[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 74 (Wednesday, June 14, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E997-E998]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               TRIBUTE TO GENERAL JOHN RUSSELL BLANDFORD

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                           HON. FLOYD SPENCE

                           of south carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 14, 2000

  Mr. SPENCE. Mr. Speaker, I was saddened to learn recently of the 
death of Major General John Russell Blandford, who was an outstanding 
American. General Blandford joined the staff of the Committee on Armed 
Services in the House of Representatives upon its formation in January 
1947. He was appointed the Chief Counsel of the Committee in December 
1963, and he served in that position until his retirement from the 
House in 1972.
  On behalf of the Members and the staff of the Committee on Armed 
Services, I would like to extend our deepest sympathy to his wife, 
Betty, and to the other members of his family. I submit for the 
Congressional Record the obituary of this remarkable man.

              [From the State, Columbia, SC, May 18, 2000]

                          Carolina Obituaries


                             John Blandford

       Charleston.--Memorial services for John Russell Blandford, 
     82, will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Johns Island 
     Presbyterian Church. Burial services will be conducted 11 
     a.m. Wednesday, May 24, 2000 in Arlington National Cemetery 
     with full military honors. In lieu of flowers memorials may 
     be made to the First Marine Division Association Scholarship 
     Fund, 14325 Willard Road, Ste. 107, Chantilly, VA 20151-2110 
     and/or Johns Island Presbyterian Church, 2550 Bohickett Road, 
     Johns Island, SC 29455. J. Henry Stuhr, Downtown Funeral 
     Chapel is in charge.
       Mr. Blandford was born in Buffalo, N.Y., Feb. 20, 1918, a 
     son of the late Raymond and Mary Blandford. He graduated from 
     Lafayette High School of Buffalo and was awarded a 
     scholarship to Hobart College of Geneva, N.Y. While in 
     college, he enlisted in the P.L.C. Program in the U.S. Marine 
     Corps in 1937. He graduated cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, Tau 
     Kappa Alpha in 1939. He was commissioned a 2nd Lt. in the 
     marine corps reserve until graduation. He was admitted to 
     Yale Law School in Sept. 1939 (the first Hobart College 
     graduate to ever be admitted to the law school). He was 
     ordered to active duty in the marine corps in Sept. 1941 and 
     attended marine corps schools at Quantico, Va. and in April 
     1942 reported for duty as an Artillery Officer in the First 
     Marine Division. He participated in the Guadalcanal Campaign 
     Aug. 7, 1942 to Dec. 1942 and there after was with that 
     division in New Guinea, Cape Glocester, Willimez Peninsula 
     and the Russell Islands. He served as a Forward Observer, 
     Artillery Liaison Officer Provost Marshall and Regimental 
     Judge Advocate.

[[Page E998]]

       Mr. Blandford was released from active duty in March 1946 
     and returned to Yale Law School graduating with Primis 
     Honoris in Nov. 1946. He was with the law firm of Hodgson, 
     Russ, Andrews, Woods and Goodyear in Buffalo. In January he 
     was appointed counsel to the newly created House Armed 
     Services Committee where he served becoming Chief Council 
     Dec. 1, 1963 and served in this capacity for 25 years. He was 
     promoted successively from 2nd Lt. to Major General in the 
     marine corps finally retiring in 1976. He retired from the 
     congress on July 1, 1972. He received numerous awards 
     including Legion of Merit Medals from the marine corps and 
     the army, the navy Distinguished Public Service Award, the 
     air force Exceptional Civilian Award, and the prestigious 
     Rockefeller Public Award in 1966. Following his retirement 
     from congress in 1972, he became a legal consultant with an 
     office in Virginia. He was admitted to practice in New York, 
     the District of Columbia, Virginia, the U.S. Supreme Court 
     and the Court of Military Appeals. He was a former member of 
     the Washington Golf and Country Club, the Burning Tree Club 
     of Bethesda, Md., the Carlton Club and the Capitol Hill Club. 
     He was a member of Who's Who and was a pioneer of Seabrook 
     Island and a board member where he served in many capacities.
       Surviving are his wife, Betty Blakely Blandford of Seabrook 
     Island; daughter, Marcia Ann Hoener of Norcross, Ga.; 
     brother, Clinton P. Blandford of Clinton, Iowa; 11 
     grandchildren; a great-grandchild.

     

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