[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 59 (Thursday, May 8, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4244-S4245]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. KEMPTHORNE (for himself, Mr. Craig, Mr. Torricelli, Mr. 
        Thomas, and Mr. Enzi):
  S. 730. A bill to make retroactive the entitlement of certain Medal 
of Honor recipients to the special pension provided for persons entered 
and recorded on the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard Medal of 
Honor Roll; to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.


                    medal of honor roll legislation

  Mr. KEMPTHORNE. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce legislation 
that is the final step toward correcting a wrong--a wrong which 
lingered for more than 50 years.
  In January of this year, I attended a moving ceremony at the White 
House where the Congressional Medal of Honor was presented to seven 
African-Americans who had been denied the award during World War II. I 
can tell you, it was a solemn and dignified ceremony in the East Room 
of the White House last January, when the medals were awarded. 
Unfortunately, only one of the soldiers--Lt. Vernon Baker--was able to 
receive the medal in person. The other six died, unaware their heroism 
would one day be acknowledged.
  Like the medal itself, the financial rewards that normally accompany 
the honor are also past due. My bill offers the stipend that would have 
been earned by the three heroes who survived the heroic act which 
earned them the Congressional Medal of Honor.
  This bill, co-sponsored by Senators Craig, Torricelli, Thomas, and 
Enzi, provides Lt. Vernon Baker and the surviving spouse or children of 
S. Sgt. Edward A. Carter, Jr., and Maj. Charles L. Thomas with the 
financial benefits normally given to recipients of the Congressional 
Medal of Honor. The other Medal of Honor recipients, S. Sgt. Ruben 
Rivers, 1st Lt. John R. Fox, Pfc. Willy F. James, Jr., and Pvt. George 
Watson were all killed in action performing acts of heroism, and have 
no surviving family members.
  Mr. Vernon Baker, the only living survivor, now makes his home in the 
quiet north Idaho community of St. Maries. He is a soft spoken, humble 
man, almost embarrassed by all the national and international attention 
given him as a result of heroism. In April 1945, on a hill in Italy, 
Lt. Vernon Baker performed acts of bravery above and beyond the normal 
call of duty, risking his life to save the lives of others and taking a 
strategically important position, which saved countless other American 
lives.
  Following the battle, Lieutenant Baker's commander recommended this 
hero for our Nation's top military honors. But during World War II, no 
African-American soldier received the Medal of Honor, and so Lieutenant 
Baker never received the commendation due him--until 50 years after the 
fact.
  An Army review board studied thousands of service records and 
reports, and determined that seven African-Americans should have been 
awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. I am proud the last Congress 
finally stepped up to the challenge and overturned this stain on the 
Nation's history, when it authorized the President to award the 
Congressional Medal of Honor to Vernon Baker.
  My bill will provide Mr. Baker and the surviving spouse or children 
of S. Sgt. Edward A. Carter, Jr., and Maj. Charles L. Thomas with the 
Congressional Medal of Honor pension that they would have received had 
they been rightly given the award in 1945. My bill does not adjust the 
pension for inflation nor does it offer interest. Instead, the bill I 
am introducing today offers three American heroes only what they 
rightly earned in combat defending our Nation and the free world.
  The people of Idaho have embraced Vernon Baker as a true American 
hero. The State's Governor has awarded Mr. Baker Idaho's top civilian 
honor. The Nation has bestowed upon him its highest military honor.
  This is a fair bill that will help provide three American heroes with 
the reward they rightly earned. I urge my colleagues to take a look at 
this important bill and I urge its adoption.
  Mr. President, in closing, I will just say that as an Idahoan and as 
an American, I am so proud to have been able to get to know Vernon 
Baker, a truly great American, and his wife Heidi. I wish them all the 
best success and joy as they continue a wonderful life in the State of 
Idaho.
  Again, as an American, I salute him and the other six African 
Americans who are true American heroes.
  Mr. President, I send to the desk the bill. I know that Senator Craig 
wishes to now address this issue as well.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Idaho.
  Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, let me first thank my colleague, Senator 
Kempthorne, for his action and the work in developing this legislation 
that appropriately recognizes Vernon Baker, Edward A. Carter, Jr., and 
Charles L. Thomas in what I think can best be called retroactivity, 
certainly recognizing that there is a special pension tied to the Medal 
of Honor.
  The Medal of Honor was given to these African American soldiers and 
citizens and wonderful people in the appropriate fashion, finally, 
after a long, long wait. We had the opportunity to be at the White 
House for the ceremonies, and it was truly moving.
  Recognition of their outstanding courage and daring leadership during 
their service to their country in World War II was far too long coming, 
as I mentioned. However, their rewards should not be based upon the 
delay in their recognition, but based on the moment of their heroism.
  In the case of Vernon Baker, one of my fellow Idahoans--as Senator 
Kempthorne said, we had the privilege of getting to know he and his 
wife--more than 50 years have passed before the Nation did the 
appropriate thing in recognizing their courageous actions and bestowing 
them with the Congressional Medal of Honor. Now fairness demands that 
we couple this honor with

