[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 106 (Friday, July 31, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1506-E1507]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      IN HONOR OF LEOPOLD THIBAULT

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JAMES P. McGOVERN

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 31, 1998

  Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor Leopold Thibault, a 
distinguished World War II veteran from Somerset, Massachusetts.
  On June 26, 1945, Mr. Thibault was traveling on a bombardment raid to 
the island of Truk. His mission, along with 10 other servicemen, was to 
bomb a Japanese installation. Mr. Thibault was not originally scheduled 
to be part of that mission, but he flew an extra mission that day. The 
plane carrying the 11 servicemen, for reasons that are still unknown 
today, took a nose dive. ``The aircraft came down, hit the runway, hit 
the airfield, burned and flipped over on its side and exploded,'' Mr. 
Thibault recalled.

[[Page E1507]]

  Eight members of the crew died when the plane crashed. Mr. Thibault 
was blown out of the plane onto the runway and ran into the jungle. He 
was later rescued by Navy troops and brought to a Naval hospital. Mr. 
Thibault had second and third degree burns on his arms, back, and face. 
During the first few weeks that he was in the hospital, doctors did not 
know if he would survive. After he returned home to the states, it took 
Mr. Thibault about a year to recover from the injuries he received in 
the plane crash.
  In addition to the Purple Heart, Mr. Thibault received other awards 
for his service to his country in World War II, including the Air Medal 
with Clusters, the Victory Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, American 
Theater Campaign/Asiatic Pacific Campaign Ribbons with three Battle 
Stars and the Presidential Unit Citation.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to take a moment to join me in 
honoring Leopold Thibault for his patriotism, bravery, and courage 
while defending our great country.

                          ____________________