Congressional Record—Senate S3323
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May 21, 2012 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S3323 RECOGNIZING THE LAS VEGAS Marine Division, known as the Lex- The Lexington Platoon will be honored METROPOLITAN POLICE DEPART- ington Platoon. Mr. Cecil and 69 other again Thursday at the Urban County Council MENT men from the central Kentucky area meeting. This time, Cecil, 88, will be the only formed the Platoon in 1942, 8 months platoon member present. ‘‘As best we can Mr. REID. Madam President, I rise tell, I’m the only one left,’’ he said. today to recognize the Las Vegas Met- after the Japanese bombing of Pearl Mayor Jim Gray will present a proclama- ropolitan Police Department’s His- Harbor. These young men went on to tion declaring James Cecil Day. Councilman panic American Resource Team’s fight in some of the bloodiest battles of Jay McChord will speak about how he met (H.A.R.T.) 10th Academy for their ef- the Pacific, including in Okinawa, Cecil and other World War II veterans while writing and illustrating his 2010 book, A Vet- forts to combat crimes against His- Saipan, Tinian, and Guadalcanal. The Lexington Platoon was honored eran’s Legacy: Field Kit Journal. panic-Americans, while building good on Thursday, May 17 at the Lexington ‘‘We’re losing so many of these guys every will and trust between the city’s police Urban City Council meeting, with Mr. day, it’s good any time we can honor them,’’ department and the Hispanic commu- McChord said. ‘‘We need to remind ourselves Cecil being the only member present. nity. of who they are and what they did.’’ Lexington Mayor Jim Gray proclaimed Cecil and Mitch Alcorn, his Lafayette High For more than a decade, H.A.R.T. has it James Cecil Day, and Councilman fulfilled and exceeded its mission, ‘‘to School buddy and the longtime Midway post- Jay McChord spoke about his inter- master, began tracking down their fellow build and maintain positive relation- views with Mr. Cecil while writing his Lexington Platoon members several years ships between the Hispanic community 2010 book, A Veteran’s Legacy: Field ago, searching the Internet and running ads and the police through compassion and Kit Journal. in veterans magazines. innovative thinking.’’ At its core, the James Cecil grew up on a tobacco By this time last year, the group had dwin- H.A.R.T. program trains and places tal- farm, and chose to join the Marines dled to the two of them and Elwood Watkins, who earned a Silver Star and three Purple ented officers who are fluent in English when the United States entered the and Spanish to work directly with Hearts in battle. Watkins died July 12. war rather than being drafted. He was Alcorn, who earned a Purple Heart and later Spanish-dominant community mem- promoted from private to corporal fought in the Korean and Vietnam wars as an bers. It is through language ability, after killing a Japanese officer and ob- Army officer, died February 18. cultural competence, and dedication taining his map of artillery positions, Cecil grew up on a tobacco farm off that H.A.R.T maintains public safety and received a Purple Heart for injuries Nicholasville Road. ‘‘We didn’t have any for the broader community regardless suffered during the battle of Saipan in money, but we had plenty to eat,’’ he said. of language capability or immigration June 1944. ‘‘We had milk cows, chickens and a big gar- status. den.’’ Although Mr. Cecil was recommended When the war came, he decided to join the A centerpiece of the educational for officer candidate school in August Marines rather than wait to be drafted. After services H.A.R.T. provides is the His- 1945, he never got the chance to attend, training, platoon members were scattered to panic Citizens Academy which offers an as in the weeks following, the United various units of the 2nd Marine Division, al- intensive 12-week training program in States bombed Japan, thus ending though Cecil served alongside Alcorn and a Spanish to non-English speaking com- World War II. few others from Lexington. ‘‘We were just munity members to impart knowledge After his service, Mr. Cecil moved to like a big family,’’ he said. on how to navigate through routine Ohio and became the owner of a suc- As I talked with Cecil last week, he pulled cessful trucking company. He moved out a small envelope. Inside was a portrait of law enforcement protocols, including a Japanese officer he killed, and money and knowing their legal rights and how to back to Lexington after the death of a ration card he found in the officer’s pocket. contact the police in case of an emer- his wife, Janet, in 1988. Today, Mr. That wasn’t all: The officer was carrying a gency. The Hispanic Citizens Academy Cecil is in good health and still often map of artillery positions, a find that got helps strengthen the partnership be- reflects on his wartime experiences. He Cecil promoted from private to corporal. tween the Hispanic immigrant commu- says that he feels ‘‘honored and proud Cecil earned a Purple Heart for wounds suf- nity and the Las Vegas Metropolitan that [he] served [his] country.’’ fered in the battle of Saipan on June 20, 1944. Police Department. In fact, the Na- I would like to ask at this time for He survived several Japanese suicide attacks my colleagues in the U.S. Senate to on his camps at night. tional League of Cities recognized Las ‘‘The next morning you couldn’t walk Vegas and the H.A.R.T. program as one join me in recognizing Mr. James Cecil without walking on a dead Marine or a dead of the top 17 U.S. police departments for his brave service to our Nation dur- Japanese,’’ he said. for good practices in a June 2011 report. ing World War II. There was recently At the battle of Okinawa, a Japanese sui- H.A.R.T.’s work serves as a model for an article published in the Lexington cide pilot hit the USS Hinsdale before Cecil’s other police departments across the Herald-Leader highlighting Mr. Cecil’s unit could land on the beach. Cecil spent 45 Nation to ensure public safety in immi- valorous service and his platoon’s leg- minutes in the cold water, watching for acy. I ask unanimous consent that said sharks, before a Navy destroyer rescued him. grant communities by keeping them ‘‘We had so many killed and wounded,’’ informed and engaged. article be printed in the RECORD. There being no objection, the mate- Cecil said. ‘‘Every battle, you just didn’t On May 23, 2012, H.A.R.T. will be cele- know who was going to be next.’’ brating the graduation of individuals rial was ordered to be printed in the Cecil’s only trip stateside came in August serving in the 10th Hispanic Citizens RECORD as follows: 1945, when he was recommended for officer Academy, a stage shared by more than [From the Lexington Herald-Leader, May 15, candidate school. Before he could begin, 2012] though, U.S. forces dropped atomic bombs on 500 alumni of the program. I am a SOLE SURVIVING MARINES’ LEXINGTON Japan, and World War II ended. proud supporter of the H.A.R.T. pro- PLATOON MEMBER TO BE HONORED After the war, Cecil had a successful career gram, and I applaud the leadership and (By Tom Eblen) as the owner of an Ohio-based trucking com- dedication law enforcement officers pany. He moved back to Lexington after Eight months after the Japanese bombed Janet, his wife of 52 years, died in 1998. In his have demonstrated to the growing His- Pearl Harbor, hundreds of people gathered apartment, he proudly displays photos of panic population of my home State of around the steps of the Fayette County her, their sons and their grandsons. Nevada. I ask my colleagues to please Courthouse to honor James T. Cecil and 69 Cecil’s health is good, his mind sharp. He other local boys. join me in congratulating the Las finds himself thinking a lot these days about Vegas Metropolitan Police Department The recent graduates of Henry Clay, Lafay- ette and other central Kentucky high his wartime experiences, including the occa- and its H.A.RT initiative as they cele- sional nightmare with Japanese soldiers brate the 10th Hispanic Citizens Acad- schools were forming the Lexington Platoon of the United States Marine Corps. Mayor T. ‘‘getting after me.’’ ‘‘I just felt honored and proud that I served emy. I wish H.A.R.T. continued success Ward Havely and other dignitaries spoke at my country,’’ Cecil said. ‘‘Coming off a to- in their future endeavors. the mass-induction ceremony. A young lady bacco patch and going into battle, that was sang the Marine Hymn, and women and chil- f a hell of a change. We were just a bunch of dren wept, the Lexington Herald and Leader brave boys.’’ TRIBUTE TO JAMES CECIL reported in late August 1942. Platoon members left in buses that day for f Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, processing in Louisville and training in San ISHRA today I wish to honor Mr. James Cecil, Diego. From there, they joined some of the who is believed to be the last living bloodiest battles of the Pacific Theater: Oki- Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. member of the 729th Platoon of the 2nd nawa, Saipan, Tinian and Guadalcanal. Madam President, earlier today the VerDate Mar 15 2010 04:58 May 22, 2012 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00029 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G21MY6.020 S21MYPT1 jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with SENATE S3324 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE May 21, 2012 Senate passed by Unanimous Consent Misinterpretation of U.S.