May 26, 2005 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6007 Congress, and every year we go While we can never repay our Na- ‘‘We are going to do what they do but through the same struggle to get VA tion’s debt to families who have made just do it better,’’ he said. ‘‘ We out-gee health care the money it needs to ade- the ultimate sacrifice, we must always the G.’’ quately serve its veteran patients. We remember the legacy of their fallen ‘‘Out-geeing the G’’ was the heart must change the way funds are allo- sons and daughters: a safer and freer and soul of Hackworth’s brand cated so that all of our veterans are world. On this Memorial Day, I believe of soldiering. guaranteed the care they so clearly de- it appropriate to take a small step in Sadly, Colonel Hackworth was not serve. that direction by recognizing in the able to ‘‘out-Gee’’ the enemy this time. I want the 115,000 veterans who record those exceptional individuals choose to make Hawaii their home to from Massachusetts who this year gave Colonel Hackworth began his mili- be assured that they will receive the their lives, and earned the eternal grat- tary career just up the coast from Ti- services they have earned. The nearly itude of the American people: juana—in Santa Monica, CA. 18,000 veterans who avail themselves of Arredondo, Alexander S., Lance Cor- At the age of 10, after Japan’s attack VA health care on Oahu, the Big Is- poral, USMC, 25-Aug-2004—Randolph, on Pearl Harbor, he worked as a shoe- land, Kauai, and Maui should not have MA; Connolly, David, S., , USA, shine boy at a military post there to worry if resources for doctors and 6-Apr-2005—Boston, MA; Cunningham, where a group of soldiers adopted him nurses will materialize next year. The Darren J., Staff Sergeant, USA, 30-Sep- as a mascot. They had a special uni- reservists and guardsmen who are de- 2004—Groton, MA; Depew, Cory R., Pri- form made for him to wear. Both his ployed for the current wars in Iraq and vate, USA, 04-Jan-2005—Haverhill, MA; parents died before his first birthday. Afghanistan also must receive the care Desiato, Travis R., Lance Corporal, At this point in his life, Colonel they need upon their return. And the USMC, 15-Nov-2004—Bedford, MA; Hackworth said: ‘‘I knew my destiny. fact that a whole population of vet- Farrar Jr., Andrew K., Sergeant, Nothing would be better than to be a erans is denied care because VA does USMC, 28-Jan-2005—Weymouth, MA; soldier.’’ not have adequate funding is shameful. Fontecchio, Elia P., Gunnery Sergeant, You can’t utter the name David Memorial Day is a day of both sorrow USMC, 04-Aug-2004—Milford, MA; Hackworth without also saying the and joy. We mourn those we have lost Fuller, Travis J., 1st Lieutenant, word soldier in the same breath. He in battle, and we celebrate the free- USMC, 26-Jan-2005—Granville, MA; was a ‘‘soldier’s’’ soldier. doms we currently enjoy thanks to Gavriel, Dimitrios, Lance Corporal, He was a soldier from the day he put those brave individuals. As we gather USMC, 18-Nov-2004—Haverhill, MA; on that special uniform in Santa together over the long weekend to cele- Johnson, Markus J., Private, USA, 1st Monica to the moment he died. He may brate this important holiday, let us Class, 01-Jun-2004—Springfield, MA; have taken off his uniform after pub- make sure to take a moment to re- Lusk, Joe F. II, Captain, USA, 21-Jan- licly denouncing the war on member and thank those who lost their 2005—Framingham, MA; Moore, James national TV in 1971, but he continued lives in order to secure our futures. M., Colonel, USA, 29-November-2004— to soldier until the very end of his life. Then, for the rest of our tenure in Con- Peabody, MA; Oliveira, Brian, Cor- gress, let us not waiver from the com- poral, USMC, 25-Oct-2004—Raynham, I know that Colonel Hackworth was a mitments made to these brave men and MA; Ouellette, Brian J., Petty Officer, highly respected combat veteran. I women in terms of programs, services 1st Class, USN, 29-May-2004—Needham, know he distinguished himself as a and benefits. MA; Palacios, Gabriel T., Specialist, leader of troops in the field in Korea and Vietnam. I know he was awarded a f USA, 21-Jan-2004—Lynn, MA; large number of combat decorations for MEMORIAL DAY Schamberg, Kurt D., Sergeant, USA, 20-May-2005—Melrose, MA; Sullivan, valor. Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, Memorial Christopher J., Captain, USA, 18-Jan- Colonel Hackworth was a true Amer- Day is a day of mixed emotions: sorrow 2005—Princeton, MA; Vangyzen IV, ican hero. for the families whose sons and daugh- John J., Lance Corporal, USMC, 05-Jul- But I do not want to leave my col- ters have given their lives for our coun- 2004—Bristol, MA; and Zabierek, An- leagues with a false impression. try, coupled with universal pride in the drew J., Lance Corporal, USMC, 21- I did not know Colonel Hackworth great Americans who for generations May-2004—Chelmsford, MA. and particularly today teach us the full when he was fighting wars and winning f meaning of service and sacrifice. The medals for valor. I have only read courage and bravery of our young men THE PASSING OF A GREAT AMER- about that part of his life. I did not and women fighting overseas continues ICAN SOLDIER—ARMY COLONEL meet him until much later—after he to inspire all of us, and indeed inspire DAVID H. HACKWORTH had started a new career. the free world and those yearning for Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I was I came to know Colonel Hackworth freedom. very sad to learn that Colonel after he became a reporter and began America’s fallen soldiers