[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 103 (Tuesday, July 28, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H6494]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   OFFICER J.J. CHESTNUT AND DETECTIVE JOHN GIBSON MADE A DIFFERENCE

  (Mr. CUNNINGHAM asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. CUNNINGHAM. Mr. Speaker, President Ronald Reagan in his inaugural 
address talked about a man named Martin Treptoe. Martin Treptoe, like 
J.J. Chestnut, John Gibson, had not ever been heard of by America 
before that time, but Martin Treptoe was a baker. During World War I, 
when it was raging, he volunteered to go to the front. He became a 
message carrier. He got to the front, and three other message carriers 
had been killed, but yet Martin Treptoe volunteered again. And like the 
other three, they found Martin Treptoe dead about halfway to the front, 
and they found his message pouch, and I would like to quote from that 
pouch. It says:
  ``This is a very difficult war. I don't think I will survive. But I 
must treat every action as if that action determined the outcome of 
this conflict.''
  Both J.J. Chestnut and John Gibson treated every one of their actions 
as if the outcome made a difference for the Members of Congress and the 
safety of the public. We honor those two individuals today. May God 
bless.

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