[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 1 (Wednesday, January 4, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H107-H108]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RECOGNIZING THE SACRIFICE AND COURAGE OF ARMY WARRANT OFFICERS DAVID
HILEMON AND BOBBY W. HALL II
Mr. SPENCE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee
on National Security be discharged from further consideration of the
concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 1) recognizing the sacrifice and
courage of Army Warrant Officers David Hilemon and Bobby W. Hall II,
whose helicopter was shot down over North Korea on December 17, 1994,
and ask for its immediate consideration.
The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from South Carolina?
Mr. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, and I do
not intend to do that, I think it needs to be explained, and I would
like for the gentleman from South Carolina to concur in this, that this
resolution deals with the fact that a helicopter of the Army was downed
in Korea on December 17, 1994, and that Army Chief Warrant Officer
David Hilemon and Army Chief Warrant Officer Bobby W. Hall II were shot
down over North Korea.
This resolution is intended to recognize the sacrifice of Army Chief
Warrant Officer David Hilemon to his country and to express the
gratitude for his selflessness and deepest regret for his loss of life
to his family and to recognize the exceptional service of Army Chief
Warrant Officer Bobby W. Hall II to his country and express
commendation for his courage.
Am I correct, I ask the gentleman from South Carolina [Mr. Spence]?
Mr. SPENCE. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
Mr. McCOLLUM. Further reserving the right to object, I yield to the
gentleman from South Carolina.
Mr. SPENCE. That is exactly it, yes.
Mr. McCOLLUM. Further reserving the right to object, Mr. Speaker, I
would like to point out in particular to the families of those involved
this was a tremendous ordeal.
The individuals involved deserve the commendation that is given in
this resolution. It was a very strenuous thing for our country to go
through.
It is only appropriate that the very first order of business of this
Congress in terms of a formal resolution, beyond the proceedings we
have done earlier today, be this concurrent resolution.
With that in mind, and further reserving the right to object, I yield
to the gentlewoman from Florida [Mrs. Thurman], in whose district
resides the family and Bobby Hall, Warrant Officer Bobby Hall, who did
survive, and I yield for whatever comment she may make under my
reservation.
{time} 0210
Mrs. THURMAN. I thank the gentleman from Florida and the gentleman
from South Carolina.
I know that you have worked tirelessly today to help me get this up
tonight. So I really do appreciate their concern and their help.
Mr. Speaker, today I introduced a resolution recognizing the
sacrifice and courage of Army Warrant Officers Bobby Hall and David
Hilemon, whose helicopter was shot down over North Korea on December
17, 1994.
David Hilemon gave his life in the service of our country, and Bobby
Hall performed with bravery and honor during his 13 days in captivity
in North Korea. These soldiers displayed the highest ideals of our
armed services, and their efforts on behalf of our country should be
justly noted.
In addition, I thank the gentleman from New Mexico [Mr. Richardson]
who played an invaluable role in bringing this incident to a close, and
he also deserves our gratitude. His leadership helped secure the
remains of David Hilemon, and he kept the pressure on the North Koreans
to release Bobby Hall.
Bobby Hall lives in Brooksville, FL, in the district I represent. On
Saturday, Brooksville will be having a celebration in honor of his
homecoming.
I have to tell you I never saw anything like it, with yellow ribbons
and declared vigils, people coming out into the street, giving food and
doing things for the Halls and for their family and loved ones. They
just went out of their way to make sure that these folks were taken
care of in a time that was not easy.
I do not believe that I ever have seen a community so committed or so
united in purpose. Saturday's celebration will be a fitting tribute to
Bobby Hall and his family and to the thousands of people who prayed for
his safe return.
Finally, I want to express my condolences to the family of David
Hilemon for their loss.
I again thank the gentlemen for their assistance.
Mr. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, further reserving the right to object, and
I do not intend to do so, I want to thank the gentlewoman for her
efforts in this matter, and I would like to comment on the record that
first of all Brooksville, FL, was my birthplace and hometown and Bobby
Hall II whom we are noting here in this commendation, his father was in
my high school class when I graduated from high school, Hernando High
School there.
I did spend time speaking with his father on several occasions during
the
[[Page H108]] time that he was in captivity. It is truly a very
important day in that community to celebrate this occasion of the good
news return and this particular commemorative is a very important piece
of that.
So I thank the gentleman from South Carolina [Mr. Spence] for
offering it tonight.
I do not intend to object.
Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Lazio of New York). Is there objection
to the request of the gentleman from South Carolina?
There was no objection.
The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:
H. Con. Res. 1
Whereas on December 17, 1994, the helicopter of Army Chief
Warrant Officer David Hilemon and Army Chief Warrant Officer
Bobby W. Hall II was shot down over North Korea;
Whereas as a result of this incident, Chief Warrant Officer
Hilemon sacrificed his life for his country and Chief Warrant
Officer Hall was taken captive by the Korean People's Army;
Whereas on December 22, 1994, Chief Warrant Officer
Hilemon's remains were returned to the United States at the
Demilitarized Zone at Panmunjom and on December 28, 1994, he
was laid to rest with full military honors and in full view
of Mt. Ranier in the State of Washington, in accordance with
the wishes of Chief Warrant Officer Hilemon; and
Whereas Chief Warrant Officer Hall, held in captivity for
13 days under stressful circumstances, served his country
above and beyond the call of duty: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That the Congress--
(1) recognizes the sacrifice of Army Chief Warrant Officer
David Hilemon to his country and expresses gratitude for his
selflessness and deepest regret for his loss to his family;
and
(2) recognizes the exceptional service of Army Chief
Warrant Officer Bobby W. Hall II to his country and expresses
commendation for his courage.
The resolution was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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