Veterans

Senate Passes Bill Naming Benson Post Office After Nebraska WWII Hero

| Posted in In the News
Tags: Veterans

OMAHA — Nearly 80 years after Charles Jackson French saved 15 fellow sailors’ lives, the U.S. Senate voted Thursday to put his name on a local post office. President Joe Biden has 10 days to sign the bill. Japanese forces had just attacked the USS Gregory on Sept. 5, 1942. The ship was sinking, and 15 injured sailors were stranded. Petty Officer 1st Class French tied on a rope, jumped…

Memorial Day: Honor the fallen by caring for those they leave behind

| Posted in In the News

Memorial Day is one of the most sacred days of the year for our nation — and for me personally. As I reflect upon those our country has lost and those brave warriors whom I personally knew, I am reminded of the importance of not only honoring and remembering their service and sacrifice, but honoring them through action, by caring for the families they leave behind. This is not…

Omaha Memorial Day Celebration pays tribute to fallen veterans

| Posted in In the News

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - All across the country Monday, people pause to remember those who gave their lives to preserve the freedoms we all enjoy in this country. Memorial Day ceremonies to honor the fallen have become a tradition. Paying tribute to those brave men and women at Memorial Park is a tradition here in Omaha. “This freedom did not just magically occur, it was paid for by the…

'This freedom did not just magically occur': Omaha residents celebrate Memorial Day

| Posted in In the News

OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Hundreds came to Memorial Park to solemnly remember the over one million American soldiers who gave everything to preserve the freedoms we have today. "This freedom did not just magically occur. It was paid for,” said Rep. Don Bacon. That includes Marine Corporal Daegan Page, an Omaha native, who was killed last August by a suicide bomber in Afghanistan. Read the…

Senate Passes Bill to Name Omaha Post Office After WWII Hero

| Posted in In the News

On September 5th, 1942, Charles Jackson French of Omaha saved 15 injured Navy sailors after their ship, the USS Gregory, had been attacked by the Japanese Navy. Towing 15 of his fellow sailors in a life raft, French swam for more than 6 hours through shark-infested waters to get the men to safety. Many contend that, because he was a Black sailor during World War Two, he never got the…

BACON, FISCHER BILL TO HONOR PETTY OFFICER FRENCH UNANIMOUSLY PASSES SENATE

| Posted in Press Releases
Tags: Veterans

Washington, D.C. – Rep. Don Bacon (NE-02) announced today that his bill H.R. 4168, passed the Senate by Unanimous Consent. This legislation will name the U.S. Post Office in Omaha’s Benson area, 6223 Maple St., after Petty Officer First Class Charles Jackson French. A World War II hero with ties to Omaha, he rescued fifteen of his injured shipmates by swimming for hours pulling…

Offutt-based lab could be in store for new $50 million facility

| Posted in In the News

After operating for nearly a decade in a temporary location at Offutt Air Force Base, a Defense Department laboratory that identifies the remains of missing U.S. military members could be in store for a new home near the base. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., proposed an amendment to the House Armed Services Committee calling on the department to “accelerate planning for the construction…

SMITH, BACON INTRODUCE LEGISLATION TO AWARD NORTH PLATTE CANTEEN VOLUNTEERS THE CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL

| Posted in In the News
Tags: Veterans

Washington, D.C. – Reps. Adrian Smith (R-NE) and Don Bacon (R-NE) introduced legislation to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the individuals and communities who volunteered or donated food and other items to the North Platte Canteen in North Platte, NE during World War II. One of the largest volunteer efforts of WWII, historical documents show 38 counties in Nebraska, two…

Sasse sends 11th-hour letter to get WWII hero French into post office bill

| Posted in In the News

OMAHA — U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse’s office said Monday that the effort by Nebraska congressional colleagues to rename the Benson branch post office after a Navy World War II hero with Omaha ties now has what it needs to advance. Sasse spokesman Taylor Sliva confirmed that Sasse wrote a letter of support Monday to the Senate Homeland Security and General Affairs Committee, which handles post…

Sasse has Tuesday deadline to get post office named for Omaha WWII hero

| Posted in In the News

OMAHA — The last hurdle preventing the naming of the Benson branch post office for World War II hero Charles Jackson French is a signature from U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb. The rest of Nebraska’s congressional delegation have been involved in a months-long effort to honor French, who lived in Omaha when he enlisted. The Senate Homeland Security and General Affairs Committee, however,…