[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 70 (Friday, May 23, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1053-E1054]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    HONORING CAPT. LEROY A. FARR, A LEADER WITH FEW EQUALS, A GREAT 
                                AMERICAN

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 22, 1997

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a very 
special friend and a true military leader, an all-American hero, U.S. 
Navy Capt. Leroy Farr.
  Captain Farr is retiring from the Navy after 30 years of outstanding 
service to our country. He will be missed.
  Mr. Speaker, I have deep respect and admiration for Captain Farr's 
character, commitment, and dedication. He's a doer, highly competent, 
yet modest. With his easy going manner, you just can't help liking the 
guy.
  Capt. Leroy Farr has a diverse background in naval aviation and a 
distinguished one. Test pilot; landing signal officer; operations and 
maintenance officer; squadron commanding officer; air boss; program 
manger, and inspector general are some of the positions he has held. 
The veteran aviator graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1967. He 
majored in mathematics and aeronautical engineering. Ensign Farr 
attended North Carolina State University, receiving his master's degree 
in mechanical engineering in 1968. In April 1969, he earned the coveted 
naval aviation wings and entered the Light Attack community flying the 
A-7B. Lieutenant Farr served with VA-46, deploying twice with U.S.S. 
John F. Kennedy (CV-67).
  In 1972, he was selected to attend the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot 
School at Edwards AFB, CA. In 1976, Lieutenant Farr attended the Armed 
Forces Staff College, Norfolk, VA. He went on to serve as project test 
pilot at the Pacific Missile Test Center, Point Mugu, CA. He returned 
to the A-7 Light Attack community for a tour with VA-83 at NAS Cecil 
Field, FL where he deployed with U.S.S. Forrestal (CV-59). In 1979, 
Lieutenant Commander Farr returned to shore duty with VA-174, the A-7 
Fleet Training Squadron.
  In 1980 Commander Farr went back to sea as executive officer and 
commanding officer of VA-37 flying the A-7E and deployed on both U.S.S. 
Saratoga (CV-60) and U.S.S. John F. Kennedy (CV-67). He began his air 
boss tour in 1983 on board U.S.S. John F. Kennedy (CV-67).
  Commander Farr was assigned to Naval Air Systems Command headquarters 
in Washington, DC in 1985. There he served as a branch head in the Test 
and Evaluation Division, then as the unmanned air vehicle class desk 
officer in Weapons Engineering Division.
  From 1987 through 1990, Captain Farr commanded the Naval Weapons 
Evaluation Facility in Albuquerque, NM. He was again assigned to Naval 
Air Systems Command Headquarters, first in the Inspector General's 
Office, then as head of the Ship and Shore Installations Division. In 
July 1992, Captain Farr was named program manager for the new 
established Aircraft Launch and Recovery Equipment Program (PMA251).
  He became commanding officer of the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft 
Division Lakehurst, June 1993. I am especially grateful for the 
critical role he played in saving Lakehurst from closing.
  Lakehurst, Mr. Speaker, is the heart of naval aviation. It is a 
unique, one-of-its-kind, world-class facility whose primary function is 
to ensure that aircraft safely launch and recover from the deck of a 
carrier or other platform, and that support equipment assist in the 
service of planes, parts, and ordinance at sea. The safety and success 
of every single naval aircraft depends on the work and skill housed at 
Navy Lakehurst.
  Despite it's military value, the Department of Defense erroneously 
targeted Navy Lakehurst for closure--and then for a radical 
realignment. As part of the realignment scenario, the critical 
manufacturing, design, and research that goes on at Lakehurst was to be 
split apart and relocated at other bases.
  As commanding officer of Lakehurst, Captain Farr was undoubtedly 
between a rock and a hard place. He knew the facts. But as a Navy 
officer, Captain Farr could not and would not violate his chain of 
command. At the same time, as a captain, a pilot, a former air boss and 
the current commanding officer of Navy Lakehurst, Captain Farr knew 
better than anyone just how devastating the close Lakehurst scenario 
would be for national security and pilot safety.
  It was an unusual situation where one's own military command was 
supporting a plan not in the best interest of American security. A 
predicament in which a man of less character,

[[Page E1054]]

less courage, less fortitude, and less grit might decide to look the 
other way--and let the chips fall where they may. But not Leroy Farr.
  Captain Farr simply did what was right.
  I remember his wife, Barbara, telling me just how much he grieved for 
the future of Navy Lakehurst and the future of any pilot who might fly 
off an aircraft carrier without the support of the skilled workers and 
artisans at Navy Lakehurst.
  I had the good fortune of sitting in on Captain Farr's many briefings 
when BRAC officials would come to the base to see for themselves what 
went on at Navy Lakehurst. It was in these skillful presentations that 
Captain Farr laid the ground work for the ultimate reversal of the 
close Lakehurst scenario. Captain Farr was informed, clear, concise, 
fair, direct, honest, sincere, and effective.
  It has been my distinct honor and privilege to have worked with 
Captain Farr and I know I speak not only for myself but for all who 
support Navy Lakehurst and are dedicated to a strong, capable military 
defense when I say that we will sincerely miss him.
  I wish nothing but the best for Captain Farr because he, his wife, 
Barbara, and his family are the best of the best.

                          ____________________