H 2782 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 7, 1995 talents: Appointment by President John F. Listen to this moment in history ant, company CO, 27th Infantry Battal- Kennedy to the U.S. Civil Service Commis- that President Eisenhower said was ab- ion, first officer over the bridge. sion as Vice Chairman—and reappointments solutely stunning. Sergeant Joe DeLisio, of Bronx, NY, and service under five presidents: Kennedy, Time magazine said it was a moment platoon leader of the 3d platoon, Com- Johnson, Nixon, Ford and Carter. Then, re- tirement. for all history. pany A. He cleaned out a machine gun Not content with—and too restless for re- After the war, General Eisenhower nest that was set on the bridge. tirement, Lud went out and organized the re- was quoted: First Lieutenant Hugh Mott, Nash- tirees, as President of the National Associa- Broad success in war is usually foreseen by ville, TN, platoon leader in Company B. tion of Retired Federal Employees, adding days or weeks, with the result that when it I do not have time to go through them 100,000 to their numbers and forging NARFE actually arrives, higher commanders and all: Doorland, Reynolds, Soumas, Wind- into a political force to be reckoned with. staffs have discounted it and are immersed sor, Goodson, Grimball; Michael Then, retirement again—but always restless, in plans for the future. This, however, was Chinchar, of Saddle River Township, probing, inquisitive, determined, setting his completely unforeseen. iron will to overcoming obstacles. NJ; Joe Petrencsik, of Cleveland; An- We were across the Rhine, 600 people, by thony Samele, of Bronx, NY. I will put He was proud of his Slovenian heritage— midnight. We were across the Rhine on a per- loved the music, the food, the language, the manent bridge, the traditional defensive bar- the story of this day the bridge over people. rier to the heart of Germany, the Rhine was Remagan and what the final German He loved, revered and reveled in public pierced. commander said who was trying to service—for him, the highest attainment of Finally, defeat of the enemy, which we had blow up the bridge when he came back the human community. long calculated would be accomplished in to see it months later. Every one of In the end—as in the beginning—with Lud, late spring, the summer campaign of ’45 was those men were the bravest and should what mattered most was loyalty: to friends, now on our minds just around the corner. especially his lifelong friend, John Blatnik; have gotten the Medal of Honor. They to principle: to veterans preference, to the General Eisenhower’s chief of staff, all did get the Distinguished Service idea that government should serve the least his alter ego, General Walter Bedell Cross. among us, that it should do good for people. Smith, termed the Remagan Bridge (The document referred to is as fol- For Lud, the highest, most enduring loy- worth its weight in gold. And a few lows:) alty was to family, to Regina, whom he loved days later it collapsed, killing 14 brave A DICTIONARY OF BATTLES steadfastly and with devotion; to his daugh- engineers. ter, Kathy; her husband, Don; to his grand- (By David Eggenberger) children Brendan, Nicholas and Kendall; his Let me give the names of our great Rhineland (World War II), 1945. Before the sister, Frances, and her family. He loved . .. heroes. The first ones across should last of the German attackers had been driven fiercely, protectively, and—at the last—ten- certainly have gotten the Medal of out of the Ardennes bulge, the Allies had re- derly. Honor. When the young Brigadier Gen- sumed their offensive against the Siegfried Lud touched our lives indelibly. Caught up eral Hoge said, ‘‘Get across that Line. Progress was so slow, however, that with him in life, we are bound to him in bridge,’’ a young sergeant and a young the large-scale effort became necessary to ef- death. He has met his test and left us a rich lieutenant did not pause or say, ‘‘But, fect a breakthrough to the Rhine Valley. legacy. Our test is to live our lives so that On February 8 the Canadian First Army what he meant to us can never pass away. sir, every sniper on the east side of (Henry Crerar) launched Operation Verita- that river is going to have my heart or ble, a major attack southeast from f my forehead in his gunsights.’’ They Nijmegen, Holland, between the Meuse and just obeyed. the Rhine. The latter was reached on Feb- b 1915 The first man across was a sergeant, ruary 14. A converging thrust by the U.S. the backbone of the military, Sergeant Ninth Army (William Simpson), called Oper- REMEMBERING WORLD WAR II Alex Drabik of Holland, a suburb of To- ation Grenade, crossed the Roer River on The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. ledo, Ohio. He was a squad leader in the February 23. The two advances linked up at Geldern, Germany, on March 3. Two days VUCANOVICH). Under a previous order of 3d platoon. later the Allies had pressed to the Rhine the House, the gentleman from Califor- Madam Speaker, I yield to the gen- from opposite Du¨ sseldorf northward, leaving nia [Mr. DORNAN] is recognized for 5 tlewoman from Ohio [Ms. KAPTUR]. only a small German bridgehead at Xanten- minutes. Ms. KAPTUR. I say to the gentleman Wesel. The Canadians eliminated this pocket Mr. DORNAN. Madam Speaker, I that Drabik was a very distinguished on March 10. Meanwhile, to the south, the wish I had an hour because my subject resident of my district for many years left wing of the U.S. First Army (Courtney certainly is worthy of it. until his death about a year ago. We Hodges) attacked toward Cologne on Feb- Madam Speaker, 50 years ago today were very proud of his service. He was ruary 23 to cover the Ninth Army’s right flank. This offensive swept across the Rhine the House of Representatives came to a the first U.S. soldier across the Rhine. plain, while the U.S. Third Army of Gen. screeching halt, and so did the United Mr. DORNAN. I wish he was here. If George Patton punched its way through the States Senate. They stood in the aisles I were running this place, I would have Siegfried Line north of the Mosselle River. here and cheered because the United him address a joint session of Congress. On the central front the rest of the First States had crossed the Rhine on the That is what this man did to save tens Army and the Third Army, both under the Ludendorf railroad bridge at Remagen. of thousands of Germans who did not group command of Gen. Omar Bradley, And in just these few minutes—I will vote for Hitler who were being wiped launched a broad attack on March 5 toward expand my remarks later—but in just out. All the people in the concentra- the middle Rhine (Operation Lumberjack). By March 10 the Americans had closed to the these few minutes I think again of tion camps that lived because the war river from Coblenz northward through Bonn Ronald Reagan’s goodbye to his coun- ended 3 months earlier and had stopped and Cologne (which fell March 7), to link up try 9 days before George Bush was them from starving to death and all of with the Canadians at Wesel. sworn in as President. the untold GI’s and the Navy and Army The rapid advance to the Rhine yielded a In the close of President Reagan’s Air Corps and Marines and everybody surprising and rich dividend. On March 7 the goodbye after 8 wonderful years, he that died. U.S. 9th Armored Division discovered the said, ‘‘We must teach our young people By the way, today we were only day railroad bridge and Remagen still standing. about the history of our country, what 17 of 36 days on Iowa Jima. The Navy (It was the only Rhine bridge not demolished by the Germans.) In a daring gamble, leading those 30 seconds over Tokyo meant.’’ shelling stopped today. The Marines elements dashed across the Rhine and seized He mentioned D-day. He mentioned Vi- were still pressing on to lose almost a bridgehead on the east bank. Gen. Dwight etnamese boat people, Vietnamese res- 6,000 people and 800 others killed in ac- Eisenhower, supreme Allied commander in cue at sea, with a refugee yelling up to tion. Europe, ordered the new breakthrough hur- an American sailor, ‘‘Hello, freedom Here is Drabik. He was with the 27th riedly reinforced. Despite German counter- man.’’ He mentioned all the sacrifices Armored Infantry. attacks and determined efforts to wreck the that had gone before us. He told the The second man across was an bridge, Hodges rushed three corps (three, children of America, ‘‘If your parents officer, 2d lieutenant, and get this five, seven) across the river by bridge, pon- toon, and ferry. By March 21 the bridgehead are not teaching you at the kitchen German-American name, Karl had grown to 20 miles long and 8 miles deep. table the history of your country, hit Timmermann, of West Point, not New (The Remagen success caused the Allies to them on it.’’ I think that would be a York with the academy, but Nebraska, shift the main axis of their attack from very American thing to do. company commander as a 2d lieuten- Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery’s March 7, 1995 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H 2783 northern group of armies to Bradley’s The Germans had a far different reaction. crossing was the biggest military triumph central force.) In his conference with Field Marshal Kessel- since the Normandy landings, and was a bat- During the Remagen bridgehead build-up, ring two days after the capture of the tle feat without parallel since Napoleon’s the U.S. general Jacob Devers’ Sixth Army Ludendorff Bridge, Hitler told him bluntly conquering legions crossed the Rhine early Group launched its own advance to the that the really vulnerable spot on the west- in the last century.’’ Hal Boyle wrote from Rhine (Operation Undertone). It took the ern front was Remagen, and that it was ur- the front that ‘‘with the exception of the form of a huge pincers movement against SS gent to ‘‘restore’’ the situation there. Hitler great tank battle at El Alamein, probably no Gen. Paul Hausser’s Seventh and First Ger- took a personal hand in hurrying all avail- tank engagement in World War II will be re- man armies. On March 15 the right wing of able troops to reduce the Remagen bridge- membered longer than the dashing coup Patton’s Third Army attacked south across head. The 11th Panzer Division wheeled which first put the American army across the Moselle River into the Saar. Two days southward from the Ruhr. The Panzer Lear the Rhine at Remagen.’’ He added that the later Gen. Alexander Patch’s U.S. Seventh and 9th Panzer divisions followed, swallow- crossing of the Rhine by the men ‘‘who knew Army began hammering through the Sieg- ing many gallons of precious, high-priority there was strong likelihood the dynamite- fried Line, headed northeast. By March 21 gasoline. Many other divisions and scraps of laden bridge would blow up under them at the joint U.S. offensive had crushed all Ger- divisions joined in the frantic German fight any moment has saved the American nation man opposition west of the Rhine except for to contain the bridgehead. 5,000 dead and 10,000 wounded. a shrinking foothold around Landau. Then Field Marshall Model’s Chief of Staff, ‘‘It was a moment for history,’’ stated Tine on March 22 Patton’s 5th Infantry Division Major General Carl Wagener, summed up the magazine. wheeled from south to east and plunged German view as follows: ‘‘The Remagen af- The nation expressed its gratitude to the across the Rhine at Oppenheim. Encouraged fair caused a great stir in the German Su- heroes of Remagen in numerous ways. Both by light opposition in this area, the eight preme Command. Remagen should have been the United States Senate and the House of Corps bridged the river at Boppard, 40 miles considered a basis for termination of the representatives interrupted their delibera- to the north, on March 24. Germany’s last war. Remagen created a dangerous and un- tion to cheer the news. In the House, a spir- natural defensive barrier had now been pleasant abscess within the last German de- ited debate took place as to which state breached in three places on Bradley’s front. fenses, and it provided an ideal springboard could claim the first man to cross. Congress The Rhineland battle inflicted a major de- for the coming offensive east of the Rhine. Brooks Hays of Arkansas declared philo- feat on three Nazi army groups—Johannes The Remagen bridgehead made the other sophically: ‘‘I am sure there will be glory Blaskowitz in the north, Walther Model in crossing of the Rhine a much easier task for enough for all.’’ the center, Paul Hausser in the south. Some the enemy. Furthermore, it tired German All around the country, local civic and pa- 60,000 Germans were killed or wounded and forces which should have been resting to triotic organizations honored the men who almost 250,000 captured. This heavy toll, plus withstand the next major assault.’’ had wrought the miracle of Remagen. The the loss of much heavy equipment, ruined The Remagen bridgehead was vital in help- feeling toward the Remagen heroes was per- the Nazi chances of holding the Allied armies ing to form the southern and eastern pincers haps best expressed in an editorial in the at the Rhine. Americans killed in action to- for the Allied troops that surrounded and March 10, 1945, New York Sun, which con- taled 6,570; British and Canadian deaths were trapped 300,000 German soldiers in the Ruhr. cluded with these words: ‘‘Great shifts in his- As sorely needed German troops were markedly fewer. tory often do hang upon the developments of thrown against the Remagen bridgehead, the minutes. Americans know, and the enemy resulting disorganization and weakening of has learned, that given the least oppor- THE BRIDGE AT REMAGEN—THE AMAZING defenses made it much easier for other tunity, American soldiers are quick to seize STORY OF MARCH 7, 1945—THE DAY THE American Rhine crossings to be made to the any break and exploit it to the fullest. The RHINE RIVER WAS CROSSED north and south of Remagen. Just as the loss men who in the face of scattered fire and the (By Ken Hechler) of the bridge