E912 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks June 14, 2016 RECOGNIZING MISSOURI TALK He began working under Myron Kinley, a channel catfish, crappie, and bluegill atop the RADIO HOST WARREN KRECH ON pioneer and innovator in oil-well firefighting. list, fishing is a great pastime for lake goers. HIS RETIREMENT Adair worked diligently to learn the many new Lake Wappapello State Park is located on the inventions and techniques Kinley had created, edge of the lake and is run by the Missouri HON. BLAINE LUETKEMEYER and by 1959 he was ready to strike out on his Department of Natural Resources. The 1,854- OF MISSOURI own. He founded the Red Adair Co., a private acre State Park offers fishing, swimming, pic- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES company solely devoted to fighting large scale nicking, and, lodging as well as trials for oil fires, and over the course of his career he horseback riding, all-terrain biking, and back- Tuesday, June 14, 2016 put out more than two thousand of these fires, packing. The park also offers camping with Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise both on land and on offshore platforms. both modern and traditional, rustic camp- today to honor a constituent of mine, Mr. War- In November of 1961, a particularly large grounds. ren Krech. ‘‘Mr. Jefferson City’’, has retired fire, nicknamed the ‘‘Devil’s Cigarette Lighter,’’ For the special place it holds in the hearts after 30 years in Jefferson City radio and over broke out in the middle of the Algerian Sa- and lives of many in the community, as well 40 years in the radio industry. Warren most hara. Mr. Speaker, the flame was over four as its place as a landmark in Wayne County, recently spent his time entertaining listeners hundred and fifty feet high. Despite best ef- it is my pleasure to recognize the 75th anni- as the morning news and talk host on KWOS forts, the fire burned continuously, with no end versary of Wappapello Lake and Dam. News Radio 950. in sight. That was, until Adair and his crew f A native of South Dakota and graduate from were called to the scene. the University of Minnesota, Mr. Krech found Driving a modified bulldozer right up to the PERSONAL EXPLANATION his love of radio while serving in the United well where the fire was burning, Adair was States Army—specifically with the American able to get a large nitroglycerin charge into the HON. PETER WELCH Forces Radio & TV in East Africa. Warren and well, allowing the explosion to displace OF VERMONT his family moved from Wisconsin to Jefferson enough oxygen that the monster of a fire was IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES City, Missouri in 1984. When Mr. Krech moved finally extinguished. Tuesday, June 14, 2016 to Missouri, he worked for Frank Newell at His feats in the Sahara gained him and his KJMO. While some consider broadcasting to crew a reputation worldwide. They additionally Mr. WELCH. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to be a nomadic business, Warren wanted to set- helped with a large gas leak off the coast of vote on Roll Call 283. I would like to indicate tle his then young family in the Jefferson City Australia, and contributed to capping the big- that I would have voted ‘‘Nay’’ on Roll Call community. gest oil well to have ever been re- 283 had I been there. Throughout his radio years, Mr. Krech sat in corded in the . f the DJ chair, but found his niche when he was Even in 1991 at the age of seventy-five, MARITIME PIRACY AND PIRATES able to enter talk radio format. For 23 years, Adair took part in the extinguishing of count- Warren has worked with John Marsh at KJMO less oil well fires that were set by Iraqi troops and KWOS. During Operation Desert Storm, in during the . Soon after he HON. TED POE Mr. Krech and John Marsh, hosted a ‘‘Tape retired, he sold his world famous company. OF TEXAS from Home’’ at the local mall where people His top employees went on to form their own IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES could come record their comments for friends company, the International Well Control. His Tuesday, June 14, 2016 and family who were serving in the military. great courage and success in his field led to Mr. Krech is the current and three time win- a movie called ‘‘Hellfighters’’ to Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, when the ner of the News Tribune’s ‘‘Readers’ Choice’’ be made, which was loosely based on his en- word pirate comes to mind, many envision award for favorite local radio personality. Addi- counters in the Sahara. In 2004, at the age of treasure seeking ruffians with eye patches. tionally, Warren is an active local emcee and eighty-nine, Paul Adair passed away, but both Unbeknownst to most of us, pirates still exist: speaker for charities including: Samaritan his men and many others will remember him lurking the coast of East Africa, specifically Center, Special Olympics, and Heart Associa- as a pioneer in firefighting who not only saved Somalia and Kenya, the Gulf of Aden, the Gulf tion. Mr. Krech has been host of the Jerry many cities from millions of dollars in dam- of Guinea, The Malacca Strait, and the Indian Lewis MDA Telethon for 13 years on KOMU– ages from these large scale oil fires, but also subcontinent. Pirates today, however, can do TV. thousands of lives. more damage than forcing a poor fellow to With this retirement, Mr. Krech will now be And that’s just the way it is. walk the plank. Regions plagued by poverty and extreme terrorism have raised a whole able to spend more time with his wife, Marcia, f who is a retired Jefferson City teacher. He has new breed of manipulative, violent, maritime a daughter, Sarah, who lives in St. Louis and 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF hijackers who will stop at nothing to achieve a son, Ben, who lives in Washington, DC. WAPPAPELLO LAKE AND DAM their goals. Modern piracy is not simply a mat- Warren also enjoys the St. Louis Cardinals, ter of economic loss or threatened safety, but running, cycling, gardening, and his two cats. HON. JASON SMITH a risk to the entire globe due to the close-knit I ask you in joining me in recognizing Mr. OF MISSOURI ties pirates have with terrorists. Warren Krech on his retirement. His commit- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES All eyes of the international community were suddenly turned to the coast of Somalia when ment to the radio industry and his local com- Tuesday, June 14, 2016 munity makes this a commendable accom- pirates hijacked a Russian supertanker full of plishment. Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I rise oil and army tanks. What did the American government do? Nothing. Nothing that is, until f today to honor the 75th anniversary of Wappapello Lake and Dam in Wayne County, the unimaginable happened. A U.S. cargo ship TUESDAY’S IN TEXAS: RED ADAIR Missouri. Lake Wappapello hosts 2.5 million was openly attacked by pirates, and the cap- people annually and has made an incredible tain was held as ransom for several days. HON. TED POE impact on its surroundings. Since then, efforts have been taken to defend OF TEXAS Senator John Overton proposed the ships from maritime crime, such as legaliza- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Wappapello Lake and Dam project in June of tion of weapons on board for commercial ship- 1936. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ping vessels. Is this passive defense enough? Tuesday, June 14, 2016 began the project in 1938 and completed When analyzing the cost of insurance, freight, Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, born the Wappapello Lake and Dam in 1941. It was rerouting, and ransoms, the price we pay to son of an Irish blacksmith in Houston, Paul constructed along the St. Francis River in watch these pirates roam the high seas Neal Adair, commonly known as ‘‘Red’’ started order to provide flood control and ranges to as high as $16 billion a year. Yet his long service as a fire fighter in World War hydroelectricity to southeastern Missouri. there are far greater non-monetary costs II with the 139th Bomb Disposal Squadron. Wappapello Lake is one of five man-made awaiting us in the future. If a ship is attacked While enlisted, he was sent across Japan to lakes in the St. Louis District and is one of the at just the right place, it could result in the clo- find undetonated bombs and safely disarm nation’s oldest Corps of Engineers projects. sure and seizure of invaluable international them. However, it wasn’t until after his service The project includes 44,000 acres of land and waterways. in the Army that he became renowned for his water, providing ample opportunity for water Though many pirates have different motives bravery and skill as a fire fighter. recreation. With largemouth bass, white bass, than terrorists, terrorist tactics are frequently

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