Sen. Cramer Wishes WWII Veteran Lynn Aas a Happy 100th Birthday in Speech on Senate Floor

U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), a member of the Senate Armed Services and Senate Veterans' Affairs committees, delivered remarks on the Senate floor last week honoring the life and service of World War II veteran and Minot resident Lynn Aas, who turns 100 years old today.

"Throughout his life, Lynn Aas has embodied the best of the Greatest Generation. He has lived a meaningful life, sharing his history as a World War II soldier throughout, so the rest of us can better understand and appreciate the selfless service and sacrifice of every veteran," said Senator Cramer. "On behalf of all North Dakotans, I wish Lynn Aas a very happy 100th birthday on June 4th and many more years of health and vitality."

Aas was raised during the Great Depression on a farm near the town of Benedict, 40 miles south of Minot. In August 1942, he became one of 60,000 North Dakotans to serve in the U.S. armed forces in World War II, enlisting in the U.S. Army, where his first combat experience was the Battle of the Bulge. His combat days ended after being wounded in his left arm by shrapnel, when he was honorably discharged on November 1, 1945. He was awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star medals, in addition to the Glider Badge, Combat Infantryman's Badge, Good Conduct Medal, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with one Bronze Arrowhead and three Bronze Campaign Stars, and the World War II Victory Medal. In 2017, the French government awarded Lynn its highest honor, the "Knight of the Legion of Honor" medal.

After serving in the Army, Aas earned law and business degrees from the University of North Dakota, managed a medical clinic, served in the North Dakota Legislature for eight years, and was a delegate to the state's 1972 Constitutional Convention. He and his late wife, Beverly, raised four sons. To this day, Aas remains active in his community.

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