The Greatest Generation Memorial Act, introduced by U.S. senators Maro Rubio, R-Fla., Mike Rounds, R-S.D., and Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., last week, would allow the U.S. Treasury Department to mint coins in commemoration of the memorial. If enacted, the bill will authorize proceeds from coin sales to go toward repairs and maintenance at the memorial and support commemorative and educational programming.

“We must make sure this memorial is properly maintained for generations to come,” Rounds said. “Our bipartisan legislation will support the restoration of this memorial and further education about the Greatest Generation through the creation of a commemorative coin.”

The National World War II Memorial has hosted over 70 million visitors since its dedication in 2004. The memorial honors the 16 million who served in the United States Armed Forces during World War II, the more than 400,000 who died and the millions who supported the war effort stateside, according to the Memorial’s website.

“Those who bravely sacrificed their lives to serve our nation in World War II deserve to be honored,” Rubio said in a statement. “The National World War II Memorial is a place to commemorate and remember those who valiantly served.”

Since its opening in 2004, the memorial has begun deteriorating, with large cracks appearing in the granite columns, which resulted in partial closure of the monument in 2019. The memorial is funded by the National Park Service, but the Park Service currently has a $12 billion capital construction backlog, so the legislation will support quick repairs to the monument.

Proceeds from coin sales would go to the Friends of the National World War II Memorial, a nonprofit founded in 2007, which works to maintain and repair the memorial, and provides educational and commemorative programming about World War II.

Currently, there is an estimated $3 million to $5 million worth of immediate repairs needed at the memorial. If the coins sell out, they will net $9 million, and any money raised from coin sales that does not go towards immediate repairs will be used to start an endowment for memorial maintenance, according to a spokesperson from the Friends of the National WWII Memorial.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars, Paralyzed Veterans of America, the Commemorative Air Force, the Afikim Foundation and the 82nd Airborne Division Association have endorsed the legislation.

In addition to Rubio, Rounds, and Shaheen, Sens. Steve Daines, R-Mont.; Maggie Hassan, D-N.H.; John Thune, R-S.D.; Bob Menendez, D-N.J.; Rick Scot, R-Fla.; Jim Inhofe, R-Okla.; and Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., cosponsored the legislation, according to a press release on Rubio’s website.

The structure at Addenbrooke Hospital in Cambridge was thrown into the air as the tiltrotor aircraft took off April 21. The crew was taking part in medical transfer training when the incident occurred.

The aircraft, assigned to the 352nd Special Operations Wing out of RAF Mildenhall, was conducting a simulated medical evacuation training scenario at Addenbrooke to assist local emergency response forces with a casualty evacuation capability, Maj. Keavy Rake, a spokesman for the Host Nation Coordination Cell, said in a statement to Air Force Times.

“This was the first time we have conducted operations on the Addenbrooke’s Helicopter landing zone,” he said.

Exercise planners had assessed the area prior to the exercise and coordinated with the manufacturer of the landing pad, hospital staff and the Addenbrooke East Anglian Air Ambulance units, Rake said.

Confident of the helipad’s ability to withstand the turbulence of the Osprey’s rotors, the 352nd SOW told readers on the RAF Mildenhall Facebook page not to worry.

“Do not be concerned as training is conducted today,” the Air Force advised.

“Unfortunately, the training caused damage to the helipad, however, no one was injured and there was no damage to any aircraft,” Rake said. “The U.S. forces and U.K. MoD are coordinating to rectify the situation as quickly as possible, and will continue to work with local partners to return the area to its original state.”

U.S. Air Force and U.K Ministry of Defence teams cleared the debris, Rake said. The helipad will be replaced.

The East Anglian and Magpas air ambulances had to be temporarily diverted to nearby Cambridge City Airport, the BBC reported. Patients were then transferred the short distance to the hospital in road ambulances with critical care staff on board. Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust confirmed to the BBC that air ambulances can now land on grass “close to the usual” site.

“We regret any disruption caused to the hospital and the associated emergency services, and truly appreciate their understanding and the long-standing relationship and partnership between the U.S. and U.K.,” Rake said.

