December 1, 2011 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E2155 Thanks to The Dwelling Place, Ms. McQuain I commend the Care Center on these efforts day to honor and recognize Mr. Royal for an was able to provide her son with a happy and and am confident that this national recognition exemplary life which is an inspiration to all, stable life. Although their lives were brutally can be a catalyst that allows it to help hun- Now therefore, I, HENRY C. ‘‘HANK’’ JOHN- cut short, their resilience and ability to over- dreds more in years to come. SON, Jr. do hereby proclaim November 20, come hardship will never be forgotten, and f 2011 as Mr. Tony Royal Day in the 4th Con- they will continue to inspire the many families gressional District of Georgia. that face similar challenges. ALAN GROSS Proclaimed, this 20th day of November, My congressional district is fortunate to 2011. have The Dwelling Place providing support to HON. JAMES A. HIMES f our community, so that families in crisis can OF CONNECTICUT HONORING JOHNNY CHANDLER establish new lives without fear and with the IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES potential and support for a bright future. Thursday, December 1, 2011 I ask my colleagues to join me in remem- HON. JEFF DENHAM bering Jane and William McQuain and in sa- Mr. HIMES. Mr. Speaker, for the last two OF CALIFORNIA luting the mission of The Dwelling Place and years, Alan Gross, a 62-year old international IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES development specialist and social worker, has its dedication to assisting the homeless. Thursday, December 1, 2011 f been incarcerated in a Cuban prison. Today marks the two-year anniversary of his impris- Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to RECOGNITION OF THE COMMUNITY onment. Alan traveled to Cuba on behalf of honor Veterans of Foreign Wars Chowchilla ADOLESCENT AND EDUCATION USAID to help the country’s Jewish commu- Post 9896 Life Member Johnny Chandler who CENTER OF HOLYOKE, MASSA- nity expand its access to the Internet and es- served his country honorably in the United CHUSETTS tablish an Intranet. This was a humanitarian States Air Force. mission, a mission to help a small and peace- After graduating from Chowchilla High HON. JOHN W. OLVER ful community improve its access to and use School in 1998, Johnny Chandler enlisted in OF MASSACHUSETTS of the Internet. Alan’s presence and actions the United States Air Force. He completed his IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES posed no threat to the Cuban government. basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in And yet, Alan has been held in a maximum- Texas, and later completed Enlisted Aircrew Thursday, December 1, 2011 security military hospital facility in Cuba since Training at Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas. Mr. OLVER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to December 2009. He has been sentenced to After completing technical surveillance spe- recognize the invaluable contributions that the 15 years in prison, charged with ‘‘acts to un- cialty training in Mississippi, Washington, and Community Adolescent and Education, Care, dermine the integrity and independence’’ of Oklahoma, he was assigned to the Airborne Center, Inc. of Holyoke, Massachusetts makes Cuba. Alan’s appeal to the Cuban Supreme Air Control Squadron, one of the three oper- to the community by improving the lives of Court was denied on August 5, 2011, formally ational E–3 Sentry (AWACS) squadrons in the teen mothers and their children. ending his legal options for release. continental United States. The primary mission Among the Care Center’s core beliefs is that Mr. Speaker, today I rise and join my col- of the 965th was Operation Southern Watch in people living in poverty should be exposed to leagues in calling for the immediate and un- the skies over Southern Iraq. The mission’s the same intellectual stimulus as those who conditional release of Alan Gross. Alan Gross objectives were to search for, track, and report are financially well off and that they will thrive is not a criminal, he is a humanitarian aid enemy aircraft contacts to ground and air- if they receive it. The Center, therefore, works worker. Alan Gross is a man whose life work borne assets and intercept them if they ven- extremely hard to provide young mothers with has positively impacted people across the tured into the No-Fly Zone. While with the high level programming in education, the arts world, including in