[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 54 (Wednesday, April 30, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E804]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           THE PRESENTATION OF THE NAVY CROSS TO ROBERT JONES

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ROBERT C. SCOTT

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 30, 1997

  Mr. SCOTT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to help celebrate today's 
presentation of the Navy Cross to Mr. Robert Jones. Earlier today, the 
Secretary of the Navy presented this medal, the highest honor the Navy 
bestows, to Mr. Jones for the heroism he demonstrated while under fire 
during combat in the Pacific in October 1944.
  Yes, Mr. Speaker, the heroism of Petty Officer Jones remained 
unrecognized by his Nation for over 50 years, simply because of the 
color of his skin. But in a moving ceremony in the Capitol this 
afternoon, the record was at long last set straight. Secretary Dalton 
spoke of Mr. Jones' ``uncommon valor and selfless sacrifice.'' He added 
that Robert Jones ``stood firm, took a stand, and stared death in the 
face. He is truly a Navy hero.'' I could not agree more.
  On that fateful day in 1944, a Japanese dive bomber attacked the 
U.S.S. Intrepid. Petty Officer Jones manned one of the ship's guns and 
began firing on the incoming plane. Even when it because obvious that 
the bomber was headed straight for a crash into his gun position, Jones 
remained at his post, firing his weapon until the plane actually hit. 
Although Mr. Jones was severely burned, many other sailors aboard his 
ship can probably be thankful that their lives were spared entirely, 
thanks only to this one sailor's heroism.
  Heroism is rarely something that we plan in advance, and many of us 
probably wonder if we even have the right stuff necessary to become a 
hero in the first place. Robert Jones indeed had the stuff that heroes 
are made of. And while some may be saddened that it has us so long to 
recognize formally his acts of courage, we can nevertheless take 
complete pride today in seeing the record set straight, and in seeing a 
patriot and native son of the Commonwealth of Virginia receive the 
admiration and thanks of a grateful Nation. Today we salute Robert 
Jones and share in his pride.

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