Congressional Record—Senate S7894

S7894 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE August 1, 2002 He will be sorely missed by all of us was waiting for me,’’ Ziegler said. As the EXECUTIVE MESSAGES REFERRED who have had the honor of working days passed, O’Connor heard Thompson scratching every morning against the other As in executive session the Presiding with him. Officer laid before the Senate messages Roger, I wish you fair winds and fol- side of this cell wall. ‘‘One day I asked him what he was doing. from the President of the United lowing seas. It has been an honor to ‘Standing up,’ he said. Standing up! It took States submitting sundry nominations ∑ represent you in the U.S. Senate. him half an hour.... Every day I heard him which were referred to the appropriate f standing up.’’ Months later, during a routine committees. indoctrination session for POWs, Thompson (The nominations received today are TRIBUTE IN REMEMBRANCE OF collapsed into a violent convulsion. That LTC FLOYD JAMES THOMPSON amazing heart was in seizure, probably from printed at the end of the Senate pro- ∑ Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, I starvation, doctors later surmised. ceedings.) rise today to pay tribute to the late ‘‘A couple of us were told to carry him f LTC Floyd ‘‘Jim’’ Thompson. He spent back to his cell,’’ O’Connor recalled. ‘‘We didn’t see him move.’’ Guards came later and MEASURES READ THE FIRST TIME 9 excruciating years as a prisoner of took Thompson away. The other POWs fig- The following joint resolution was war in Vietnam fighting for his life and ured he was dying if not already dead. our Nation. As the longest-held pris- Before leaving Vietnam in 1973, they read the first time: oner of war, Colonel Thompson em- learned he survived and his mystique grew, S.J. Res. 43. Joint resolution proposing an bodies the core values of the American particularly among soldiers. His five years of amendment to the Constitution of the soldier. He survived because of his spir- solitary ended April 1, 1969, when he was United States to guarantee the right to use it, courage and determination, and will tossed into a cell with three other Ameri- and recite the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag and the national motto. forever stand as an American hero. cans, including Lew Meyer, a Navy civilian firefighter. Meyer and Thompson began an f Colonel Thompson should be remem- astonishing daily exercise regime, leading to bered for his service to our great coun- escape, Thompson’s fifth attempt, in the fall EXECUTIVE AND OTHER try and the tremendous sacrifices that of 1971. The pair avoided recapture in North COMMUNICATIONS he made. I ask that an article by Mr. Vietnam for two days. For his courage and Tom Philpott be printed in the leadership in this incident, the first observed The following communications were laid before the Senate, together with RECORD. by other POWs, Thompson would receive the Silver Star. accompanying papers, reports, and doc- AMERICA’S LONGEST-HELD PRISONER OF WAR At home, within a year of losing her hus- REMEMBERED uments, which were referred as indi- band, Alyce Thompson saw her support cated: Army Col. Floyd ‘‘Jim’’ Thompson, the structure collapsing. She decided to move EC–8402. A communication from the Presi- longest-held prisoner of war in American his- her four children into the home of a retired dent of the United States, transmitting, pur- tory, died July 16 in Key West, Fla. At age soldier, and pose as his wife. She instructed suant to law, the periodic report on the na- 69, his heart finally gave out, ending one of the Army to withhold Thompson’s name tional emergency with respect to Libya that the most remarkable lives among heroes of from POW lists. For years, the Army com- was declared in Executive Order 12543 of Jan- the Vietnam War. Thompson’s death came 34 plied. By the time Thompson was freed, in uary 1986; to the Committee on Banking, years after fellow POWs thought they saw March 1973, Navy Lt. Cmdr. Everett Alvarez Housing, and Urban Affairs. him die in Bao Cao, the nickname of a cruel had returned and been celebrated as the EC–8403. A communication from the Presi- prison camp in North Vietnam. It was also 25 longest-held POW. Thompson became a back- dent of the United States, transmitting, pur- years after Thompson saw every dream that page story except in his hometown news- suant to law, the periodic report on the na- had kept him alive in Vietnam shattered in paper. tional emergency with respect to Iraq that the aftermath of our longest war, a conflict At first, he didn’t care. He was struggling was declared in Executive Order 12722 of Au- vastly different from the war against terror to fulfill dreams of family and career. He and gust 2, 1990; to the Committee on Banking, in Afghanistan. ‘‘I am a