was a blow to German morale, great threat of the bridge blowing up under so did it provide a strong boost to American THE SIGNIFICANCE OF REMAGEN BRIDGE them, raced across and cut the wires have and Allied morale. Not only did it make the materially shortened a struggle in which For almost three weeks after the capture end of the war seem close at hand, but it also of the Remagen Bridge, American troops emboldened the combat troops when they every minute means lost lives. To all who fought bitterly in the woods and gullies of were confronted with chances to exploit op- utilized that ten minutes so advantageously the Westerwald. They inched forward, ex- portunities. It underlined the fact that the goes the deepest gratitude this country can panding the bridgehead hour by hour, push- German army’s soft spots could be found bestow.’’ ing laboriously to the east, to the north and through aggressive attacks, thereby spurring Captain Karl Friesenhahn, the little Ger- to the south. Not until March 16, when American forces to apply greater pressure. man engineer who was in charge of the engi- American forces reached the Bonn-Limburg After the war, General Eisenhower had this neer company at Remagen in 1945, returned autobahn, seven miles east of the Rhine, did to say about the significance of the seizure to Remagen in 1954. I saw him gaze over the they have the maneuver space in which to of Remagen Bridge: ‘‘Broad success in war is ruins of the bridge and he quietly asked what fan out. For the infantry and tankmen who usually foreseen by days or weeks, with the awards the American Army had give to Lieu- slugged it out in the bridgehead, for the mili- result that when it actually arrives higher tenant Karl Timmermann, Sergeant Drabik, tary police and anti-aircraft men who were commanders and staffs have discounted it Lieutenant Mott and the other first Ameri- strafed at the Rhine crossings by attacking and are immersed in plans for the future. cans who crossed. When I told him that they planes, and for the engineers who struggled This was completely unforeseen. We were had received Distinguished Service Crosses, in the face of air and artillery fire to build across the Rhine, on a permanent bridge; the Captain Friesenhahn replied with some feel- pontoon and treadway bridges over the river, traditional defensive barrier to the heart of ing: capture of the Remagen Bridge seemed to Germany was pierced. The final defeat of the ‘‘They deserved them—and then some. stiffen rather than weaken enemy resistance. enemy, which we had long calculated would They saw us trying to blow that bridge and To many of these men, it did not seem that be accomplished in the spring and summer by all odds it should have blown up while crossing the bridge had accomplished much. campaigning of 1945, was suddenly now, in they were crossing it. In my mind they were The capture of the Ludendorff Bridge ma- our minds, just around the corner.’’ General the greatest heroes in the whole war.’’ terially hastened the ending of the war. It Eisenhower’s Chief of Staff, Lieutenant Gen- was an electrifying development at the mo- eral Walter Bedell Smith, termed the Rema- INDIVIDUAL AWARDS ment, but it was followed a few weeks later gen Bridge ‘‘worth its weight in gold.’’ by General Patton’s sneak crossing of the President Franklin D. Roosevelt, with only DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS Rhine south of Remagen at Oppenheim, and six weeks to live, shared the elation of the The Distinguished Service Cross is the then by Field Marshal Montgomery’s grand field commanders over the significance of highest award which is conferred only on assault across the river south of Arnhem Remagen. The victorious Army Chief of members of the U.S. Army. It is second only after extensive preparations and blasts on Staff, General George C. Marshall, had this to the Medal of Honor, which is also awarded the trumpet. appraisal to make: ‘‘The prompt seizure and to members of other branches of the service. One of Karl Timmermann’s fellow exploitation of the crossing demonstrated The following officers and men of the 9th Ar- townsmen from West Point, Nebraska, rum- American initiative and adaptability at its mored Division were awarded Distinguished bled across a Rhine pontoon bridge with gas- best, from the daring action of platoon lead- Service Crosses for their heroism at Rema- oline and supplies, several weeks after er to the Army commander who quickly di- gen: Timmermann’s exploit. He commented that rected all his moving columns. * * * The Sergeant Alex A. Drabik of Holland (To- the Rhine seemed little wider than the Elk- bridgehead provided a serious threat to the ledo), Ohio, squad leader of 3d platoon, Com- horn back home and certainly not as wide as heart of Germany, a diversion of incalculable pany A, 27th Armored Infantry Battalion. the Missouri River. He confidently told his value. It became a springboard for the final First man over the bridge. friends that to cross a bridge like that was offensive to come.’’ Second Lieutenant Karl H. Timmermann small potatoes. For years afterward, he War correspondents on the scene added of West Point, Nebraska, company com- spoke up in West Point American Legion their eyewitness accounts on the signifi- mander of Company A, 27th Armored Infan- meetings, in all the local bars, and at the cance of seeing American troops on the east try Battalion. First officer over the bridge. corner drugstore, disparaging what bank of the Rhine. The Associated Press ca- Sergeant Joseph DeLisio of Bronx, New Timmermann had done at Remagen. bled on March 8: ‘‘The swift, sensational York, platoon leader of 3d platoon, Company H 2784 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 7, 1995 A, 27th Armored Infantry Battalion. Cleaned Well, if that graph is a little difficult penny of the $12 billion taken away out machine gun nest on bridge. to grasp quickly, look at the second from those 48 million families whose First Lieutenant Hugh B. Mott of Nash- one. Under this graph, in the same cat- income is below $30,000 per year. ville, Tennessee, platoon leader in Company egories of income what this shows is B, 9th Armored Engineer Battalion. Led en- f gineers who ripped out demolition wires and that the Republican tax cut will pro- cleared the bridge of explosives. vide $5,000 to the average family, who b 1930 Sergeant Eugene Dorland of Manhattan, presently make more than $200,000 per The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. year. That would be $12 billion of tax Kansas, Company B, 9th Armored Engineer VUCANOVICH). Under a previous order of Battalion. One of engineers who helped clear cuts each year. the House, the gentleman from Califor- the bridge of explosives. Down at the other end of the scale nia [Mr. RIGGS] is recognized for 5 min- Sergeant John A. Reynolds of Lincolnton, there are 49 million families that, to- utes. North Carolina, Company B, 9th Armored gether, get $57 on average per family Engineer Battalion. One of engineers who per year. That is about $1 per week per [Mr. RIGGS addressed the House. His helped clear the bridge of explosives. family. remarks will appear hereafter in the Captain George P. Soumas of Perry, Iowa, Extensions of Remarks.] company commander of Company A, 14th Now, the Republicans claim that Tank Battalion, the first tank company to they are not going to make the deficit f cross the bridge. larger. So, we will be debating the $17 First Lieutenant C. Windsor Miller of Sil- billion rescission bill next week. Under FORT MCCLELLAN AND ANNISTON ver Spring, Md., platoon leader in Company NEWT GINGRICH’S Contract on America, ARMY DEPOT A, 14th Tank Battalion, the first tank pla- spending cuts which hurt children and The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a toon to cross the bridge. elders and make it harder for youth previous order of the House, the gen- Sergeant William J. Goodson of Pendleton, Indiana, Company A, 14th Tank Battalion. and teenagers to get the education and tleman from Alabama [Mr. BROWDER] is Tank commander of the first tank which skills and training so that they can get recognized for 5 minutes. crossed Remagen Bridge. jobs, those spending cuts will be used Mr. BROWDER. Madam Speaker, a 1st Lieutenant John Grimball of Columbia, to give tax breaks to the wealthiest of few nights ago I spoke on this floor, South Carolina, platoon leader in Company Americans. and I said that the Secretary of De- A, 14th Tank Battalion. Head of first tank In NEWT GINGRICH’s America, Repub- fense’s recommendation to close Fort platoon to reach the bridge. licans are going to cut infant mortality McClellan, AL, was a mistake with sig- Sergeant Michael Chinchar of Saddle River prevention, prenatal, children’s foster nificant and dangerous consequences. Township, New Jersey, platoon leader of 1st platoon, Company A, 27th Armored Infantry care, safe and drug-free schools for To be specific tonight, Madam Speak- Battalion. One of first group of infantrymen children and education for disadvan- er, I would like to talk about the mis- across the bridge. taged children and domestic violence take of this recommendation that Sergeant Joseph S. Petrencsik of Cleve- prevention and shelters for homeless breaks faith with hundreds of thou- land, Ohio, assistant squad leader in 3d pla- families. But they will do it without sands of civilians in Alabama who