[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 137 (Saturday, September 28, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1800-E1801]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 TRIBUTE TO TWA FLIGHT 800 CRASH INVESTIGATION AND RECOVERY OPERATION 
                               PERSONNEL

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. FLOYD SPENCE

                           of south carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 27, 1996

  Mr. SPENCE. Mr. Speaker, July 17, 1996, will forever be remembered as 
a tragic date in American history--a day in which 230 people were 
killed when TWA Flight 800 exploded over Long Island, NY, and plummeted 
into the deep water offshore.
  Today, I rise to honor the men and women of the Navy, Coast Guard, 
and National Transportation Safety Board [NTSB] who, throughout the 
past 2 months, have dedicated their lives daily to recovering the 
victims of the crash and investigating the cause of the explosion.
  First, I would like to express my gratitude to the U.S. Navy 
personnel working at the crash

[[Page E1801]]

site who have been responsible for all underwater recovery operations. 
In particular, I wish to commend the Navy's divers for their heroic 
work in some of the most difficult working conditions imaginable. 
Despite working at depths of over 100 feet, in water in which 
visibility is measured in inches instead of feet, these Navy divers 
have logged some 1,300 hours--the equivalent of 54 straight days--
searching a 25 square mile patch of ocean floor. These divers are 
directly responsible for the recovery of nearly half of the victims as 
well as for the majority of the wreckage salvaged thus far.
  I would also like to commend the men and women of the Coast Guard who 
were involved in the search, rescue, and recovery operation immediately 
following the crash. Specifically, I wish to recognize those workers 
who arrived at the crash site within minutes of the explosion to begin 
searching for survivors. Working tirelessly, Coast Guard personnel 
recovered victims and pieces of the aircraft throughout the night and 
the following days. In subsequent weeks, Coast Guard workers have 
conducted surface recovery operations, centralized search planning, as 
well as regional environmental operations. In the 2 months since the 
Flight 800 explosion, the Coast Guard has searched over 3,100 square 
miles of the ocean's surface, recovering more than half of the victims 
from the water in the process.
  Finally, I would like to recognize the NTSB for its candor, honesty, 
and tenacity in conducting the investigation effort. The men and women 
of the NTSB have done an admirable job of keeping the victims' families 
and the American public well informed of the status of the recovery 
effort and crash investigation.
  Mr. Speaker, I know my colleagues will join me in extending a 
heartfelt thanks to theses exemplary men and women for the time and 
effort they have selflessly dedicated to the recovery effort. I commend 
them for a job well done.
  As a final note, I would like to recognize Mr. Henry Allen, who 
correctly pointed out to me that Congress has not yet credited the 
Navy, Coast Guard, and NTSB personnel working in this investigation for 
their work. Mr. Allen lost his son and grandson in the TWA crash, but 
his unselfish and caring character allowed him to ask me to recognize 
the hard work and dedication of these personnel even in his time of 
need. I'm proud to serve men like Mr. Allen, and my thoughts, prayers, 
and condolences are with him and his family.

                          ____________________