[[Page S4245]]

the benefits entitled to them and the next of kin in the case of the 
deceased, effective to the dates corresponding to their actions.
  Mr. President, on behalf of a grateful Nation, I once more thank 
Vernon Baker for his gallant actions on that April day so long ago and 
encourage the support of my colleague's legislation to resolve this 
issue for America for all time.
  Mr. TORRICELLI. Mr. President, I rise today in strong support of 
Senator Kempthorne's effort to provide Medal of Honor recipient Vernon 
Joseph Baker, and the heirs of Medal of Honor recipients Edward Carter 
and Charles Thomas, with retroactive compensation for their awards.
  During World War II, Mr. Baker was an Army 2d lieutenant serving with 
the 92d Infantry Division in Europe. During a 2-day action near 
Viareggio, Italy, he single handedly wiped out two German machinegun 
nets, led successful attacks on two others, drew fire on himself to 
permit the evacuation of his wounded comrades, and then led a battalion 
advance through enemy minefields. Mr. Baker is the only one of these 
three men still alive today, and he currently resides in St. Maries, 
ID.
  Edward Carter, of Los Angles, was staff sergeant with the 12th 
Armored Division when his tank was destroyed in action near Speyer, 
Germany, in March 1945. Mr. Carter led three men through extraordinary 
gunfire that left two of them dead, the third wounded and himself 
wounded five times. When eight enemy riflemen attempted to capture him, 
he killed six of them, captured the remaining two and, using his 
prisoners as a shield, recrossed an exposed field to safety. The 
prisoners yielded valuable information. Mr. Carter died in 1963.
  Charles Thomas, of Detroit, was a major with the 103d Infantry 
Division serving near Climbach, France, in December 1944. When his 
scout car was hit by intense artillery fire, Mr. Thomas assisted the 
crew to cover and, despite severe wounds, managed to signal the column 
some distance behind him to halt. Despite additional multiple wounds in 
the chest, legs, and left arm, he ordered and directed the dispersion 
and emplacement of two antitank guns that effectively returned enemy 
fire. He refused evacuation until certain his junior officer was in 
control of the situation. Mr. Thomas died in 1980.
  I commend Mr. Baker, Mr. Carter, and Mr. Thomas for their bravery and 
Senator Kempthorne for leading this effort.
  As a result of their heroics these men had clearly met the criteria 
for being awarded a Medal of Honor, the Nation's highest award for 
valor. This medal is only awarded to a member of the U.S. armed 
services who ``distinguishes themselves conspicuously by gallantry and 
intrepidity at the risk of their life and beyond the call of duty,'' 
with an act ``so conspicuous as to clearly distinguish the individual 
above their comrades.'' However, because of the racial climate of the 
time and the segregated nature of the Army in 1945, African-Americans 
were denied the Medal of Honor. It is a sad testament to America's 
legacy of discrimination that although 1.2 million African-Americans 
served in the military during the Second World War, including Mr. 
Baker, Mr. Carter, and Mr. Thomas, none received 1 of the 433 Medals of 
Honor awarded during the conflict.
  This past January our Nation took an important step in correcting 
this injustice by awarding Mr. Vernon Joseph Baker, and six of his dead 
comrades, the Medal of Honor during a long-overdue ceremony at the 
White House. This recognition of these men's extraordinary courage was 
a vindication for all African-American heroes of World War II. In order 
to further demonstrate our profound thanks to these brave men, I 
support Senator Kempthorne's effort to retroactively compensate Mr. 
Baker, and the heirs of Mr. Carter and Mr. Thomas for the money that 
they would have received from the Army for receiving the Medal of 
Honor. The other three heroes died as a result of the brave deeds which 
qualified them to receive the Medal, and thus would not have received 
any compensation by the military.
  Each recipient of this Medal is entitled to receive a token monthly 
stipend from their respective branch of the military after they leave 
active duty service. In 1945 the stipend was $10 and today it has risen 
to $400. Since he was denied the Medal more than a half century ago, 
Mr. Baker and the survivors of Mr. Carter and Mr. Thomas, deserve to 
receive the same amount of money that they would have received had they 
been awarded the Medal at the close of World War II. American is 
profoundly thankful for the patriotism of these men, and awarding 
retroactive compensation to them is a simple way to express our 
gratitude for their service. For these reasons I stand today to 
recognize Mr. Baker, Mr. Carter, and Mr. Thomas, and support 
retroactively compensating them for their accomplishments.
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