mall and memorial vitsky. S. Gay chairman of the board for the friends of the National World war ii memorial, mr. Josiah bunting iii. Representing the maritime administration, a great friend of the National World war ii memorial and our world war ii veterans, maritime administrator, the honorable paul chip danikin. And a special welcome to the designer of the National Mall, the world war ii memorial, mr. Frederick st. Florian. And our chaplin today, from the military district of washington chaplin lewis kruger. Ladies and gentlemen, if you would, please rise for the presentation of colors and the playing of the National Anthem and the invocation. Good morning. Please pray with me. Most gracious heavenly father, we recognize that we are a blessed nation and that in your steadfast love you have protected our land and richly provided for us. And through the bravery, dedication, and sacrifice of our veterans, we enjoy peace and liberty. Father, as we gather on the sacred grounds, help us to be mindful of what the greatest generation accomplished, how our world war ii veterans stood for righteousness, justice, and freedom and fought to quench wickedness and lawlessness and tyranny and demonstrated the strength of the american resolve that embodied unity, endurance, and sacrificial service. Thank you, lord, that they were willing to stand for something that was greater than themselves. May we remember the resolute spirit and help us to carry on their legacy. Sovereign lord, lift up our world war ii veteran spirit, strengthen their bodies and give them a tranquil heart this day and each day that comes. Bess and watch over each and every one of them. Bestow h theee it wisdom and protect our service men and women deployed throughout the world. May your strong arms be with them and their families, especially their children and our holy name we pray, amen. Ladies and gentlemen, it is now introduce a person we are very fortunate to have with us today. Our cohost of todays ceremony is, as always, the National Park service. They are the caretakers of this beautiful memorial. And they are here today to help us mark this occasion. The superintendent of the National Mall and memorial parks. Ladies and gentlemen, please be eated. Good morning, everyone. What a beautiful day. On behalf of the National Park service, it is my sincere pleasure to welcome you to our observance of veterans day at the world war ii memorial. This is a time we recognize those who served, honor those who fell, and recognize the victory that was achieved to restore freedom and end tyranny around the globe. Id like to take this opportunity to recognize our remarkable partners, the friends of the world war ii memorial. They help us care for this memorial and cosponsor this mornings ceremonies. Thank you so much for your partnership and for sharing in our mission to ensure that the legacy and sacrifices of world war ii veterans are not forgotten. I also want to thank the staff and the volunteers of the National Park service. Ive had the honor to serve at many National Parks. I am remarkably proud of the team we have here at the National Mall. They help us educate the public. They help us maintain this remarkable memorial and so ma