E1620 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð Extensions of Remarks September 17, 1996 For this reason I am introducing a concur- Victor Maghakian was born in Chicago, fully retired he was listed as 60 percent dis- rent resolution today to urge the Secretary of but he and his family gravitated to San abled, but it didn't affect his subsequent suc- State, foreign nations, especially Israel, Rus- Diego in 1930 and to Fresno nine years after- cessful career as a Las Vegas hotel executive sia, Poland, and other Eastern European na- ward. Between moves he served a hitch in and security consultant. After living there the United States Marine Corps and was sta- for much of the postwar era, he returned to tions, and organizations such as the Red tioned throughout the Philippines and Fresno three years before his death in 1977. Cross and Israel's Jewish Agency, to coordi- China. His familiarity with foreign bases and Capt. Maghakian now sleeps at Ararat Ceme- nate efforts to help reunite family members situations earned him the nickname ``Trans- tery. separated as a result of the Holocaust. If my port,'' signifying ``he knows his way around. Without the Transports, we would not colleagues could have seen the emotional re- ``SUICIDE UNIT'' know freedom, strength or national great- union of the Brombergs, they would agree with When Pearl Harbor occurred, Transport ness. It's sad to know that recently, when me that these thousands of families deserve was serving as a Fresno County deputy sher- names were proposed for new local high help in finding their own long lost relatives. iff. Full of shock and fierce patriotism, he schools, his came up and was rejected. For With some additional effort by the State De- re-enlisted in the Corps immediately. He was now we can honor his name through remem- elated to discover it needed volunteers for a brance, and hope that soon Victor partment and the cooperation of other agen- Maghakian will have a memorial which be- cies and foreign governments, there can be so-called ``suicide unit'' of crack soldiers. The unit, known as Carlson's Raiders after fits his undeniable stature. thousands more happy reunions. Therefore, I its founder and commander, Col. Evans F. f urge my colleagues to support this resolution. Carlson, was reserved for the toughest Ma- f rinesÐ15,000 applied, 900 were accepted. Its TRIBUTE TO JAMES H. QUILLEN members endured weeks of training in mar- PERSONAL EXPLANATION tial arts, mountain climbing, beach landings HON. JOHN J. DUNCAN, JR. and 35- to 50-mile daily hikes. HON. DICK CHRYSLER By mid-1942 Transport and the Raiders OF TENNESSEE OF MICHIGAN were itching to join the island-hopping, IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES hand-to-hand combat in the Pacific. Their Tuesday, September 17, 1996 first mission was to fool the Japanese into Tuesday, September 17, 1996 thinking a large troop wave was hitting Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, previously, my Mr. CHRYSLER. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall Makin Island. Only 222 Raiders were slated colleague and I engaged in a conversation re- vote Nos. 404, 405, and 406, I was unavoid- for the invasionÐa tiny ripple that turned garding the accomplishments that Congress- ably absent. out to be as good as a tsunami. man QUILLEN has performed in the House of Had I been present, I would have voted During the night of Aug. 16, the Raiders Representatives and the services he provided snuck into Makin via submarines and rubber for hundreds of thousands of people in the ``yea'' on the Bartlett amendmentÐrollcall vote boats. After daylight the battle began. No. 404Ðprohibiting the U.S. Armed Forces Transport, machine-gunning frantically and First District of Tennessee and the entire from being forced to wear U.N. insignia. nursing a forearm wound, noticed that two State. I would have voted ``yea'' on final passage planes with enemy officers had landed. They I request that a copy of the attached state- of the United States Armed Forces Protection were assessing the situation for the brass at ment from Steven Blackwell, which is rep- Act, H.R. 3308Ðrollcall vote No. 405. headquarters and therefore had to be resentative of the views and thanks of thou- I would have voted ``yea'' on final passage stopped. sands of people, be placed in the RECORD at of the Small Business Programs Improvement Bleeding, struggling to stay conscious and this point. I would like to call it to the attention Act, H.R. 3719Ðrollcall vote No. 406. armed with just a rifle, Transport crept to- ward an anti-tank gun. Before he got there, of my colleagues and other readers of the f he pulverized an enemy launch with a gre- RECORD. PERSONAL EXPLANATION nade, and surprised and bayonetted a Japa- TRIBUTE TO JAMES H. QUILLEN, U.S. nese