[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 105 (Wednesday, July 23, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S7947]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             TRIBUTE TO THE LATE GEN. FRANK S. BESSON, JR.

  Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, though the borders of the United States 
stretch from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and from the Rio Grande to 
the ``Great White North,'' the defense of our Nation takes our military 
personnel around the globe. Point to almost any continent on the globe 
and you will find American soldiers serving bravely and selflessly, and 
transporting these men and women to the far corners of the Earth, as 
well as keeping them supplied with everything from bullets to vehicles, 
is a challenging but essential task which falls to the Army Materiel 
Command. Today, I rise to pay tribute to a man who made many 
innovations in the field of military logistics and who served the U.S. 
Army in times of peace and war, Gen. Frank S. Besson, Jr.
  General Besson passed away more than 10 years ago, but during his 
life and military career, he distinguished himself in any number of 
ways and set an excellent example for service to the Nation and 
devotion to the Army. A 1932 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, 
then Second Lieutenant Besson headed north to Boston where he earned a 
master's degree at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His 
education and training at West Point and MIT paid dividends for the 
security of the Nation, and helped to pave his way to leadership 
positions at the highest levels of the U.S. Army. During his career, 
Frank Besson served with distinction in Persia, Japan, Europe, and in 
the United States. He was responsible for important innovations in the 
areas of military pipelines, steel airplane landing mats, steel 
treadway bridges, and ``roll-on/roll-off'' techniques. Though no sane 
person welcomed the outbreak of World War II, that conflict proved the 
viability of Frank Beeson's innovations, and the lives of thousands of 
GI's were made a little easier thanks to his ideas and efforts. As a 
matter of fact, it was Frank Besson who ordered studies which led to 
the adoption of the ``Bailey Bridge,'' a key piece of equipment used 
during World War II which allowed Allied Forces greater mobility in 
their march against the Reich.
  At age 34, Frank Besson became the youngest brigadier general in the 
Army Ground Forces. From 1941 to 1945, while we battled the Axis 
Powers, General Besson was charged with ensuring that Allied supplies 
reached Soviet forces through the Persian corridor, and as the Deputy 
Chief Transportation Officer of Army Forces in the Western Pacific, he 
played an important role in the war against Japan. When the Imperial 
Japanese surrendered in 1945, General Besson shifted his efforts from 
working for the defeat of that nation to helping rehabilitate its rail 
system and working to rebuild Japan.
  As the shooting of World War II was replaced by the tense stalemate 
of the cold war, General Besson continued to serve, this time working 
to contain the Soviet Union by helping NATO plan and meet its 
logistical challenges. By the end of the 1950's, General Besson had 
reached the top of his career field, serving as Chief of Transportation 
for the U.S. Army, and when the Army Materiel Command was formed in 
1962, he took command of this new entity. On May 27, 1964, General 
Besson again made history by becoming the first Army officer to become 
a four-star general as the head of a logistical organization during 
peacetime.
  During his career, General Besson earned a long list of awards, 
commendations, and distinctions, including the Distinguished Service 
Medal, the Legion of Merit, and the Commander of the Order of the 
British Empire. There is no question that this was a man who made his 
mark on military and transportation history, and who dedicated his life 
to protecting our Nation. While it has been many years since General 
Besson wore the uniform of the U.S. Army, his accomplishments, 
leadership, and service have not been forgotten, and as a matter of 
fact, they are still greatly appreciated by the soldiers of today. In 
recognition of this unique man's illustrious career, the men and women 
of the Army Transportation Corps will today induct the late Gen. Frank 
S. Besson, Jr., into the Transportation Corps Hall of Fame at the U.S. 
Army Transportation Center and Fort Eustis, VA. This is an honor which 
is certainly appropriate, and I salute General Besson's distinguished 
career and add my congratulations to his proud family and friends as 
they gather to pay homage to this great soldier.

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