The 200 guests at the fourth annual Memorial Day Kickoff and Tribute to Veterans at the Capitol Hill Club heard a talk by Brigadier General Steve Ritchie, USAF Retired, the only ace fighter pilot since Korea, and the only US pilot in history to down five enemy MiG-21s. The next day, he received the Congressional Gold Medal. He's with Mariana Ritchie, publicist Kirsten Fedewa and popular tenor Anthony Kearns, who delighted the audience with a special set that included O'America.
There were many Members of Congress at the sold-out event, including Rep. Ryan Zinke, the first Navy SEAL elected to Congress, and Rep. Mike Coffman, a distinguished veteran who served in the Army during the Gulf War and as a Marine in Iraq.
The event benefited K9s for Warriors, a nonprofit providing service canines to warriors suffering from PTSD, brain injury or trauma as a result of military service. Here, U.S. Marines with Rep. Darrell Issa.