infantryman. Luckily, enough ammuni- CONGRESSMAN tion was left to destroy both planes and muz- On a day when his colleagues in the House HON. WILLIAM F. CLINGER, JR. zle the officers. Transport's boldness ensured of Representatives have risen to pay tribute OF PENNSYLVANIA that the small Raider force stayed a secret. to the distinguished career and the dedicated IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Transport's follow-up exploit was just as public service of James H. ``Jimmy'' Quillen Tuesday, September 17, 1996 amazing. The following December, he and of Tennessee, perhaps it is in order for a con- some other Raiders were bogged down by stituent of Jimmy Quillen's to have the op- Mr. CLINGER. Mr. Speaker, on Thursday, enemy sniper fire on Guadalcanal. Suddenly, portunity to add an additional word of praise September 12, 1996, the House voted on the a bullet hit and mortally wounded one of his and of thanks for the long service of this conference report to the fiscal year 1997 En- buddies, Lt. Jack Miller of Dallas. Transport unique public servant. I enormously appre- ergy and Water Appropriations Act. stood out and made himself a human target ciate this opportunity to do so. I was unable to cast my vote on the con- so the sniper would give up his hiding spot. For thirty-four years, since the summer of ference report as I was granted an official The enemy was soon mowed down and Lt. 1962, when I was fifteen years old, Jimmy leave of absence from House proceedings on Miller avenged. Quillen has been the central political figure This time, Transport's bravado came at a of Tennessee's First Congressional District. September 12. Had I been present, I would personal price. He was shot through the have voted ``aye'' on rollcall 413. And for that same thirty-four years, since wrist, and the watch he was wearing became January 1963, a period of time unsurpassed f embedded in skin and bone. It took years for by any serving Republican on Capitol Hill, the fragments to work their way out or be TRIBUTE TO VICTOR MAGHAKIAN Jimmy Quillen has been my Congressman. removed; once, the mainspring was found On legislative issues, particularly on mat- wrapped around an artery. Some pieces never ters of national defense, on the role of the HON. GEORGE P. RADANOVICH emerged. United States as an international guarantor OF CALIFORNIA WILLING TO TAKE A CHANCE and exponent of free markets, free ideas, and IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Asked why he took that high risk, Trans- free people, and on issues of sound and pru- Tuesday, September 17, 1996 port offered a homely, yet apt, answer: ``It dent tax and fiscal policies, Congressman seems to get you mad. Good and mad. Furi- Quillen has fully and faithfully represented Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, today I ous. You make up your mind you are going the views I have held. would like to give special tribute to Victor to get that so-and-so if it costs you a slug in In the areas of constituent services, no Maghakian, a gentleman who resided in Cali- the belly.'' American of either partyÐor of any party or fornia's 19th Congressional District, and who Wounds and risks never daunted Trans- no party for that matterÐcould have wanted served our great country, until his death in port. During the 1944 battle of Eniwetok, he a better exponent and advocate in dealing 1977. elminated the last four Japanese soldiers on with myriad bureaucrats at home and William B. Secrest, a guest writer for the Mellu Island single-handedly, and rescued a abroad. Those golden bulldogs awarded for Fresno Bee, wrote a wonderful tribute to Mr. platoon by looping around an enemy flank watching the Treasury might equally as well and destroying it with grenades. He also have been given for tenacity in guarding con- Maghakian, and at this time, I would like to saved the life of a young marine who later stituent interests. share it with my colleagues: ended up in HollywoodÐLee MarvinÐand be- In Republican political activities, Con- ``TRANSPORT'' MAGHAKIAN SERVED HIS came the first officer to raise the American gressman Jimmy Quillen has exemplied the COUNTRY WELL AS A MARINE flag on Tinian Island. pragmatic, conservative outlook that for To find the soul of Memorial Day, let us Transport left active duty in 1946, full of generations has characterized the independ- pause from gun salutes and distant trumpets honors: the Navy Cross, two Silver Stars, a ent-minded mountain Republicans of East to recall the life of a great adopted Freeman. Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts. When Tennessee. September 17, 1996 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð Extensions of Remarks E1621 His colleagues, the staffs of various com- decades TEMAS has performed for Spanish- fenses.