the West Bank, Gaza, Iraq, 965th, he participated in numerous Red Flag and humanities, and athletics. These pro- Afghanistan, Africa and Haiti. Alan Gross is a training missions, which are the Air Force’s grams have been incredibly effective with up husband, a father and a son who should be equivalent of the Navy’s Top Gun School. to 85 percent of graduates going on to college released and reunited with his family imme- Johnny returned to the United States about and many launching careers in social services, diately. a year later and was subsequently selected to government and medicine. f be one of the first Airborne Surveillance Tech- On November 2, 2011, First Lady Michelle nicians to participate in the resurrection of the Obama presented the Care Center with the HONORING TONY ROYAL old 960th World War II bomber squad. While prestigious National Arts and Humanities at the Base Exchange in Incirlik Air Force Youth Program Award for its innovative hu- HON. HENRY C. ‘‘HANK’’ JOHNSON, JR. Base in Turkey, Johnny watched the television manities courses. I have been a proud sup- OF GEORGIA monitors as the first airliner impacted the porter of the Center and its vital work, and I IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES World Trade Center on September 11, 2011. cannot think of a more deserving institution in While with the 960th, he completed two tours my district. Thursday, December 1, 2011 with the Operation Northern Watch in the Over 500 organizations from across the Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I Northern part of Iraq, guiding American and al- country were nominated for the award which, submit the following Proclamation: lied aircraft to targets and monitoring enemy administered by the President’s Committee on Whereas, reaching the age of 50 years is a air defenses and missile sites. He had over the Arts and Humanities, is considered to be remarkable milestone; and 1,000 flight hours on the E–3 Sentry including the highest honor for such programs in the na- Whereas, Mr. Tony Royal was born in Sa- 300 combat hours. In 2003, he was promoted tion. The Care Center is one of 12 after-school vannah, Georgia on November 20, 1961 and to Staff Sergeant and was selected for cross- and out-of-school programs to receive the is celebrating that milestone today; and training in the Air Force Combat Control. award and it was, in particular, recognized for Whereas, Mr. Royal has accomplished Johnny retired from the U.S. Air Force in its exceptional humanities programming. This much in his years, but the two things he is 2005 and enrolled in Oklahoma State Univer- included the Clemente Course in the Human- most proud of is being the husband of Leslie sity’s engineering program. He graduated in ities, a free college course focusing on moral and father of Antasha and Anthony; and May 2010 with a Bachelors of Science in philosophy, art history, literature, writing, and Whereas, he is a stellar businessman, a Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering. Dur- American history; Introduction to Humanities, a model citizen and a community partner who ing his academic career, Johnny used his en- college course offered in partnership with not only talks the talk, but walks the walk; and gineering expertise to design a multitude of Greenfield Community College; and Nautilus Whereas, Mr. Royal has been blessed with robotic unmanned aerial and ground systems. II, an annual anthology of poetry and art by a long, happy life, devoted to God, family and He recently accepted a position as an Aero- Center teen mothers. community; and space Engineer at the Naval Surface War The Care Center is dedicated to helping Whereas, Mr. Royal is celebrating his 50th Center where he will be working with high- young parents with low incomes obtain access birthday with his family and friends, his good powered lasers, rail guns, conventional weap- to an excellent education. Center Executive will has touched the lives of persons every- ons, and unmanned aircraft Director Anne Teschner and her dedicated where across the nation in particularly the Mr. Speaker, please join me in thanking Mr. staff, through their revolutionary programming, Fourth District of Georgia; and Johnny Chandler for his honorable service to have opened doors leading to successful fu- Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the our great country, and wishing him the best of tures for hundreds of teens and their children. Fourth District of Georgia has set aside this luck and health in his future endeavors.

