Congress of the United States

Washington DC 20510

February 20, 2019

The Honorable Donald J. Trump

President of the United States

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President,

We write today in support of veterans and their families, both in Missouri and across our country, to respectfully ask your support for efforts to designate a state funeral for the last surviving Medal of Honor recipient from World War II.

Since the first non-presidential funeral in 1868, presidents throughout our nation’s history have seen fit to designate state funerals to honor distinguished Americans. Among those honored have been General John J. Pershing and the Supreme Allied Commanders of both the European and Pacific theaters of WWII. Holding a state funeral would honor not only the final Medal of Honor recipient of WWII, but the more than 16 million courageous Americans that served our country during the war.   

From what has been shared with us, the idea for this final salute came from a young student in Texas named Rabel McNutt, the goddaughter of a WWII Medal of Honor recipient. Due to the advocacy of Rabel and the organization co-founded by her and her father, thousands of petitions in support of this initiative have been signed nationwide. Her dedication led her to Missouri in support of this cause alongside Missouri’s sole living Medal of Honor recipient, Donald “Doc” Ballard. Colonel Ballard spoke in support of this effort at the Veterans of Foreign Wars National Convention in Kansas City, Missouri in July 2018. Additionally, the American Legion passed a resolution in support at their National Convention in August 2018.

Time is of the essence for this endeavor. With each passing day, more and more of the World War II generation passes away to live in only our national memory. As all four remaining WWII Medal of Honor recipients are in their nineties, this designation would need to be made as soon as possible. They and those that have gone before them answered the nation’s call to serve and ensured the survival of liberty. As their heirs, we see a state funeral as a fitting way for our country to both honor their service and pay tribute to the warriors of the Greatest Generation.

Thank you for all you do for our nation’s veterans.

Sincere regards,

(Signed by complete Delegation to Congress from Missouri)

United State Senators Roy Blunt and Josh Hawley

Members of Congress Vicky Hartzler, Billy Long, Blaine Luetkemeyer, Sam Graves, Wm. Lacy Clay, Jason Smith, Ann Wagner and Emanuel Cleaver