[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 41 (Wednesday, April 5, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E495]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   HONORING MR. ROBERT EUGENE ELLEDGE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. GARY G. MILLER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, April 5, 2000

  Mr. GARY MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor an 
American hero. Last week, I had the opportunity to present Mr. Robert 
Eugene Elledge, of Pomona, CA, with the Order of the Purple Heart for 
Military Merit.
  This event was truly special because Mr. Elledge is a Korean war 
veteran who served our Nation nobly and honorably. Unfortunately, Mr. 
Elledge had to wait 49 years to be honored for his sacrifices.
  On May 9, 1951, Mr. Elledge and his division marched throughout the 
night in pouring rain to reach the hill they were ordered to capture. 
Early the next morning, the Communist Chinese Forces and North Korean 
Forces began their May offensive. This operation was designated ``The 
Second Chinese Communist Forces Spring Offensive,'' also known as the 
Battle of Soyang or as Mr. Elledge recalls it, the May Massacre.
  The May Massacre began with planes overhead, dropping leaflets. Mr. 
Elledge heard pilots talking over loudspeakers in a foreign language. 
His division ate a hot breakfast, and then they were ordered to attack.
  As Mr. Elledge began to crawl up the hill, his helmet was cracked 
into pieces by enemy fire, rendering him unconscious. He awoke 
disoriented, and found himself crawling down the hill, where he found a 
medic. The medic began bandaging the wounds on his head and neck, 
treated his pain, and placed him on the ambulance. Then, they told Mr. 
Elledge that his company had been annihilated--only four had survived.
  Mr. Elledge received treatment for these wounds in South Korea, 
Japan, and at Fort Custer, MI. A hometown hero, Mr. Elledge was 
featured in an article in the Quincy Herald Whig. He received the 
Combat Infantry Badge and the Bronze Service Star. However, he never 
received the medal that is most frequently associated with individual 
sacrifices to our Nation--the Purple Heart.
  The Order of the Purple Heart for Military Merit is the oldest 
military decoration in the world presently used, and the first award 
made available to the common soldier. This honor was begun early in our 
Nation's history by another soldier, Gen. George Washington. General 
Washington, although considered a stern commander, was always 
appreciative of the troops who served him so loyally. His order 
permitting meritorious soldiers to wear the figure of a heart on purple 
cloth over the left breast began the tradition of this combat 
decoration.
  Today, the Order of the Purple Heart for Military Merit may only be 
awarded to a member of the Armed Forces who is killed or wounded in 
action.
  Forty-nine years ago, Mr. Elledge felt that his experience fell 
within this definition, and he began to inquire about when he might 
receive this honorable award.
  But, it seems that the paperwork requesting the medal was lost. In 
fact, back in 1951, the Army told Mr. Elledge that his service records 
were missing, and that he would most likely have to wait several years 
to receive his Purple Heart.
  Last Friday, 49 years after surviving the May Massacre, tears came to 
Mr. Elledge's eyes when he received the medal he had waited for so 
patiently.
  The Korean war is often referred to as our ``forgotten war''. While 
his paperwork may have been forgotten, the sacrifices that Mr. Elledge 
made for our country in Korea will always be remembered.
  This year, we mark the 50th anniversary of the Korean war, a time to 
commemorate not the war, but rather the veterans thereof and the 
sacrifices they made to preserve democracy on the Korean Peninsula 
almost 50 years ago. My colleagues, I encourage you to take the time to 
recognize the American heroes in your district, and to ensure that 
their sacrifices are not forgotten.

                          ____________________