[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 14 (Tuesday, February 24, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H536-H537]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIBUTE TO U.S. NAVY ASIATIC FLEET

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. JONES. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today in recognition of 
the sailors and marines who served in the United States Navy Asiatic 
fleet and in support of legislation that Senator John Warner and I have 
introduced in their honor.
  Although many of my colleagues may not be familiar with the efforts 
waged by the Asiatic fleet, these brave men played a critical role in 
protecting American security interests.
  From the early 1900s until just after Pearl Harbor, the Fleet sailed 
courageously across the coastal waters between China and the 
Philippines as well as in Russian waters and in the straits and narrows 
of Malaysia and Indonesia during the very dynamic period in history.
  The Asiatic fleet had originally been established in August of 1910 
as a successor of the Asiatic station to protect American lives and 
property in the Philippines and in China.

                              {time}  1745

  It sailed the seas in defense of American interests and in Southeast 
Asian waters until 1942.
  In the final years of the Asiatic Fleet operations, these sailors and 
marines

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distinguished themselves by defending against the tidal wave of 
Japanese aggression. Fighting against the larger modern Japanese naval 
forces were the fleet's three cruisers, 13 World War I-vintage 
destroyers, 29 submarines and a handful of gunboats and patrol 
aircraft. In all, the fleet lost 22 ships.
  More importantly and most gravely, 1,826 men were killed and over 500 
were said to be placed in prison camps. Sadly, many of these sailors 
taken prisoners were beaten, tortured, and killed in the most gruesome 
of manners.
  They made the supreme sacrifice for their country, but regrettably, 
Congress and the American people have never risen to recognize the 
valiant actions of the Asiatic Fleet, the precursor to today's Seventh 
Fleet.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today dedicated to granting long overdue 
recognition of the heartbreaking struggles of the fleet that fought 
alone against the overwhelming modern Japanese Navy. It is altogether 
fitting and appropriate that this Nation pause and reflect upon the 
noble action of these fine sailors and marines of the Asiatic Fleet.
  It is for these reasons that I have joined my colleague in the 
Senate, Senator Warner, to introduce a resolution calling for the 
recognition of the 56th anniversary of the sinking of the Asiatic Fleet 
flagship, the USS Houston. This resolution supports the efforts of the 
Senate to designate March 1, 1988, as the ``United States Navy Asiatic 
Fleet Memorial Day.''
  Mr. Speaker, I call upon my colleagues to join me today in this 
effort to give these forgotten heroes Congress' support for long-
awaited and much-deserved recognition by joining me in cosponsoring 
H.J. Res. 100.

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