The book, titled “I Will Come Back,” will be released in May in both Spanish and English.

Author and veteran Padgy Soltis wrote the story based on her son’s experience of living in a dual military family and experiencing the deployment of both parents.

“My hope is that this book will help children experiencing issues with separation from a loved one, whether it is a day or months long,” Soltis said. “It is a reminder that they are always in our hearts regardless of the distance or time.”

Soltis originally wrote the book in 2016, when she began a new career months after her son was born. The author was sent away for two months for training when her son was only eight months old.

Then in 2017, her son’s dad was deployed for six months, a departure that was followed by a nine-month deployment in 2018 for Soltis.

“The most difficult moments between a child and parent are times of separation,” the book’s synopsis reads. “This book is the light at the end of the tunnel when being apart is inevitable. Whether it is making a trip to the grocery store, a weekend away for work, or a nine-month military deployment. ‘I Will Come Back’ reminds children and parents that regardless of the time and distance they may be apart, they will be reunited once again.”

Soltis’ book, originally a poem that helped her adjust to deployed life without her son, is “written in a simple, rhythmic style, [and] it gives kids a reassuring sense that the bond of parenthood and love knows no limits,” Soltis said.

The convoy was ambushed by Larry Lee Harris, 66, who started following three National Guard vans after they stopped at a gas station, and attempted to run their vehicles off the road multiple times, Idalou Police Chief Eric Williams said in a statement. The incident was first reported by The Fort Worth Star-Telegram on Monday afternoon.

According to Williams:

After that unsuccessful attempt, Harris turned his vehicle into oncoming traffic and stopped in front of the three National Guard vans, He got out of his truck and aimed his .45 caliber handgun at an unarmed National Guard soldier. Harris then claimed to be a detective and demanded that he search the vehicle and ordered the Guardsmen out of the vehicle at gunpoint.

At this time, Idalou police received a call and rushed to the scene, which took place about two miles east of Idalou on highway 62/82.

Upon arrival the Idalou Police officers were met by several uniformed National Guard Soldiers and Harris, who police took into custody “without further incident.” No Guardsmen were injured. Harris was in possession of a loaded Colt 1911 .45 caliber pistol and an additional loaded magazine and had another loaded magazine in his truck.

After being detained, Harris told police that he followed the National Guard Soldiers from a Love’s gas station in Lubbock, claiming that the people in the vans had “kidnapped a woman and a child,” according to the police chief’s report.

Williams added that Harris appeared to be “mentally disturbed.”

Harris, who has an Arizona address, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, unlawful restraint of 11 National Guard soldiers, unlawful carrying of a weapon, impersonating a public servant and interference with Texas Military Forces, according to jail records. He is being held at the Lubbock County Jail on a federal hold with no bond set, according to jail records.

“This was a very dangerous situation since the suspect was standing in the midst of the unarmed Guardsman with a loaded weapon then the Idalou Officers arrived on scene,” Williams said. “We are grateful that the officers were able to take him into custody without any of the Guardsmen, the officers or the suspect getting hurt.”

Homeland Security has joined in the investigation, authorities said.

Neither the Texas National Guard nor the National Guard Bureau immediately responded to requests for comment.

Gutierrez’s book Patriots from the Barrio discusses Company E, 141st United States infantry, the only all Mexican American United States Army Unit in World War II.

Ryan’s book The Kitchen Front tells the story of a wartime cooking show, inspired by her grandmother’s experiences of food shortages and rationing in Britain.

Kragh will discuss her father’s experience as a POW of Imperial Japan during WWII, and her desire to connect with him. AWON, of which Kragh is a member, works to connect the 183,000 Americans who lost a parent to World War II.

The event will take place on March 20 from 10 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. and is part of a running series held on the third Saturday of each month until April 17. To take part in the event, participants can click on this link.

Friends of the National World War II Memorial is an organization dedicated to preserving the national memory of World War II. The organization works to teach the lessons of the war, and does so by hosting educational and commemorative events.