[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 140 (Monday, October 30, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2021-E2022]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[[Page E2021]]



     RECOGNITION OF THOMAS L. GROOMS, JR. AS A WORLD WAR II VETERAN

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JACK KINGSTON

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, October 30, 2000

  Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, today I recognize a great American hero 
from my district Savannah, Ga., Thomas L. Grooms, Jr. as a World War II 
Veteran. We should all stand up and applaud Mr. Grooms for his service 
in the Battle of the Bulge. He used his talent as a Medic to treat 
those injured and hurt in the line of duty. Without his dedication to 
helping others many lives would have been lost.
  The Battle of the Bulge took place in Germany in 1944. While Mr. 
Grooms was there he sent all of his pay home to provide for his mother 
and sister. When the war ended he did not get to go home, instead he 
stayed in Germany to manage multiple hospitals. Several months later he 
returned to the United States with no great fan fare. All of the jobs 
were already taken by the soldiers that had returned earlier.
  Mr. Grooms decided to go back to school since he was struggling to 
make ends meet. He became a Chemist and stayed with American Cyanamid/
Kemira Pigments for 33 years. He has since retired and is desperately 
trying to battle colon cancer.
  Mr. Grooms and his wife Bette will celebrate their 50th Wedding 
Anniversary on November 5th. In today's society marriages like theirs 
represent a shining example of family devotion. Both are native 
Georgians--with their families having migrated from England and Ireland 
in the 1700's. He and his wife raised four children with strong 
Christian ethics and family values.
  Mr. Grooms wife, Bette, is retired from the U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers with over 25 and \1/2\ years service. The citizens of my 
district have been the true beneficiaries for the many personal 
sacrifices this family has done in order to serve their community, 
church, and country.
  Mr. Grooms' presence and dedication to our country helped insure the 
freedom we enjoy today. His unselfish acts made a difference to the 
families of each person he helped. America's all volunteer military has 
always served with pride meeting the challenges necessary to maintain 
our national security, to protect American interests at home and 
abroad, and to guarantee our freedoms and way of life. Our Veterans 
made many sacrifices to protect our freedoms and way of life, and 
Americans owe them a great deal.
  Please join me again in applauding Mr. Grooms. His warmth, 
generosity, and friendship has touched thousands of people in his 
community, church, and family. Without him our country's history would 
be different. The dedication of this brave man helped shape our 
history. Our society today needs more people like him who unselfishly 
dedicate to their lives and fight for the freedom of our country. This 
man is a very brave person and deserves to be recognized as an American 
hero. I am pleased to submit this acknowledgment of his continuing life 
in the Congressional Record.

       My name is (Tommy) Thomas L. Grooms, III. I have met you 
     before and I have been in your office here in Savannah (on 
     Abercorn). I am a staunch Republican Christian Married Male 
     who is retired from the U.S. Air Force (having served over 
     half of my career assigned to an active-duty slot with the 
     165th Airlift Wing, Georgia Air National Guard in Savannah). 
     I was a single parent of two precious daughters for over ten 
     years and struggling in service to our country as an enlisted 
     member on a ``fixed'' income in a slot with no upward 
     mobility. I was forced to retire three years ago when my slot 
     was abolished and I was devastated to say the least. I am now 
     employed with the Coastal Heritage Society, here in Savannah, 
     in an administrative position as Assistant to the Executive 
     Director. This is more of a title than anything, as my income 
     is very low--due to this being a non-profit organization, as 
     you well know. I was blessed with a new wife a little over a 
     year ago. My father has cancer (in the final stages--he is 
     currently in ICU at Candler Hospital, here in Savannah). My 
     wife was one of his medical care-providers when he was 
     initially diagnosed with cancer.
       The reason that I am writing to you with this long message 
     is two-fold:
       1.) My Father, Thomas L. Grooms, Jr., is a World-War II 
     Veteran--he served as a ``Hero'' in The Battle of the 
     Buldge--as a matter of fact, Time-Life has a series of books 
     out on World War II, with one book dedicated solely to The 
     Battle of the Bulge--and in this book is a full-one-page 
     picture of my Father on the Battle-Field. He served as a 
     Medic and, when the War ended, he did not get to come home, 
     but was left to manage multiple hospitals in Germany for a 
     number of months. When he arrived back in the states, there 
     was no ticker-tape parade for him and all of the jobs were 
     taken. While he was away at War, he sent all of his pay home 
     to provide for his Mother, who was dying of colon cancer (the 
     same that he now has) and for his sister (his Father, who was 
     a Medical Doctor, had passed away when my Father was an 
     infant) . . . My Father struggled and to make ends meet, went 
     back to school, married my Mother at Calvary Baptist Temple--
     here in Savannah (with the ceremony being performed by Dr. 
     John Wilder), and I was born a year later in 1951. He retired 
     from American Cyanarmid/Kemira Pigments--with over 33 years 
     employment--here in Savannah over 10 years ago, as a Chemist, 
     where he was exposed to many chemicals for many years 
     (contributing, I believe to his cancer condition today). My 
     Father just had his 77th Birthday on October 5, 2000. On 
     November 5, 2000--my parents--Tom & Bette Grooms--will 
     celebrate their 50th Wedding Anniversary.
       a. What I am getting to is this:
       (1) Is there any way that you could possibly have my Father 
     recognized in some special way for his War efforts (so many 
     sacrifices) in behalf of our country--before it is too late? 
     You obviously are aware that our country, to date, has not 
     ever properly recognized our World War II Veterans--I am 
     aware of the planned Washington Monument/Memorial--but, it 
     may be too late for my Dad, Jack. . . . Please do something 
     if you can. . . . You don't know how much I would appreciate 
     this . . .
       (2) Congrats ltr? you could have both of my parents 
     recognized for their 50th Wedding Anniversary (NOV 5)--should 
     my Dad live long enough to be here for it??? . . . Their 
     Names, Again: Mr. & Mrs. Thomas L. Grooms, Jr. (Tom & 
     Bette)--My Mother's Maiden Name is: Barbaree. Both of my 
     parents are native Georgians--with their family having 
     migrated here from England and Ireland in the 1700's. They 
     are both dear Christian people who have been so involved in 
     their church all of their lives and have reared four children 
     in a Godly, Christian home. They are well-respected in the 
     community by their peers and family alike. They truly deserve 
     to be recognized. As an added note, my Mother, Bette Grooms, 
     retired from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with over 25\1/
     2\ years service, including employment at Historic Fort 
     Pulaski under Mr. Ralston B. