[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 117 (Thursday, August 18, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 18, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                         ONE LANDMINE'S LEGACY

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I have spoken about the problem of 
landmines many times. There are 100 million unexploded landmines in 
over 60 countries. Each month these weapons, which are often no larger 
than a can of shoe polish, kill or maim another 1,200 people. In some 
countries as many as a quarter to a third of the casualties are 
children, who lose their legs, their arms, parts of their face, or 
their eyesight. And they are the lucky ones, who are not killed 
outright, or who do not die from loss of blood.
  Landmines do not distinguish between civilians and combatants. They 
will blow the legs off whoever steps on them, and usually it is a 
civilian. But we should not forget that thousands and thousands of 
American soldiers have also been killed and maimed by landmines. At 
least 7,300 American troops were killed by mines and booby traps in 
Vietnam, and many thousands more were injured.
  One of those injured was Lt. Robert ``Mike'' Ransom, Jr., of 
Bronxville, NY, whose family spent their summers in Dorset, VT and 
whose mother now lives in Williston, VT. On April 22, 1968, Robert was 
injured by shrapnel from an exploding landmine. He described the 
accident this way:

       * * * one of my men jumped right into a mine. Both his feet 
     were blown off, both legs were torn to shreds; his entire 
     groin area was completely blown away. It was the most 
     horrible sight I've ever seen. Fortunately, he never knew 
     what hit him. I tried to revive him but it was hopeless.

  Robert Ransom died a few weeks later. We remember him today as one of 
the tens of thousands of brave Americans who gave their lives in that 
tragic war. His mother, Louise Ransom, has spent the last 2\1/2\ 
decades fighting to improve the lives of Vietnam veterans. I have been 
proud to work with her and her late husband--two of Vermont's most 
respected citizens.
  Mr. President, this is the legacy of landmines. As we try today to 
stop the carnage landmines cause day after day, we remember Robert 
Ransom.

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