[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 27 (Wednesday, March 5, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E381]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    IN HONOR OF REAR ADM. LUTHER F. SCHRIEFER IN RECOGNITION OF HIS 
                  OUTSTANDING SERVICE IN THE U.S. NAVY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. PORTER J. GOSS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, March 5, 1997

  Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, on January 31, 1997, Rear Adm. Luther F. 
Schriefer retired after 40 years of distinguished service in the U.S. 
Navy. Admiral Schriefer, who was born in Oshkosh, WI, began his career 
in the Navy as a cadet at Annapolis in 1956. After 4 years at the Naval 
Academy, where he excelled not only in academics, but also on the 
gridiron playing with the great Navy teams of the late 1950's, Admiral 
Schriefer was commissioned as a ensign in the Navy and 1 year later as 
a naval aviator. He quickly rose through the ranks serving with 
distinction in Vietnam and a variety of assignments on aircraft 
carriers: Intrepid, Independence, Saratoga, and America. He completed 
over 700 carrier landings, many of which were at night, and accumulated 
over 7,000 flight hours. In October 1983, he was given command of the 
U.S.S. Mobile. Three years later, he took command of the amphibious 
assault ship U.S.S. Belleau Wood. In 1987, he was selected for Rear 
Admiral and Commanded the Anti-submarine Warfare Wing U.S. Pacific 
Fleet, and served as Commander of San Diego Naval Base.
  Admiral Schriefer's service was not limited to life at sea. He also 
served with great distinction for 2 years as the Director of Inter-
American Region, International Security Affairs, Office of the 
Secretary of Defense. He managed two simultaneous crises, one in Haiti 
and one in Cuba, where mass migrations of Haitian and Cuban nationals 
in the summer of 1994 called for the marshalling of the Navy's 
resources to rescue thousands of innocent Haitians and Cubans fleeing 
tyranny in their countries. Admiral Schriefer also chaired the 
Department of Defense's Haiti Crisis Response Team and he was at the 
helm during the invasion of Haiti in September 1994, when 23,000 U.S. 
troops were introduced into Haiti without casualties, a major military 
success.
  Admiral Schriefer's final assignment in the Navy was as Director of 
the Navy's Environmental Programs, where he brought to bear his 
management skills and respect for the environment to help the Navy in 
its aggressive efforts to clean up its facilities throughout the United 
States. His steady hand, leadership and sense of duty were essential to 
the success of each of the missions throughout his career. Our Nation 
owes him respect for the work that he has done. He has accomplished it 
with flair. I wish him well as he completes his very successful career.

                          ____________________