[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 124 (Thursday, September 17, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1745-E1746]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    FRANCIS J. SALVERON, DISTINGUISHED VETERAN AND COMMUNITY LEADER

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. STENY H. HOYER

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 17, 1998

  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Francis J. 
Salveron. Mr. Salveron, 88, a retired Air Force master sargeant and 
personal aide to General Douglas MacArthur during the general's 
triumphant return to the Phillipines, died August 23, 1998 at this 
Bladensburg home.
  Mr. Salveron was about 32 years old when he enlisted in the U.S. Army 
in Australia. He served for 10 years as a purser on a luxury liner 
sailing between the Phillipines and Australia. In 1942, Mr. Salveron's 
ship, the S.S. Mactan, was one of the few ships to survive the Japanese 
invasion.
  In February 1942, Mr. Salveron was aboard a U.S. transport ship 
sailing from Melbourne to the Phillipines where the ship was met by 
Japanese zero fighter planes and sunk. Mr. Salveron and about one-third 
of the ship's crew survived. They floated in the sea for almost 12 
hours before being picked up. The survivors were then transported to 
Melbourne for a recovery period. It was shortly after that Mr. Salveron 
was ordered to join General MacArthur in New Guinea to be his personal 
aide. For three years he personally served the general. Mr. Salveron 
was with General MacArthur as they took the first step off the landing 
barge to wade ashore on October 20, 1944 on Red Beach, Leyte. General 
MacArthur had fulfilled a promise to the Phillipine people and spoke 
those famous words, ``I have returned.''
  After the war, Mr. Salveron left General MacArthur and reenlisted in 
the Air Force,

[[Page E1746]]

where he became part of the official flight crew of, then, General 
Dwight D. Eisenhower. Mr. Salveron went on to serve as part of the crew 
for the U.S. Secretaries of Defense and State until his retirement in 
1963.
  Upon retirement, Mr. Salveron went on to devote his life to volunteer 
work in the city of Bladensburg, in my home State of Maryland, and to 
preserving the MacArthur legend. He went on to found the General 
Douglas MacArthur Post of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and was 
commander for 21 years. Mr. Salveron was also active in the Bladensburg 
promotion committee. He distinguished himself by restoring the 
Bladensburg Peace Cross Memorial, and establishing the town's Korean 
and Vietnam memorials. In 1983, he was named outstanding senior citizen 
by the Prince George's County Maryland Jaycees. His military honors 
include a bronze star, a purple heart and three Presidential 
distinguished citations. Mr. Salveron is survived by his wife of 66 
years, four children, nine grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
  Mr. Salveron dedicated his life to service in both the public and 
private sector. He was an individual who stood out among his fellow 
soldiers and showed strength of character during some very difficult 
times. I join the citizens of Bladensburg in recognizing his commitment 
to our country, our State, and their great city.

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