soldier. Period,’’ Alyce tried to save their marriage, with dev- Housing, and Urban Affairs. Thompson would say if asked about the po- astating consequences for the children. EC–8404. A communication from the Presi- litical correctness of the Vietnam War. End Thompson himself wasn’t well-armed for dent of the United States, transmitting, pur- of argument, and an icy stare. that task, battling alcoholism, depression, suant to law, a report concerning the con- Through nine years of torture, starvation, and a deep sense of betrayal that never tinuation of the national emergency with re- and unimaginable deprivation, Thompson eased. showed us the resiliency of the human spirit. After losing his family, Thompson fought spect to Iraq beyond August 9, 1990; to the He refused to die, and until death had a will- to save his career. Again, alcohol interfered, Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban fulness that inspired awe. He survived on aggravating a nine-year professional gap Affairs. dreams of returning home to a loving wife, with officer peers. Thompson never blamed EC–8405. A communication from the Con- four adoring children, and a grateful nation. the Army or the war for his troubles. He suf- gressional Review Coordinator, Animal and When none of that squared with reality, fered a massive stroke in 1981, which forced Plant Health Inspection Service, Department years of bitterness followed. him to retire. Disabled, he moved to Key of Agriculture, transmitting, pursuant to The avalanche of challenges at home, West and shut himself off from family and law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Payments Thompson believed, did not diminish his friends. His identity as a former POW, as for Cattle and Other Property Because of Tu- heroics or steadfast resistance before the longest-held, made life worthwhile. He had berculosis’’ (Doc. No. 00–105–1) received on enemy. Those who saw his strength agree flag poles installed in front of his condo- July 30, 2002; to the Committee on Agri- that what he endured, and how, won’t be for- minium complex so one could fly the POW– culture, Nutrition, and Forestry. gotten. By the spring of 1968, Thompson had MIA flag. A bronze plaque mounted nearby EC–8406. A communication from the Con- been held in jungle cages and dank prison refers to Thompson, the resident hero. gressional Review Coordinator, Animal and cells more than four years, all of it in soli- Bolted to the fender of his new black Cad- Plant Health Inspection Service, Department tary confinement. The experience turned a illac are two large U.S. flags, fit for a motor- of Agriculture, transmitting, pursuant to 170-pound Special Forces officer into a ‘‘skel- cade. His license plate reads ‘‘POW.’’ law, the report of a rule entitled ‘‘Fee In- eton with hair,’’ said one POW, describing Thompson left instructions to be cremated creases for Overtime Services’’ (Doc. No. 00– Thompson at first sight. His appearance lit- and, without ceremony, that his ashes be 087–2) received on July 30, 2002; to the Com- erally frightened other Americans, most of spread at sea—unless, at time of death, he mittee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and For- them soldiers captured in the Tet offensive. had been awarded the Medal of Honor. In estry. Warrant Officer Michael O’Connor/glimpsed that case, with his sacrifices properly recog- EC–8407. A communication from the Prin- Thompson through a crack between wall and nized, he wanted to be buried at Arlington cipal Deputy Associate Administrator of the cell door. He was inches away, leaning National Cemetery. Environmental Protection Agency, transmit- against his own cell bars. Whether Jim Thompson deserves the na- ting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule en- ‘‘This guy is dead, I thought,’’ O’Connor tion’s highest military honor, others will de- titled ‘‘Acephate, Amitraz, Carbaryl, told me for Glory Denied, my book about the cide. Surely, for what he gave, he deserved Chlorpyritos, Cryolite, et al.; Tolerance Rev- Thompson saga. ‘‘As part of some cruel joke, more than he got.∑ ocations’’ (FRL7191–4) received on July 31, I thought they had stuck a corpse up against 2002; to the Committee on Agriculture, Nu- the door. Then I realized he was moving.’’ f trition, and Forestry. Dick Ziegler, a captured helicopter pilot, MESSAGES FROM THE PRESIDENT EC–8408. A communication from the Prin- heard Thompson say he had been shot down cipal Deputy Associate Administrator of the in March 1964. Ziegler did a quick calcula- Messages from the President of the Environmental Protection Agency, transmit- tion, and began to cry. ‘‘Eyes sunk way back United States were communicated to ting, pursuant to law, the report of a rule en- in his head, cheekbones sticking out...

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