[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 117 (Friday, August 2, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S9552]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO MICHAEL RHODE, JR.

  Mr. NUNN. Mr. President, I rise today to note the passing of and to 
pay tribute to Michael Rhode, Jr., of South Carolina.
  Mike Rhode died after a brave bout with cancer in May, only too 
briefly after he retired from his position as Secretary of the Panama 
Canal Commission. I only recently learned of Mike's death.
  I first met Mike when he served as Chief of the Army's Senate 
Legislative Liaison Office in the early 1970's when I was a newly 
elected Member of the U.S. Senate. Mike, who had combat experience in 
Korea and Vietnam, literally took me under his wing and played a major 
role in my education about the capabilities of the U.S. Army and the 
other services. He accompanied me on my official travels, particularly 
to the territory of our NATO allies. Mike was extremely knowledgeable 
about NATO and my first-ever report to the Armed Services Committee on 
NATO specifically cited Mike's invaluable assistance and expertise on 
NATO matters.
  I continued my association with Mike when, upon his retirement from 
the Army after 26 years of dedicated service to our Nation, he became 
the Secretary of the Panama Canal Commission in 1980. Mike was 
extraordinarily helpful to me and the other members of the Armed 
Services Committee as Secretary of the Commission. He had that unique 
ability to explain proposed legislation and to suggest ways in which 
the laws governing the operation and maintenance of the Panama Canal 
could be modified over the years to ease the transition to Panamanian 
control by the year 2000.
  In looking back over my association--and my friendship--with Mike 
over the years, I am most struck by his dedication to duty and his warm 
and gregarious personality. He always had a warm smile and time to 
spare to answer any question. Shortly before he retired from the Panama 
Canal Commission, Mike came by my office for a purely social call. We 
reminisced about old times and talked about the future that awaited 
both of us in private life. Mike had been in poor health but was 
confident that he would lick this health problem as he had all other 
challenges in the past. My most vivid memory of our last meeting was 
his broad smile and his plans for retirement with his wife Lin and 
spending time with his daughter, Pamela Lister, and two sons, Michael 
and Randy.
  Mr. President, Mike Rhode was a valued friend and a dedicated and 
talented public servant. He will be sorely missed.

                          ____________________