VerDate Mar 15 2010 04:36 Dec 02, 2011 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A01DE8.023 E01DEPT1 tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with REMARKS E2156 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks December 1, 2011 COMMENDING REP. GONZALEZ’S 67TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ed to enable our valiant allies to finally col- CONGRESSIONAL LEADERSHIP BATTLE OF COLMAR POCKET lapse the Pocket. The first to arrive were the soldiers of Major General Norman D. Cota’s HON. GEOFF DAVIS 28th Infantry Division, which had fought hard HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL OF KENTUCKY in the Bulge. They arrived on January 19th, OF NEW YORK IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES taking over the 3rd Infantry Division’s sector in the Kaysersberg valley. Thursday, December 1, 2011 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES On January 22nd, the 3rd Infantry Division, Mr. DAVIS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I rise Thursday, December 1, 2011 now under MG O’Daniel, with attached 254th today in recognition of the upcoming 67th an- Infantry Regiment of the 63rd Infantry Division Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to niversary of the Battle of Colmar Pocket. and reinforced by a combat command of the recognize the service of Congressman The Battle of the Colmar Pocket was fought 5th French Armored Division, launched the II between January 22 and February 9, 1945, to CHARLES GONZALEZ. I am sad that after seven Corps main effort to breach enemy defenses great terms in the House, Congressman liberate the last major French city occupied by protecting the Colmar Canal and to isolate the German Army. The ferocious preliminary CHARLES GONZALEZ will not be seeking reelec- Colmar from the Rhine River by seizing the tion. Picking right up from where his father left fighting which formed the Colmar Pocket bridge at Neuf-Brisach. January 22nd found began after the arrival of U.S. 7th Army and off, CHARLES has been a tremendous leader then Lieutenant Colonel Lloyd B. Ramsey from for the people of the Texas 20th Congres- 1st French Army forces at Strasbourg, north of Somerset, Kentucky, in command of the 3rd sional District and the United States. Colmar, on November 23rd and Mulhouse, Battalion, 7th Infantry. He had commanded the south of Colmar on November 25th, 1944. battalion since taking command in the Anzio CHARLES and I share the honor of rep- These Armies, under command of the 6th resenting large Hispanic communities. As the beach head in February 1944, and had com- Army Group under Lieutenant General Jacob manded it for Operation Dragoon, the invasion Chairman of the Hispanic Caucus and his ten- L. Devers, had fought their way through the ure in Congress, he has fought fiercely to bet- of Southern France, the Southern France Vosges Mountains to reach these cities begin- campaign, and through the Vosges. Leading ter the lives of all Hispanics in America. We ning in mid-September, and were the first mili- both proudly co-sponsored the DREAM Act. his battalion across the ill River, through mine- tary force in history to successfully do so. fields against dug-in enemy machine gun posi- We both share the belief that everyone in The 1st French Army, commanded by Gen- tions south of the village of Guemar in a night America deserves the equal opportunity to eral Jean de Lattre de Tassigny, had the mis- attack, Ramsey showed outstanding leader- pursue the American Dream. sion to clear the Pocket and liberate Colmar, ship and gallantry which led to the award of CHARLES and his compassion will be greatly destroying the German forces in the Pocket or the Silver Star. Despite being wounded by missed. I wish him and his family all the best driving their remainder across the Rhine. Ini- enemy shell fragments, he ensured his bat- and more. tially, the 36th Infantry Division, under Major talion continued advancing in the face of stub- General John Dahlquist, arrived at Selestat on born resistance, breaking through the enemy December 4, 1944, fixing the northern shoul- f positions and enabling the rest of the division der of the Pocket. Under French command, to drive south. REGARDING THE IMPRISONMENT the 36th Infantry Division fought its way south OF ALAN GROSS to the vicinity of Kaysersberg, Ostheim, Ramsey would continue his sterling combat Mittelwihr, and Bennwihr, in frigid winter service and go on to achieve the rank of Major weather, where the division fought off fanatical General, and commanded the AMERICAL Di- HON. HENRY A. WAXMAN German counterattacks launched in support of vision in Vietnam from 1969 until 1970. He was severely injured in a helicopter crash in OF CALIFORNIA the German Ardennes Offensive, the Battle of the Bulge. In mid-December this stalwart divi- Vietnam and eventually was forced to retire for IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES sion was withdrawn from the Colmar sector to medical reasons in 1974. MG Ramsey is a proud son of Kentucky, and a member of the Thursday, December 1, 2011 rest and refurbish after its long, debilitating campaign through the Vosges. For the fighting University of Kentucky Hall of Fame. Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to collapse the Pocket, two 36th Infantry Divi- The 3rd Infantry Division’s dogged attack with deep concern over the plight of an Amer- sion soldiers received the Medal of Honor, and imaginative scheme of maneuver enabled ican citizen overseas. Today marks two years Sergeant Ellis R. Weicht and T/SGT Bernard it to reach and cross the Colmar Canal the that Alan Gross, a 62-year old international P. Bell. night of January 29–30 after a week of very development specialist who has worked for Major General Iron Mike O’Daniel’s 3rd In- heavy fighting. This combat included a serious over two decades helping people in troubled fantry Division then under acting Division incident at the bridge across 111 at the areas across the globe, has been held in a Commander Brigadier General Robert N. Maison Rouge where the failure of the bridge Cuban prison. Young, which had also fought its way as part resulted in isolated battalions of the 30th and 15th Infantry Regiments defending unsup- For the first fourteen months of his captivity, of 7th Army through the Vosges Mountains to ported against severe enemy armored coun- Mr. Gross was held without charge. In Feb- Strasbourg, was attached to II Corps of the terattacks. For actions during January 22nd ruary of this year, he was charged with ‘‘acts 1st French Army under Major General Aime through the 26th, two Medals of Honor would to undermine the integrity and independence’’ de Goislard de Monsabert, and in mid-Decem- be awarded to 3rd Infantry Division soldiers, of the State, then given a two-day trial and ber continued the fight to collapse the northern PFC Jose F. Valdez and 2LT Audie L. Mur- sentenced to 15 years in prison, his appeal section of the Pocket, seizing Kaysersberg, phy. denied. Sigolsheim, Mittelwihr, and Bennwihr and the dominating high ground of Hill 355 above The XXI Corps, commanded by Major Gen- Mr. Gross was in Cuba on behalf of USAID. Sigolsheim and Hill 216 outside Bennwihr in eral Frank W. Milburn, took command of the He was there to help the country’s small Jew- the final two weeks of December 1944. For 3rd Infantry Division, the 28th Infantry Division, ish community establish an intranet and im- their intrepid and gallant actions in the fighting the 75th Infantry Division commanded by prove its access to the internet. His presence between December 15 and January 21, 1945, Major General Roy E. Porter, the 5th French and actions were not meant to pose a threat the following 3td Infantry Division soldiers Armored Division, and the 12th Armored Divi- or danger to the Cuban government. Since were awarded the Medal of Honor: 1LT sion commanded by Major General Roderick being incarcerated, he has lost approximately Charles P. Murray, Jr.; 1LT Eli Whitely; LTC C. Allen at the end of January and continued 100 pounds, his health is deteriorating, and Keith L. Ware; T/SGT Gus Kefurt; and T/SGT the attack which succeeded in the 3rd Infantry two immediate family members, his mother Russell Dunham. Division’s seizure of NeufBrisach. The 75th In- and daughter, have been diagnosed with can- As this difficult fighting was taking place, fantry Division attacked and protected the 3rd cer. other 1st French Army units were pressing re- Infantry Division’s west flank. The 28th Infantry His 15-year sentence is absurd, and his maining German units in the Vosges Moun- Division launched its attack from the continuing incarceration is inhumane. I urge tains at the westernmost extent of the Pocket, Kaysersberg valley and cleared the suburbs of my colleagues to join me in requesting that as well as in the south near Mulhouse. The Colmar, enabling units of the French 5th Ar- the Cuban government release Mr. Gross on tough fighting and harsh winter weather had mored Division to enter the city on February humanitarian grounds as quickly as is pos- greatly worn down the French, and it was de- 2nd. Immediately thereafter, the 12th Armored sible. termined further U.S. reinforcement was need- Division was committed for a drive south and

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