[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 35 (Thursday, March 14, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E365-E366]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             IN HONOR OF WILLIAM DEAN, WORLD WAR I VETERAN

                                 ______


                         HON. KAREN L. THURMAN

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 14, 1996

  Mrs. THURMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable 
individual, William Dean, who passed away on March 11, 1996.
  Mr. Dean, who lived with his wife at Cloverleaf Farms, Brooksville, 
was 1 of fewer than 20 World War I veterans in Florida. He would have 
celebrated his 97th birthday on March 20.
  Mr. Speaker, veterans of World War I have stood up for America longer 
than any other group--three quarters of a century. Their determination 
and pressure has insured that benefits and programs are today available 
for all veterans.
  In June 1917, William Dean, at the tender age of 18, was mustered 
from his regiment in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania National Guard and 
sent to the battlefields of Europe.
  Mr. Dean served with distinction and honor in both France and Belgium 
as a private and then a wagoner in the cavalry. His service has been 
recognized by both countries with ribbons and medals.
  Mr. Speaker, Mr. Dean's great service to his Nation was in keeping 
with a long family tradition.
  His grandfather served in the Civil War with the Union Army of the 
Potomac, having volunteered at the age of 34 with the Pennsylvania 
cavalry.

[[Page E366]]

  While Mr. Dean may have retired to Florida, he never stopped trying 
to help his fellow veterans. For more than 10 years, Mr. Speaker, this 
dedicated individual drove his fellow veterans to hospitals in St. 
Petersburg and Tampa to make sure they received the quality medical 
care they deserved.
  Mr. Speaker, Tampa and St. Petersburg are not right around the block 
from Brooksville; they are a long drive away. But Mr. Dean was willing 
and ready to give this kind of selfless service to others in need. 
According to his wife, the frequency of these trips made it necessary 
for Mr. Dean to buy a new car every 15 months.
  On March 20, friends of William Dean will gather at the cemetery in 
Bushnell to bid farewell to remarkable man who witnessed both the 
horrors of war and some of the most astounding advances in his 
country's history.
  Mr. Speaker, Mr. Dean's life reminds us how important it is that we 
pay tribute to those who served and sacrificed for liberty during World 
War I. In William Dean's care, his service to his country continued 
long after he laid down his Army uniform.

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