Congressman Jake Ellzey, Abe Abrahamson, Brett Reistad receive honors from State Funeral for WW2 Veterans

World War II Veterans

Congressman Jake Ellzey, 6th District of Texas.

Recognition for a government official who exemplifies the determination, perseverance, and call to duty of the life of World War II General George S. Patton.

WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, March 9, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The State Funeral for War Veterans organization announced that Congressman John Kevin “Jake” Ellzey Sr. will receive the national General George S Patton Award. The honor recognizes a government official who has demonstrated a love of Veterans through his leadership and action in support of our organization’s effort to have a non-Presidential State Funeral held for the last Medal of Honor recipient from the Second World War, the Korean War, and the War in Vietnam.

Other citizens previously honored by the State Funeral Organization include United States Senator Joe Manchin, WW II Medal of Honor recipients Hershel Williams and Charles Coolidge, and Congressman Steve Scalise.

"It is a privilege to be the first recipient of the National George Patton Award." said Ellzey, "Hershel "Woody" Williams's actions in Iwo Jima are ones for the history books. It was an honor to assist the State Funeral for World War II Veterans organization in having Woody "Lain in Honor" here in our nation's Capitol. Thank you again, the State Funeral for World War II Veterans organization, for this tremendous honor."

Founded Labor Day of 2017, State Funeral for World War II Veterans is organized in 50 states and the District of Columbia. Our five-year successful effort to obtain a National Funeral for the last MOH recipient from World War II resulted in the following support.

- 15 state legislatures who passed our resolution
- 16 letters of support from different State Congressional delegation
- 9 letters of endorsement from Governors
- Resolution passed by the American Legion at their 100th convention
- Letters of support from the Military Order of the Purple Heart, many VFW posts, and many other Veterans organizations

Duyane Norman, Washington D.C. Chair for State Funeral for War Veterans, said, “ Like General Patton, Jake Ellzey graduated from one of our nation’s premier service academies. Honoring Gold Star Families, Medal of Honor recipients, and fighting for Veterans are passions both men had in common. “

“Jake Ellzey has been a very strong and able Congressional leader of our mission,” said State Funeral for War Veterans Chairman Lee William (Bill) McNutt. "He hosted our delegation on July 14, 2022, the day of the service in the Rotunda of the Capitol for the last World War II Medal of Honor recipient Hershel “Woody” Williams. Congressman Ellzey obtained for us the flag that flew over the Capitol the day of Woody’s historic service, and he entered the story of our organizations’ success into the Congressional Record.” Note: The funeral flag was beautifully framed and presented by the State Funeral for War Veterans organization to the National Medal of Honor Museum in Arlington, Texas, on January 18, 2023.

In total, 473 Americans received given our nation’s highest military honor during the Second World War. None remain. In Korea, 3.5 million Americans served, and 146 received the United States’ highest military decoration. 2.5 million men and women served in Vietnam, and 266 received the Medal of Honor. 64 of these men are still living.

The mission statement of our organization is:

To convince Congress to pass legislation to grant a State Funeral for the last Medal of Honor recipients from the Korean and Vietnam Wars, as a final to salute to all the men and women who served."

The organization presenting this award, State Funeral for War Veterans, has presented its George Marshall Award to United States Senator from West Virginia, Joe Manchin, in 2022 and Congressman Steve Scalise in 2019. World War II Medal of Honor holders Charles Coolidge of Tennessee (2021)and Hershew “Woody” Willliams (2020) also received the George Marshall Award.

A State Funeral is a 7 to 10-day national event and consists of ceremonies within the state where the honoree was in residence, ceremonies within Washington, D.C., and in the state (or at Arlington National Cemetery) where the authorized individual has chosen to be interred. The last two State Funerals were Ronald Reagan in 2004 and George Bush in 2018. The last non-Presidential State Funeral was General Douglas MacArthur in 1964.

This effort is the brainchild of Bill and Susana McNutt’s 10-year-old daughter, Rabel, a Hockaday School of Dallas student, in honor of her godfather, Walter Ehlers, the oldest holder of the Congressional Medal of Honor when he died in 2014. He received the medal for his gallantry during The Battle for Normandy in France, June 1944.

The presentation was made to Congressman Ellzey at the United States Capitol on Tuesday, February 28, 2023.

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Bill McNutt
State Funeral for World War II Veterans
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