[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 92 (Wednesday, June 7, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1171]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                         HONORING JOHN KELLEJIAN

                                 ______


                            HON. BILL BAKER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, June 7, 1995
  Mr. BAKER of California. Mr. Speaker, on a spring day in 1942, a 
handful of young Americans under the remarkable leadership of Jimmy 
Doolittle flew on a mission that has captivated the hearts and minds of 
Americans ever since. They did what was supposed to have been 
impossible: they successfully flew into Japanese airspace and bombed 
Tokyo.
  One of the men on the famed Doolittle raid was John Kellejian. The 
devotion to duty and steely courage he displayed that memorial day are 
the stuff of legend. John's heroism was honored in May at a Pentagon 
ceremony in which he was recognized for his role in the ``60 seconds 
over Tokyo'' that live on in history. Today, I want to join in 
recognizing John for his contribution to the freedom we enjoy today.
  With his gracious wife, Bev, John is a resident of my hometown of 
Danville, CA, and is commander of the Danville chapter of the Veterans 
of Foreign Wars. His life is a testimony to the virtues of family, 
freedom, and loyalty that have imbued our country with greatness for 
more than two centuries.
  In our country, we seek to commemorate great acts of bravery, and 
well we should. They ennoble our heritage and inspire us in our daily 
lives. Yet our inspiration must be drawn not only from the sacrifices 
of war but from lives well lived in times of peace. John Kellejian's 
bravery made history, and his life helped build a country. He is richly 
deserving of America's thanks for all he has done for his community, 
his State, and his country.


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