[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 64 (Thursday, May 9, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S4950]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       REAR ADM. IRVE C. LeMOYNE

 Mr. KERREY. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize Rear Adm. 
Irve C. LeMoyne, the U.S. Navy's highest ranking and longest serving 
SEAL. Admiral LeMoyne retires this month after 35 years of service to 
our Nation. His extraordinary accomplishments have been instrumental in 
the evolution of this country's special operations forces and will have 
a lasting impact as the U.S. military enters the 21st century.
  Admiral LeMoyne began his Navy career as an ensign in 1961. Following 
graduation from underwater demolition training and service with 
Underwater Demolition Team 22, he served in Vietnam with SEAL Team 1 
and Underwater Demolition Team 11. During his tours in Vietnam, he led 
numerous successful combat operations and served as a senior provincial 
reconnaissance unit advisor. While commanding Underwater Demolition 
Team 11 he also participated in the recovery operations of Apollo 10, 
11 and 12.
  During several high-level assignments in Washington, DC, Admiral 
LeMoyne held key positions where he was responsible for integrating 
naval special warfare into the U.S. regional military strategy and was 
a driving force behind the modernization of the community.
  In 1987 Admiral LeMoyne became the first commander of the Naval 
Special Warfare Command which was formed as the result of the Nunn-
Cohen amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal 
year 1987. His leadership of this command brought together the many 
components of Naval Special Warfare into a single community which was 
successfully integrated into the joint structure of the newly formed 
U.S. Special Operations Command.
  As the Director of Resources and then as the Deputy Commander in 
Chief of the U.S. Special Operations Command, Admiral LeMoyne further 
ensured that not only Naval Special Warfare, but all special operations 
forces were prepared to meet the demands of Operations Desert Shield 
and Storm and the numerous contingency operations of the 1990's.
  Throughout his career Admiral LeMoyne has been a driving force behind 
the modernization of Naval Special Warfare. His accomplishments have 
paved the way for special operations forces as this country approaches 
the 21st century. The legacy of his leadership and foresight will carry 
on well into the next century as special operations forces meet the 
challenges of the battlefield of the future.
  I bid Admiral LeMoyne, his wife, Elizabeth, his son Irve C. Jr., and 
his daughter, Christian fair winds and following seas.

                          ____________________