Mississippi Loses A Legend And Our Armed Forces Loses A Friend! So Long; Farewell ..... Sonny!

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) -- Former Mississippi Congressman G.V. "Sonny" Montgomery was remembered Friday as a statesman who pushed through legislation improving benefits for servicemen and women in America's volunteer force and who served both his state and nation faithfully.
Montgomery, 85, died Friday at a hospital in his hometown of Meridian after a lengthy illness. Funeral arrangements were incomplete.
On Thursday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to name a national defense authorization bill in his honor.
"Sonny was a giant among congressmen in Mississippi history. The good he did for veterans is a national accomplishment, but he accomplished so much in so many areas that all Mississippians are grateful for his service and leadership," Gov. Haley Barbour said in a statement.
A conservative Democrat, Montgomery was a U.S. representative for an east-central Mississippi district in Congress from 1967 to 1997, and for 13 years chaired the House Veterans Affairs Committee.
"He was a friend of every man and woman who served in the military," said Maj. Gen. Harold Cross, adjacent general for Mississippi. "If we needed him, he was there. He was called `Mr. Veteran' and 'Mr. National Guard' for good reason."
Montgomery was a 35-year military veteran, having served in the Army in Europe during World War II. He returned to active duty during the Korean War as part of the National Guard.
"Sonny will be remembered as a Mississippi statesman with a 30-year dedication to our armed forces and veterans," said Rep. Chip Pickering, R-Miss., who was elected to Montgomery's congressional seat in 1996, the year Montgomery decided not to seek re-election.
"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," Pickering said. "The hearts of veterans across our state and country will be beating at half-mast when they hear the news of Sonny's passing."
Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., called Montgomery a friend and "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."
Lott said Montgomery "could have run for a higher office, and he had ample opportunities to advance his career. But he chose to exclusively serve the men and women who elected him for three decades as their representative, with a zeal and determination that was as strong his last day in Congress as it was his first."
U.S. Rep. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., said Montgomery's "personality and down-to-earth manner enabled him to make friends across the political spectrum."
"His advocacy for our veterans and for a strong national defense will forever be remembered. The success of the Montgomery GI education bill is a tribute to his vision and leadership, and he was the driving force behind the modernization and integration of the National Guard and Reserves that made them key elements in our national defense structure," Wicker said.
Kyle Steward, who was on Montgomery's staff for 14 years as press secretary and legislative director, said his former boss gave politics a good name.
"He was a wonderful Christian gentleman who had a remarkable ability to get along with people and make things happen," Steward said. "He was the guy everyone looked to for leadership throughout his life."
"I had an opportunity to see how hard he worked for Mississippi and for the country, and the fruits of his labor will be with us for generations to come."
Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Miss., described Montgomery as a role model.
"He gave me good advice and by example showed me how a good Congressman stayed in touch with his constituents and listened to them," Cochran said. "He was a credit to our state and to the Congress."
Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., agreed. "Congressman Montgomery dedicated his life to serving the people of Mississippi and our nation, Thompson said. "I've always respected him and appreciated his leadership. During the four years that we served together Congress, he was a well-respected statesman of the highest order."
Besides the Montgomery GI. Bill, the congressman's name is also on the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Jackson, the Naval Reserve Training Center at Naval Air Station Meridian, the Sonny Montgomery Airport at Forest and the Mississippi Air National Guard's C-17 Globemaster II transport plane is dubbed "The Spirit of G.V. 'Sonny' Montgomery."
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)