Gillespie V. Montgomery
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Gillespie V. "Sonny" Montgomery (August 5, 1920 – May 12, 2006) was born in Meridian, Mississippi. He attended Mississippi State University and was a member of Beta Tau chapter of Kappa Alpha Order. He was an American politician from Mississippi where he served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1967-1997. He served in the U.S. Army as a 2nd Lieutenant during World War II and also in the Korean conflict. He retired from the Mississippi National Guard as a Major General in 1980. He was the author of the G.I. Bill of Rights that gives servicemen money to pay for college and was a lead sponsor in establishing the Veterans Affairs cabinet level position.
On September 13, 1988, Sonny Montgomery became the first Congressman to lead the U.S. House in citing the Pledge of Allegiance as a permanent part of its daily and morning business operations [1]. The day prior to his death, Congressman Gene Taylor introduced an amendment to House Defense Appropriations Bill to rename the bill the Sonny Montgomery National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007. Following his death, President Bush ordered U.S. flags to be flown at half staff [2]. In addition, the U.S. House of Representatives canceled non-suspension votes on the day of his funeral.
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[edit] Career in Public Life
A Democrat, he held the following positions:
- Mississippi State Senator, 1956–1966
- U.S. Representative from Mississippi, 1967–97 (4th District 1967-73, 3rd District 1973-97)
- Chairman, House Veterans' Affairs Committee
- Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Mississippi, 1996.
On November 10, 2005, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest American civilian honor, by President George W. Bush. [3]
[edit] Memorials
A number of public projects have been named in his honor, including:
- A statue of Montgomery on the campus of Mississippi State University where he was Student Association President for the 1942-43 school year.
- The VA Hospital in Jackson, Mississippi
- The G. V. Montgomery Lock on the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway
- The G. V. "Sonny" Montgomery Naval Reserve Center at NAS Meridian in Meridian, Mississippi
- The G. V. Montgomery Airport in Forest, Mississippi
- The Mississippi Air National Guard’s C-17 Globemaster II was named “The Spirit of G.V. ‘Sonny’ Montgomery.” Montgomery became the third person in the United States to have a military fleet named in their honor.
[edit] Quotes
"Laura and I and the entire Bush family are saddened by the death of a good friend and patriot, Sonny Montgomery. Sonny Montgomery served during World War II and the Korean War, and he was a tireless advocate for America's veterans throughout his three decades in the House of Representatives. He sponsored the Montgomery GI Bill, which has helped make higher education and professional training accessible to millions of our veterans. In 2005, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Nation's highest civil award, in recognition of his lifetime of service to the United States. We send our condolences and prayers to the Montgomery family."
-President George W. Bush
"Mississippi, and our nation, have lost a great friend and a true patriot. Barbara and I were deeply saddened to learn of Sonny's passing this morning. Without question, he was my closest friend in the Congress -- on either side of the political aisle. Nobody gave me more encouragement, or more support. He taught me what loyalty means -- loyalty to friends to be sure but, given his service in uniform, loyalty to country as well."
-Former President George H.W. Bush
“With the passing on of Sonny Montgomery, America has lost a true patriot, and the men and women in uniform have lost one of their most passionate advocates. A decorated veteran of World War II -- where he won the Bronze Star for capturing a German machine gun nest -- as well as the Korean War, Sonny Montgomery brought his personal experience and expertise in military matters to bear in a lifetime of public service. It was a privilege to serve with Sonny when he first joined the House of Representatives in the late 1960s. Because of the way he treated everyone with grace and respect, Sonny would go on to become one of the most beloved and respected members of the Congress on both sides of the aisle. Sonny’s most outstanding legislative accomplishment was the law that bears his name -- the Montgomery G.I. Bill -- which extended educational benefits to countless thousands of soldiers in the nation's all-volunteer service. The title of a recent biography of Sonny Montgomery put it well. He truly was, ‘The Veteran’s Champion.’”
-Secretary Donald Rumsfield
"After nearly three decades on the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, including 13 years as its chairman, Sonny left an indelible mark on the history of veterans and military services in America. His efforts to improve veterans' educational benefits reached a zenith in 1984 with what we now refer to as the Montgomery G.I. Bill of Rights. Sonny Montgomery once said, 'Patriotism is a pretty simple word, but also a beautiful word to most Americans.' Sonny Montgomery exemplified patriotism, and he will be greatly missed."
