[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 95 (Tuesday, July 8, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7021-S7022]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   TRIBUTE TO NEW HAMPSHIRE'S 368TH ENGINEER BATTALION ON THEIR 50TH 
                              ANNIVERSARY

 Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. Mr. President, I rise today to pay 
tribute to New Hampshire's 368th Engineer Battalion as they celebrate 
their 50th anniversary at a gala celebration in Manchester on July 
19th.
  Mr. President, I wish to honor the nearly 1,000 men and women of New 
Hampshire's 368th Engineer Battalion who are known as much for their 
efforts in international peace building campaigns as their wartime 
readiness. They have earned an enviable reputation from their community 
action projects that include building roads, bridges, schools, 
hospitals to disaster relief projects.
  The 368th Engineer Battalion was formed in 1947 from engineer and 
heavy maintenance units. The battalion has been headquartered in 
Concord and Manchester and they have also had units in Laconia, 
Rochester, Gilford, West Lebanon, NH, as well as White River Junction, 
VT, and Attleboro and Danvers, MA.
  The 368th Battalion has made a substantial contribution to the 
quality of life for residents of the Granite State. The Engineer 
Battalion has developed disaster relief models for such disasters as 
the recent Alton, NH dam breach where the unit played a critical role 
in clearing flood debris, stabilizing erosion and restoring local 
transportation facilities for the residents of the small

[[Page S7022]]

Lakes Region community, which I and the citizens of Alton are very 
thankful for their exceptional work in that time of crisis. Helping 
others is the cornerstone of the 368th Engineer Battalion, making the 
Granite State a safer place to live and raise a family.
  The 368th has seen their share of service on foreign soils in their 
50-year history, where they have lived and cooperated with the civilian 
community including the countries of Italy, Germany, Honduras, 
Guatemala, Korea, and Kenya. They have continued their community action 
projects in building clinics, roads, and sanitation facilities which 
have had long term impact on the quality of civilian life and health 
for the people of the world.
  The decision by the U.S. Government to invest $17 million to create a 
new joint service reserve center at Manchester Airport is a testament 
to the professionalism and commitment to excellence embodied in the 
368th. The facility will enable the 368th to continue serving our 
Nation with distinction well into the next century.
  I commend New Hampshire's 368th Engineer Battalion for their 
dedication to the community which is the embodiment of the American 
ideal. People like the members of the 368th are the backbone of their 
communities and our Nation. I am proud to represent them in the U.S. 
Senate. Happy 50th anniversary.

                          ____________________