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Congressional Record—House H13390 H13390 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE November 8, 2007 THE BOND OF BROTHERS—THE Leon served in the Army during (Mr. CUMMINGS addressed the DOZEN RIPKOWSKIS World War II, and his tour of duty took House. His remarks will appear here- The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a him to Africa, Italy, and France, where after in the Extensions of Remarks.) previous order of the House, the gen- he served in the infantry. By miracu- f tleman from Texas (Mr. POE) is recog- lous chance, he ran into his brother The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a nized for 5 minutes. Felix in Tunisia, Africa during the Bat- previous order of the House, the gentle- Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, today I have tle of El Guettar. Leon received five woman from the District of Columbia campaign stars while in the United the distinct honor of recognizing a (Ms. NORTON) is recognized for 5 min- family in the Second Congressional States Army. Franklin served as a utes. District in Texas where Veterans Day Merchant Marine during World War II (Ms. NORTON addressed the House. is a daily family event. If you looked dodging German submarines in the At- Her remarks will appear hereafter in up the word ‘‘patriot’’ in the dic- lantic. He crossed the Atlantic three the Extensions of Remarks.) tionary, you would most likely find a times during his military service. Sev- photograph of the 12 Ripkowski broth- eral years later Franklin was drafted f ers in Dayton, Texas. again into the Army, and he served his ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION The lives of all 12 brothers form a country one more time, but this time The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a company of heroes that served in our during the Korean War. previous order of the House, the gen- military in various branches spanning John ‘‘Buster’’ Ripkowski served as a tleman from Indiana (Mr. BURTON) is from World War II to the Korean War. squad leader in the infantry division in recognized for 5 minutes. Most of them served in a time of war, the Army during the Korean War. He Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speak- and all 12 of them returned home. They helped take care of ammunition for his er, everybody in America, at least the truly were a band of brothers who entire infantry platoon. vast majority of Americans, are very fought for America. All the brothers, except one, have concerned about illegal immigration. Their family story began in the small spent the rest of their lives after the And they want it stopped. town of Dayton, Texas, in the 1930s. military in Dayton, Texas. Herman was Back in the early 1980s, we passed a Their parents, Stash and Mattie the only one to move away from his bill called the Simpson-Mazzoli bill. It Ripkowski, had 12 sons and four daugh- family, and he moved to Liberty, was in about 1986, and it was supposed ters. That’s right, 16 all-American chil- Texas, which is 6 miles away. to stop illegal immigration. And what dren. Their names are Felix, August, What makes the Ripkowski brothers’ it ended up being was a magnet for Raymond, Bernie, Alex, Leon, Bill, story so remarkable is how humble and more illegal immigration. It just sim- Herman, Franklin, John, Mike, Stan- modest they are in describing their ply didn’t work. So today, instead of 2 ley, Catherine, Virginia, Pearline, and family’s enormous military contribu- or 3 million illegals in this country, we Anna Lee. tion to our great Nation. Their humil- have got maybe 14, 15, 16 million. And The Ripkowski family grew corn and ity is best understood in their own we really need to deal with the prob- cotton on their 200-acre farm. As World words: lem. War II began, the brothers answered Mike said, ‘‘We did it to serve our One of the problems we have is that their country’s call of duty to serve in country. We’re just hard-working coun- we are not enforcing our laws. Here in the military one after the other. try folk.’’ Washington, D.C., the capital of the Raymond served in the Air Force and ‘‘Thank God we are here and that all United States, a person can acquire an was stationed in New Guinea. He was a of us made it home,’’ said Herman, illegal driver’s license, a fake, a fake radio operator and gunner. During his when asked to describe his brothers Social Security card, a fake green card, military service, he survived and re- and their service in the military. and all they have to do is talk to some- covered from an airplane crash. Bernie ‘‘You had to serve your country,’’ body on the street. served in the Army and was stationed said John. ‘‘I enjoyed going into the My chief of staff lives over near a in Alaska during World War II. Felix service and doing my job.’’ place here in Washington, D.C. called served in the Army in Europe. August This band of brothers believed that Adams Morgan. It’s a very popular served in the Navy and was stationed their service in the military was their place, especially for young people. And in the Pacific. And Bill was also sta- duty as an American citizen. To them the ABC News affiliate here in Wash- tioned in the Pacific, but he served in it was not for performing heroics or to ington, D.C., recently went down there the United States Army. Stanley gain medals but to answer the honor- with a camera and did an interview and served in the Army during peacetime able call of duty for our country. ‘‘Med- watched what was going on as far as and then during the Korean War. als didn’t interest us,’’ said Franklin. giving phony IDs to illegal aliens. And Today only 6 of the 12 Ripkowski ‘‘Our minds were on doing our jobs and I want to read to you what happened. brothers are still alive. Alex, the oldest doing it better every day. Nowadays a Here’s what they said: of the surviving brothers, is 91. He lot of people don’t care or put much of ‘‘On any given day, you see them served in the Army and was deployed their heart into it. But the military walking up and down Columbia Road in in Europe during World War II. Mike trained you to put your heart into it. I Adams Morgan. As soon as you make joined the Air Force and served as a wish every person in America would go eye contact with them, they try to chief clerk for 2 years on the island of into the military for 1 year. It would offer you freedom as best they can. Okinawa. Herman served in the Army make a better person out of all of ‘‘Seller: ‘Green card or security as an infantryman for 3 years, and he them.’’ card?’ was a member of the 78th Lightning Di- The Ripkowski brothers’ patriotic ‘‘Buyer: ‘Yes. What will that cost vision, which was the first division to legacy of military service is one of the me?’ cross the Rhine River in Germany to- best examples of our ‘‘Greatest Genera- ‘‘Seller: ‘The green card and Social wards the end of World War II in Eu- tion’’ doing their job for America dur- Security card will cost you $140. The rope. After crossing the river, German ing the great World War II. They are an driver’s license alone will cost you airplanes blew up the bridge, sepa- eternal example of the service and sac- $120.’’’ rating Herman and his division from rifice given to protect freedom for our Now, they are selling fake IDs. And the rest of the American troops. Amer- Nation. They’re a good example for all the people that attacked us on 9/11 had ican troops quickly built a pontoon of us, especially our younger genera- phony driver’s licenses and had regular bridge in the former location of the tion. driver’s licenses and they used them as blown-up bridge. At this point, Her- And that’s just the way it is. man’s division met up with Russian ID to get on planes. And here in Wash- forces outside of Berlin shortly before f ington, D.C., we have these people the Germans surrendered. It was dur- The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a making phony ID cards, driver’s li- ing this battle that Herman earned the previous order of the House, the gen- censes, green cards, Social Security Bronze Star for laying communications tleman from Maryland (Mr. CUMMINGS) cards, and they’re selling them in wire during enemy fire. is recognized for 5 minutes. broad daylight and we are not doing VerDate Aug 31 2005 07:07 Nov 09, 2007 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00090 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K08NO7.154 H08NOPT1 ccoleman on PROD1PC71 with HOUSE.
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