-Secretary of Veterans Affairs James Nicholson
"Sonny Montgomery left a lasting legacy of his commitment to our troops and our veterans with the passage of a modernized GI Bill in 1984, which has since been aptly named the Montgomery GI Bill. The first-rate education and job training benefits for which Sonny fought honor the men and women who have served our nation in the Armed Forces. President Roosevelt said when he signed the first GI Bill into law: 'It gives emphatic notice to the men and women in our armed forces that the American people do not intend to let them down.' Sonny Montgomery carried forward that legacy of honoring the sacrifice of our troops and veterans, making sure the Congress did not let them down. To honor his work, we will continue to stand up for our troops."
-House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi
"Sonny Montgomery was a gentlemen in every sense of the word and America’s veterans have lost a great friend and our nation has lost a great patriot. His legacy of achievement still stands the test of time."
-U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs Chairman Larry Craig
"Sonny Montgomery's commitment to his fellow veterans was remarkable. He never forgot the bond he shared with his brothers in arms and with veterans of the wars that followed his own service. He was dogged and relentless getting Congress and the Administration to act on the G.I. Bill, which bears his imprint just as much as the Veterans Hospital in Jackson bears his name. This was a man who loved his country first and foremost and lived the real meaning of patriotism every day. Sonny Montgomery will be missed, but his legacy of keeping faith with veterans lives on, and must be given new life by all who are in positions of responsibility today."
-U.S. Senator John Kerry
"'Mr. Veteran,' a 'Congressman's Congressman,' 'author of the Montgomery GI Bill' — there are so many honorable, revered names that have been given to Sonny throughout his long, productive and exemplary career, but I choose to call him 'friend.' He was an inspiration not just to other public servants, but to everyone he came across. He was a confidant of presidents who had a down-home relationship with Mississippians that all of us who served with him tried to emulate."
-U.S. Senator Trent Lott
"Chairman Montgomery was a veteran, a patriot, a charismatic leader, a Medal of Freedom recipient and a gentleman through and through. He was a champion for veterans' rights and a powerful advocate of a strong national defense... The Montgomery G.I. Bill is named after Sonny for a reason, without his persistence and leadership it would not have made it through Congress. Indeed, Sonny Montgomery was a rare breed, there will never be anyone else like him and I will miss him."
-U.S. Congressman Lane Evans, Ranking Member of the U.S. House Veterans' Affairs Committee
"History will be very kind to Sonny Montgomery. He was one of the most effective and most beloved leaders Mississippi has ever produced ... he was a consummate gentleman, whose personality and down-to-earth manner enabled him to make friends across the political spectrum."
-U.S. Congressman Roger Wicker
"His legacy of public service stretches across generations and across party lines and is a testimony to his vision of strong America that honors our commitments to military service. The hearts of veterans across our state and country will be beating at half-mast when they hear the news of Sonny's passing."
-U.S. Congressman Chip Pickering
"Congressman Montgomery dedicated his life to serving the people of Mississippi and our nation. During the four years that we served together Congress, he was a well-respected statesman of the highest order."
-U.S. Congressman Bennie Thompson
"I am greatly saddened to hear of Sonny's passing. When I first went to Washington, Sonny very graciously took me under his wing and gave me guidance that I follow to this day. Not only was he an exceptional mentor, he was a very close friend. And I was proud that he called me a friend. He is one of the finest gentlemen ever to serve Mississippi, a true statesman who never lost sight of the importance of serving one's Nation. He was committed to improving the lives of all military service members and keeping our Nation's promises to its veterans. Above all else, Sonny loved the National Guard, and he fought to make the National Guard the relevant, reliable, and well-equipped force it is today. While Sonny will be missed greatly, both in Mississippi and in Washington, I am heartened that Sonny's legacy will continue with the Montgomery G.I. Bill."
-U.S. Congressman Gene Taylor
"There is so much said about the red states and the blue states. Sonny was red, white and blue."
-Retired U.S. Senator Jim McClure
[edit] External links
| Preceded by: Prentiss Walker |
U.S. Congressman, Mississippi 3rd District 1967—1997 (4th District 1967-73) |
Succeeded by: Chip Pickering |