shouldered Hackworth had died on May 4, 2005, in covering . a responsibility greater than any of us , Mexico. He was still a soldier all right—but a will ever know. Their families, their Tijuana is the place where Colonel different kind of soldier. units, and their nation depended on Hackworth chose to make his last Colonel Hackworth had become what them, and they answered the call of stand. He went there to fight one last I would call a brave-hearted soldier for duty with selflessness and devotion. battle. He had a particularly deadly the truth. form of cancer that spread. He went to Our soldiers did not shirk from this re- When I met him, he had taken off his sponsibility, and all the uncertainty, Mexico, hoping for a miracle with an experimental drug treatment program. uniform. He was fighting a different danger and honor that came with it. kind of war. He was a soldier in civilian Their families remember them as spe- Just before leaving his home in Con- necticut for the last time in January clothes. But he still had a mission. He cial sons and daughters, brothers and wanted to bring truth, justice, and ac- sisters, husbands and wives, and cher- 2005, he sent me one final message: Give Senator Grassley my best. Have run countability to military head- ished friends. Their Nation remembers quarters—the Pentagon. He wanted to them as special citizens. Grown men out of conventional options re my cancer. Got until March to find a solution. Off to shed some light on what he perceived will touch their names etched on gran- Mexico to see if we can’t out Gee this mon- as gross incompetence and corruption ite walls and will today weep for fallen ster. I am not sweating my final orders from on the part of some senior officers. comrades who gave their lives so that Headquarters. It has been a fun ride. Plan on He was a contributing editor and re- others can live. being planted in Arlington. porter for Newsweek Magazine and syn- In this time of war, and in memory of ‘‘Out-Geeing the G’’ was one of Colo- dicated columnist. our fallen heroes, we must be mindful nel Hackworth’s favorite expressions. to do everything in our power to keep He invented the term while leading Colonel Hackworth and I shared a our troops safe as they keep us safe. We troops in combat during the Vietnam small piece of common ground— must do better to take care of their war. He told his troops that they could watchdogging the Pentagon. families, who sacrifice in ways too beat the Viet Cong by using the guer- From the moment when I was first many to count. rillas’ own mobile, hit-and-run tactics. elected to the Senate, I have worked

VerDate Mar 15 2010 21:24 Jan 30, 2014 Jkt 081600 PO 00000 Frm 00063 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\2005SENATE\S26MY5.REC S26MY5 mmaher on DSKCGSP4G1 with SOCIALSECURITY S6008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE May 26, 2005 very hard to ferret out fraud, waste, General Ashy flew himself, his aide and COLONELONEL DAVID H. and abuse at the Pentagon and stop it. family cat from Italy to aboard a HACKWORTH I do it because I don’t want to see a 200-seat Air Force plane; he flew his wife round-trip on an Air Force VIP aircraft from Mr. LIEBERMAN. Mr. President, I single tax dollar wasted. rise to pay tribute to a true American Colonel Hackworth attacked the very Colorado to Washington; and he made pala- tial renovations at his headquarters. hero, COL. David H. Hackworth, who same problem but from a different spent his last years in Connecticut. angle. The IG concluded that General Ashy’s ‘‘wasteful escapades’’ cost the Colonel Hackworth was one the most As in everything he did, he always legendary and highly decorated sol- taxpayers $424,602.00. looked at a problem from a common diers of the U.S. Army. As Memorial Colonel Hackworth found out about soldier’s perspective. Day approaches, there is no better time As I said, his main concern was in- General Ashy’s ‘‘escapades’’ from one to remember the sacrifices, courage competence and corruption among of his beloved soldiers who was denied and tactical genius of this legendary some senior officers in the Pentagon. a seat—and free ride home—on Ashy’s soldier who spent more than half a cen- He called them ‘‘perfumed princes.’’ airplane. tury fighting on the world’s most dan- These were some of the same officers Colonel Hackworth’s comments were gerous battlefields. As World War II he saw come and go in Vietnam. They as follows: was coming to a close, a 14-year-old came to Vietnam to get their ‘‘tickets The taxpayers got ripped-off for almost a David Hackworth lied about his age to punched.’’ They got their ‘‘tickets half a million bucks by a member of our join the Merchant Marine and a year punched’’ by commanding a battalion military elite and virtually nothing is being later joined the U.S. Army—spending or brigade for a shortened tour of duty done about it. . . . The Air Force the next 26 years fighting our nation’s spinmeisters lied through their teeth about before rotating home to the Pentagon battles. A true leader, ‘‘Hack’’ as he for promotion. what General Ashy did. . . . Besides being a blatant waste of money, this incident is was known, received a battlefield com- To the hardcore soldier like Colonel mission in Korea to become the Army’s Hackworth, ‘‘ticket punching’’ in Viet- about deception and the art of diffusing re- sponsibility. . . . Ashy was fined a mere youngest captain and was promoted in nam translated into unnecessary cas- $5,020.00 and continues to have four stars and Vietnam to the Army’s youngest full ualties on the battlefield. The wasting his finger on the nuclear button. colonel. Three times he was nominated of one soldier’s life produced real fury General Ashy wrote out a check for for the Medal of Honor. His decorations inside this man. He could not—and the fine and sent it to Air Force Head- are numerous and include the Army would not—tolerate it. quarters on June 26, 1995. However, in- Medal of Valor, the Distinguished Serv- One illustrative incident, which oc- ice Cross, ten Silver Stars, eight curred in Vietman, is described in his stead of depositing his check at the bank, the check was stashed in a safe Bronze Stars and the United Nations book ‘‘About Face.’’ Peace Medal. But the awards of which During a very intense combat oper- in Air Force Secretary Sheila Widnall’s he was proudest are his eight purple ation, a ‘‘perfumed prince’’ riding in a office—for what I suspect was perma- hearts and the Combat Infantryman’s helicopter overhead issued an order to nent safekeeping. At my request, the Badge. Mr. President, As you know, a unit under Colonel Hackworth’s com- IG began making new inquiries and the there is only one way to get this badge: mand—without Colonel Hackworth’s check finally went to the bank on Sep- serve 90 days in a front-line infantry knowledge or approval. That order re- tember 15, 1995. unit under fire and survive. sulted in a significant loss of life in one This great American soldier told us— in ‘‘plain old English’’—what he ex- In just one example of his bravery, of Colonel Hackworth’s units. Colonel Hackworth got out on the strut Colonel Hackworth believed that pected from the top brass at the Pen- of a helicopter to drag to safety his those casualties were avoidable and un- tagon. He expected them to lead by ex- men who were pinned down and facing necessary. ample. If they failed his leadership and certain death. It is no wonder, Colonel When he returned to home base, he integrity test at headquarters, he be- Hackworth has so many supporters. sought out that officer, put a 45 caliber lieved they would fail on the battle- But these statistics do not capture weapon to his head, and threatened to field. the Colonel Hackworth, the icono- kill him if he ever did anything like His pronouncements were blunt, for clastic straight talker, who lead from that again. sure. They were almost always harsh the front and spoke from his heart. One That is Colonel Hackworth’s own ac- and sometimes coarse. But they always of the most telling stories about Colo- count of what happened on that day so conveyed an important lesson tem- nel Hackworth’s leadership was his long ago. pered by battlefield experiences. So I transformation of the 4/39 Infantry Colonel Hackworth loved his troops listened and learned. His opinions on above all else and would go to any Battalion from a demoralized outfit the Pentagon brass had credibility in into an effective counter-insurgency length to protect them from harm and my book. He had put them to the ulti- abuse. fighting force that routed enemy units mate test on so many distant battle- in the jungles of Vietnam. Colonel His lifelong commitment to the com- fields. That was good enough for me. mon soldier was the driving force be- Hackworth’s training methods and tac- The lessons taught by this great tics were so successful, he wrote them hind the stories he produced as a re- American soldier are lessons that will porter with Newsweek and other publi- down in a book ‘‘The Vietnam Primer’’ stand the test of time. Setting the ex- that is still read by commanders today. cations. ample has been the most powerful ele- In Colonel Hackworth’s mind, the GEN. Hal Moore, the coauthor of ‘‘We ment of leadership since the beginning Were Soldiers Once and Young,’’ called terrible loss of life in Vietnam had its of time. Colonel Hackworth kept going origins in a disease that he set out to him ‘‘the Patton of Vietnam,’’ while back to those enduring principles. As a General Creighton Abrams, the last cure—the gross incompetence and cor- Nation, we must do the same. We must ruption—that he perceived at the high- American commander in that disas- rely on those ideas. They are too im- trous war, described him as ‘‘the best est echelons in the Pentagon. portant to be forgotten. They must be Colonel Hackworth was determined battalion commander I ever saw in the followed. to wipe it out and right a wrong. .’’ Over the years, we collaborated on a Colonel Hackworth was a constant Gruff and full of purple prose, Colonel number of investigations. The one I re- and forceful reminder of just how im- Hackworth ran afoul of the Army’s top member best is the one involving Air portant those principles really are. leadership and retired following a con- Force General Joseph Ashy in 1994–95. The memory of Colonel Hackworth frontation in which he said in 1971 that Colonel Hackworth conducted his and all that he stood for lives on in our the was hopeless. Often own investigation. He gathered the hearts and minds. called the champion of the common facts and the documents. I, in turn, re- Colonel Hackworth has left us. His soldier, ‘‘Hack’’ spoke truth to power. ferred Colonel Hackworth’s allegations remains will be laid to rest in Arling- After leaving the service, Colonel to the inspector general, IG, for review. ton National Cemetery on May 31. But Hackworth launched himself into new This is what Colonel Hackworth re- he will not be forgotten. He will never careers as a journalist, businessman, ported in the press: fade away. restaurateur and best-selling author as

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