[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 80 (Tuesday, June 4, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E994]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              A TRIBUTE TO THE LIFE OF ADM. JEREMY BOORDA

                                 ______


                        HON. JOHN EDWARD PORTER

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 4, 1996

  Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, Harold Kramer, a retired member of the U.S. 
Navy and a constituent of mine residing in Lake Bluff, IL, wrote this 
impassioned tribute to the late Admiral Boorda. I would like to take 
this opportunity to share his words with the country.

                          The Meaning of Valor

       Many of us older Americans, including myself, have had the 
     privilege of serving in the United States Navy in World War 
     II and after . . . in my own case, as an enlisted man. It 
     was, during my enlistment at the age of 17 in 1944, and still 
     is a disciplined and dedicated organization which is one of 
     the bulwarks of our way of democratic life. But in the last 
     few years, a series of unfortunate events of which we are all 
     aware--at an aviator's party, in Okinawa, at Annapolis and 
     elsewhere has forced us to take stock of our shortcomings and 
     re-dedicate ourselves to the re-establishment of the highest 
     degree of understanding of others and morality in our 
     treatment of others who differ from ourselves.
       Admiral Boorda, whose untimely death we are here to mourn, 
     was a dedicated man who enlisted in the United States Navy 40 
     years ago and--make no mistake about this--served the Navy 
     and his country with great distinction throughout that 
     exceptionally long service career. Because of the 
     shortcomings of individuals--including officers in training 
     at the Naval Academy plus harassment by both officers (at 
     Tailhook) and enlisted men--Admiral Boorda had to address 
     himself primarily to correcting problems of ethics and the 
     need for basic decency in treatment of others in the Navy. 
     And these are the same problems which haunt us in our 
     civilian lives. Because of his concentration on apologizing 
     for and correcting the wrongs of others in the Navy, he was 
     sensitive in the extreme to his apparent own shortcoming in 
     the technical violation of what entitled the wearing of the 
     Navy ``V'' for valor.
       Admiral Mike Boorda did serve with valor throughout his 
     career and abroad his assigned tour of duty on a destroyer 
     squadron during the Vietnam War. Although it happened that he 
     was not fired upon, he was always willing to place himself in 
     harms way in serving his country. The Webster Dictionary 
     defines ``Valor'' as strength of mind or spirit that enables 
     a person to encounter danger with firmness and personal 
     bravery. Every one of us can and must be aware that our Chief 
     of Naval Operations, Admiral Mike Boorda displayed these 
     qualities and intended the wearing of the ``V'' medals to 
     simply signify his having served during the period of the 
     Vietnam War in the war theater. He earned them by his 
     commitment to serve wherever needed in a war theater! He 
     earned them by his 40 years of service to his country! He 
     earned them by his always very special concern for the Navy 
     enlisted men and women! Because Mike Boorda never forgot that 
     he had advanced through the enlisted ranks, and he always 
     sought the welfare of the enlisted man and woman.
       We an mourn Admiral Boorda's untimely death in a number of 
     ways. First, we can make our feeling known to the segments of 
     the media such as Newsweek by canceling subscriptions when 
     they put headlines above decency. We can constantly make a 
     great effort toward understanding those with whom we serve--
     especially those who are different than ourselves. We can 
     show the same kind of decency toward others that 
     distinguished Admiral Boorda's life. And we can strive 
     mightily to never allow the physically strong to take 
     advantage of the physically weaker: to know in our hearts 
     that real strength is strength of character! We can strive to 
     give unstintingly of our selves in the service of God, our 
     country and humanity! And in doing these things we can honor 
     Admiral Boorda, our still outstanding United States Navy, and 
     ourselves!
       Admiral Mike Boorda actually gave his life for his country 
     because he felt that was the only way, under the 
     circumstances of more bad publicity for the Navy, to maintain 
     the integrity of the service he loved. He gave his life for 
     his country just as truly as if he had been under fire! While 
     deeply saddened by his sacrifice of himself, we can honor his 
     memory and his work by knowing that we cannot, we will not 
     allow the wrongs of the past toward our fellows to be our 
     guideline for the future. We can start by shaking the hand of 
     the person next to us, taking some of his or her burden upon 
     our own shoulders with a smile, and making the lives of those 
     around us bright and better!

                          ____________________