"Where I learned what America was all about" - Basttle Creek Michigan (Hu-ah!)

And while the late U.S. Sen. Phil Hart of Michigan, former presidential candidate and U.S. Sen. Bob Dole of Kansas and current U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, came from different backgrounds and formed different political leanings, their names together will now be synonymous with Battle Creek's most famous landmark

They healed together after World War II.

They served together on the floor of the United States Senate.

The Battle Creek Federal Center entered its 100th year Saturday by becoming the Hart-Dole-Inouye Federal Center.

"What an overwhelming moment this is for all of us to be with these heroes and their families," said U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., during the dedication ceremony.

Dole and Inouye were flown to Battle Creek for the ceremony and spent time reminiscing about their recovery in the historic building, then known as the Percy Jones Hospital. They talked about Inouye's talent for bridge, Hart's role as a caretaker and Dole's nickname as "bag of scars."

The three men were among nearly 100,000 American soldiers injured in World War II and the Korean conflict who were treated in Battle Creek. Dole was brought to the hospital in a full body cast and hospitalized for more than three years. Inouye lost his right hand in combat and spent seven months at Percy Jones.

But for Inouye, who grew up in a segregated community in Honolulu, healing alongside men of all races and backgrounds was valuable.

"All of us have chapters in our lives, milestones. My most important chapter was a Battle Creek chapter," Inouye said. "It happens to be the truth. This is where I learned what democracy was all about. Where I learned what America was all about."

After commenting how his name had been sandwiched between two Democrats, Dole said renaming this building will keep the memory of World War II alive for future generations. He told funny stories about his days at Percy Jones and joked about his lengthy rehabilitation.

"It took me about a year to feed myself," he said. " I could have done it in 30 days, but we had such attractive, good looking nurses, I didn't do it too fast."

But Dole wasn't bedridden the whole time he was in Battle Creek. After a while, he was hired by the local Oldsmobile dealer to sell cars with 6 percent commission.

"I sold six cars before the Army found out about it," he said. "I knew then I was a Republican."

Inouye, too, had found memories of Battle Creek. When he first arrived, he was told this was a dry town. Excited to please his mother, who was a member of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, he wrote home to say he wouldn't be tempted by the "devil's brew.'

"But than the next day they introduced me to the private clubs," he said. "There was about 25 of them."

Dole and Inouye, who have become friends since sharing a hospital ward in the late 1940s, laughed as they spun tales about their stay in Michigan. They also spoke fondly of Hart, who as a Lieutenant Colonel outranked the other two.

Hart, who died in 1976, served them drinks, emptied their bed pans, bought them cigarettes and took care of them.

"The honor is what it says about him, about Senators Dole and Inouye and all of those who served in those days," said Jim Hart, one of Sen. Hart's eight children. "I can't believe it was just an amazing coincidence that those guys would meet here and meet on the Senate floor."

The historic event opened to sunshine Saturday and followed by an A-10 fly-over by the 110th Fighter wing of the Air National Guard. It was laced with music by the Cereal City Concert Band and tributes from local and state politicians.

Sen. Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C., said this day was a moment in bipartisanship and friendship. She had arrived in Battle Creek with her husband and Inouye.

"This is a wonderful day," she said. "I'm very proud to be here for this wonderful event."

Throughout the program, the historic building was talked about as a monument to service, first as Dr. John Harvey Kellogg's Sanitarium, then as Percy Jones and then as the Federal Center, which is the workplace for about 1,800 employees.

For Inouye, who hadn't been to Battle Creek in more than 50 years, it was a return home.

"Yes, for many of us, this was a house of pain. A house of suffering," Inouye said. "But it was also a house of joy, of great joy. It was also a house of promise."

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.