[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 125 (Thursday, September 23, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1944-E1945]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       A TRIBUTE TO ROGER DURBIN

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MARCY KAPTUR

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 23, 1999

  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, our World War II veterans remind us of a 
time when our country stood united in the pursuit of independence and 
liberty, whether it be for others on foreign soil, or here at home. 
Twelve years ago, Roger Durbin, my constituent and a World War II 
combat veteran, asked me why there was no national monument to honor 
those who served in this war. Legislation I sponsored and Congress 
passed will rectify that grievous oversight. However, until the 
memorial is completed, a new postage stamp will serve to recognize 
those contributing to the war effort. I am inserting in today's Record 
the following speech by Roger Durbin, documenting the bravery of those 
who served and celebrating the release of the new stamp in their honor.


[[Page E1945]]



 An Address by Roger Durbin Celebrating the Stamp Unveiling, November 
                                19, 1998

       Mr. Vice-President, Mr. Postmaster General, General 
     Woerner, thank you for allowing me to share this honor with 
     you today.
       It's a double honor for me to participate in a ceremony to 
     unveil a stamp commemorating World War II. In 1979, I retired 
     from the U.S. Postal Service after spending 32 years as a 
     rural carrier in Berkey, Ohio, near Toledo. I've been told 
     that I am that last surviving member of branch 4408 of the 
     National Association of Letter Carriers.
       I am proud of my career as a letter carrier. But today, on 
     the eve of Veteran's Day my thoughts are focused on a 
     different uniform-one I wore in Europe in the 1940s. I was a 
     member of the Tenth Armored Division and participated in the 
     Battle of the Bulge, one of the costliest battles ever fought 
     by Americans. I have memories of those cold bitter days that 
     will be with me until I die.
       One memory I wish to share with you is about the Battle for 
     Metz. It was the first time Metz had been captured in 1,500 
     years. Three bridges had to be built to cross the Mozells 
     River at Thionville, France, while the 4th and 90th Infantry 
     established a bridgehead. They met a terrible resistance. 
     During the night, civilians pointed out to the Germans where 
     the Americans were sleeping. By morning, only one man was 
     still alive from the German counter-attack. Later history 
     called this attack the ``Killing Fields of Kerling.''
       When daylight came, it was a terrible sight-a sight that 
     cannot be forgotten by those who saw it. The American dead 
     were neatly stacked in the ditches like cords of wood. The 
     German dead were in their foxholes, eyes wide open still 
     keeping their vigil of surveillance. The retreating Germans 
     had body-trapped their dead. They had to be removed by our 
     engineers. Right then I decided that those Germans were 
     really trying to kill me.
       ``Saving Private Ryan'' has brought attention to the horror 
     of war to those born since World War II ended. The D-Day 
     depicted was but one battle. Six hundred thousand American 
     soldiers fought in the Battle of the Bulge. There were 91,000 
     casualties in just 30 days. The bitterness of that 1944 
     December cold cannot be forgotten. A wounded, bleeding 
     soldier could be dead and frozen solid in just three hours. 
     It was so cold that on Christmas night I had lain on top of 
     the half-track transmission in an effort to get warm.
       We moved back east of Metz after the battle had ended to 
     draw new equipment and to get replacements. The replacements 
     were eighteen and nineteen year old boys that had been home 
     with families for Christmas dinner in 1944.
       Those of us in the Tenth Armored Division who survived the 
     Battle of the Bulge had the honor of being the first American 
     soldiers from Patton's Third Army to cross the German border. 
     The Tenth seized 450 towns and cities and earned more than 
     3,000 medals. But it was achieved at a terrible cost. When 
     finished, the Tenth Armored had 8,381 killed, wounded, and 
     missing casualties. There was a 78.5 percent turnover of 
     personnel.
       As a nation we must never forget that cost.
       The stamp we are unveiling today commemorates World War II 
     as one of the most significant events of the Twentieth 
     Century. It is a fitting tribute for all who were involved in 
     this struggle for a way of life, a world. This was the war 
     that had the involvement of almost the entire population.
       Three years ago I had the honor of joining President 
     Clinton in dedicating a World War II Memorial site on the 
     Mall between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln 
     Memorial. We sprinkled sacred soil from sixteen overseas 
     American cemeteries in which are buried thousands of 
     Americans who were not as fortunate as I am. They never made 
     it home.
       Ground is to be broken in 2000 and the memorial dedicated 
     in 2002. When Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur started the memorial 
     legislation eleven years ago there were 13.5 million living 
     World War II veterans. An average of 30,000 World War II 
     veterans now die each month. Only 7 million remain of those 
     alive twelve years ago. For most of those now remaining, this 
     stamp will be the nation's tribute to their service.

     

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