live toon, Company A, 27th Armored Infantry my vote. around a dangerous chemical stockpile Battalion. One of first group of infantrymen In NEWT GINGRICH’s America, these which is slated to be destroyed by the across the bridge. Republicans will cut vocational and United States as part of an agreement Sergeant Anthony Samele of Bronx, New York, squad leader in 1st platoon, Company technological education and with Russia. A, 27th Armored Infantry Battalion. Third Americorps, the National community Let me tell my colleagues something man across the bridge. service corps, school drop-out preven- about this stockpile. This chemical The following is a sample of the citation tion, and college scholarships, summer stockpile stored in this same commu- for the Distinguished Service Cross: jobs for teenagers who are at risk of nity with Fort McClellan, has poisons f dropping out of school, and school-to- such as sarin and VX. A small drop of work job training. But, again, they will sarin on a man’s skin can be fatal. VX NOT WITH MY VOTE do that without my vote. is several times more lethal than sarin, The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a In NEWT GINGRICH’s America, the Re- and a small drop of the liquid evenly previous order of the House, the gen- publican extremists will cut rental as- distributed can kill many people. tleman from Massachusetts [Mr. sistance to low-income families and Among the weapons stored at the An- OLVER] is recognized for 5 minutes. public housing maintenance and safety niston Army Depot, each M–23 land Mr. OLVER. Madam Speaker, in just and home heating assistance for 6 mil- mine contains 101⁄2 pounds of VX. Each a couple of weeks we are going to start lion families, every one of whom, every 155 millimeter artillery projectile can debate on one of the cornerstones of one of whom falls in that category of hold either 6 pounds of VX or 61⁄2 the Republican Contract on America. people with incomes under $30,000 a pounds of sarin. Each of the 78,000 M55 That cornerstone, the tax cut of $200 year. But, again, they will do it with- 115-millimeter rockets; that is 78,000 of billion over 5 years. out my vote. those, contains either 10 pounds of VX Never mind that the deficit is al- In NEWT GINGRICH’s America, at least or 10.7 pounds of sarin. That is a pretty ready $200 billion per year, put aside $12 billion in tax cuts are going to be dangerous mixture. that the tax cuts add to the deficit, transferred, $12 billion of wealth, will That is why one newspaper had this never mind that these tax cuts make be transferred from people down in this headline, Madam Speaker, that said, balancing the budget harder, and never area who now have under $30,000 of in- ‘‘Army, An Army Study Leaking Nerve mind that not a responsible economist come per year, and it will be trans- Rockets, Could Explode on Their Own.’’ agrees that cutting taxes is the right ferred into tax cuts for the wealthiest That is why another newspaper head- way to start on reducing the deficit 2 percent of Americans, giving them line said, ‘‘Living with Chemical Weap- and balancing the budget. $5,000 a year, on average, in tax cuts. ons. Best Hope If There’s an Accident: But putting those things aside, let us At least $12 billion in services, in the Run for Your Life.’’ examine the proposal. First of all, on services that I have mentioned, will be The Army knew this in 1990 when it this chart we can see who gets the tax cut from these 48 million families down filed a permit request with the Ala- benefits from the tax reductions being there at the lower end of the scale, who bama Department of Environmental proposed. If you would look at the first have under $30,000 of income per year. Management called Resource Conserva- 2 columns down on the left-hand side, That is over $250, on average, per fam- tion and Recovery Act hazardous waste less than 20 percent of the tax reduc- ily that is going to be cut. permit application for the Department tion is given to some 71 million Amer- Madam Speaker, if people who are of the Army, Anniston Army Depot ican families that are almost two- watching have not already guessed it, chemical stockpile disposal system. thirds of all the American families. and probably many of them have, every This is in 1990. This is all of the contin- In the upper side there you find 50 Member of Congress, every Senator, gency plans they have if there is an ac- percent of the tax reductions to less every Member of the House falls in the cident in this place. than 10 percent of the families, whose upper categories on this graph, and not Fort McClellan chemical response income is now over $100,000 per year. one Member of Congress will lose a plan says,