E1836 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks September 28, 1998 soil is a ‘‘clear and present danger’’. The pri- the many Americans paying attention to the Our community is proud of Tony, a dedi- mary mission of CSFA has been the deploy- topic of national security and terrorism. cated family man whose religious faith has ment of a ballistic missile defense program Hearings held during the 105th Congress on given him strength and courage throughout his for the U.S. and its allies as soon as possible. the topics of ballistic missile defense and We believe a nuclear explosion on a large life. He retired a number of years ago from his scale would be far more devastating and is a small-munitions terrorism have raised legiti- family's import business. His days are spent real and credible threat. Common sense, mate questions which must be resolved by playing chess with friends and pursuing his however, dictates that the United States this House. In pursuing such solutions, I com- love of art. Like many who grew up in Brook- government must counter both threats, a mend Ms. Smith's comments to our col- lyn, Tony still misses the Dodgers but he en- ballistic missile attack and ‘‘suitcase terror- leagues. Thank you Mr. Speaker. joys watching his new adopted team, the ism’’. At the current level of nuclear, bio- f Mets. He is joined today by his wife Delores, logical, and chemical weapon proliferation their family and close friends. We welcome among countries not bound by a policy of de- IN HONOR OF THE SEVENTY-FIFTH them all. terrence, we cannot afford to wait on either. ANNIVERSARY OF THE TWENTY- We, therefore, urge Congress to implement NINTH STREET UNITED METH- Tony's story spans decades and continents, a dual-prong strategy to address terrorist ODIST CHURCH but across these divides friendship and loyalty threats, whether from ICBMs or suitcase have endured and have brought us to this mo- weapons from any source: Deploy ballistic ment. In 1943, he was inducted into the Army, missile defense as soon as technologically HON. GEORGE W. GEKAS trained to be an armored gunner and stationed possible; Increase funding for the develop- OF PENNSYLVANIA in Scotland. During the summer of 1944, Cor- ment of nuclear, biological, and chemical IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES weapon detection systems (Wide Area Track- poral Galdi was sent to mainland Europe as ing System); Increase the security of our Monday, September 28, 1998 part of the thousands of troops who were in- borders from smugglers of weapons of mass Mr. GEKAS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to volved in the Normandy invasion. He spent destruction who could use similar modes as bring to the attention of my colleagues a the summer fighting in the French campaign drug smugglers, e.g. cars, speedboats, small church in my congressional district, the Twen- with General Patton's Third Army. By the planes and hidden runways; and, Increase the ty-Ninth Street United Methodist Church in year's end, he joined the Ninth Army and had security in our cities to reduce the threat of crossed into Germany. It was in Germany that terrorist incidences from occurring, whether Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. I am pleased to an- in planes, trains, buses, cars, subways, ships, nounce that this year the Twenty-Ninth Street Tony bravely earned today's honor. buildings, airports. Church celebrates the great achievement of its It has been said that the ultimate measure Unrelated to the article, however, of note, seventy-fifth anniversary. of a man is not where he stands in moments the Clinton Administration’s plan for missile The church was started as a Mission of comfort and convenience, but where he defense is based on a purposefully incom- Church in 1924 by the Derry Street United stand during times of challenge. On a cold plete assessment of the threat of missile at- Methodist Church. At its beginning, the Twen- January day in 1945, Corporal Galdi stood tack on American soil, and is a senseless pol- ty-Ninth Street Church had sixty-nine mem- icy of intentional vulnerability, while cut- poised on the edge of such a challenge and ting funding for R & D and deployment to a bers, one of whom remains an active partici- summoned all his mettle and his courage. subsistence level. While the Administration pant today. Miss Elizabeth Ulrich attends serv- Two of Tony's comrades, First Sergeant Jim and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of ices every Sunday as well as all of the Hill and Corporal Louis Cristini, went into a Staff, Gen. Hugh Shelton rely on the Intel- church's social functions. mine field to recover a rifle dropped by a sol- ligence Community to provide the necessary The year-long anniversary celebration dier killed in action. Minutes after entering the warning of the development and deployment began on February 15, 1998 with a talk by the area one of the men triggered a mine, causing by a rogue state of an ICBM threat to the Reverend G. Edgar Hertzler, the ninety-one U.S., the Rumsfeld Commission pointed out a massive explosion. Through the mist and year-old Pastor Emeritus of the church. Var- smoke, Corporal Galdi could see that, while in their recent report that ‘‘through uncon- ious activities including choral and social func- ventional, high-risk development programs both men were still alive, Sergeant Hill's leg and foreign assistance, rogue nations could tions, combined worship services with Derry had been shattered by the explosion. Street Church, and Hobby and Talent Night all acquire an ICBM capability in a short time On that day in January, Corporal Galdi was and that the Intelligence Community may build up to a message from Bishop Neil Irons alone, from family and home. He had to be not detect it.’’ We were obviously under- who is slated to conclude the celebration on warned about India and Pakistan’s nuclear February 21, 1999. The Twenty-Ninth Street scared; his friends were injured and dying. But testing capabilities. (Inhofe News Release Church chose as its anniversary slogan, he vanquished his fear and forged on, not for and Heritage Foundation Executive Memo ``1924ÐA Mission Church. 1999ÐA Church glory but for a cause larger then himselfÐthe 543 attached.) with a Mission.'' This slogan demonstrates the lives of his friends. Also of note, China produced 6 new CSS–4 In the midst of this bloody chaos, Corporal ICBMs in the first 4 months of this year and church's progress and development in the will produce 2 more before relocating its pro- seventy-five years since its founding. It is evi- Galdi took charge and bravely entered the duction plant, increasing its nuclear arsenal dent to me that the members of the church mine field. Taking his life into his own hands, by one-third, according to Pentagon intel- recognize their strong ties to the past but also he sprinted 75 yards across a snow covered ligence officials. All were targeting the look ahead with a great eye to the future to field that made detection of the mines impos- United States. The Rumsfeld Commission re- ensure ongoing prosperity. sible. He knew that with each step could lie port stated: ‘‘China also poses a threat to the Let the record reflect that I am proud of the the same fate as Sergeant Hill's or worseÐ United States ‘‘as a significant proliferator great accomplishments of the Twenty-Ninth death. of ballistic missiles, weapons of mass de- struction and enabling technologies,’’ citing Street United Methodist Church on its seventy- Upon reaching his friends, it was clear that extensive transfers to Iran, Pakistan and fifth anniversary, and that I believe the mem- Sergeant Hill was in dire straights. With the Saudi Arabia. The report also assesses that bers of the church should also be proud of assistance of Corporal Cristini, they carried China is unlikely to reduce its transfers of themselves. I wish the Twenty-Ninth Street him back to the jeep and rushed him to the technologies and experts to nations seeking Church continued success and good fortune. nearest field hospital. Sadly, Sergeant Hill missiles. f died. We support the Heritage Foundation’s Mis- sile Defense Study Team (Team B) solutions HONORING TONY GALDI Because of who he is, Mr. Galdi never for Congress in acquiring missile defense: Ig- thought to tell this story and no one else nore the ABM Treaty, ‘‘legally it is dead’’. ´ thought to report it leaving this heroic act (Heritage Foundation Executive Memo No. HON. NYDIA M. VELAZQUEZ unrewarded. It was not until 1980, after the 543.) Establish a policy for deploying a na- OF NEW YORK encouragement of his daughter, that he came tional missile defense system as soon as IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES forward. technologically possible. (Unfortunately, Monday, September 28, 1998 Account after account by the men who Senate bill defeated 9/9/98 by one vote.) ‘‘Up- Â grade the Navy’s fleet of Aegis cruisers; cost Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I submitted served with Corporal Galdi praised his bravey. $3 billion, deployable the fiscal year 2002. the following for the RECORD. Thank you, Sharp Stafford, Staff Sergeant for the battal- Follow up with deployment of space-based Major General Sinn for your invitation. Today, ion, upon recalling Tony's act years later interceptors and space-based lasers.’’ Stop more than 53 years after his heroic deed, we called his deed``an act of heroism.'' On that the delay; we do not have 10 years. present the Bronze Star for valor, one of this day in January, no one doubted that Corporal Mr. Speaker, these observations are rep- Nation's highest military honors, to Mr. Tony Galdi deserved one of this nation's highest resentative of the growing concerns held by Galdi. recognitions. We may all wonder why this has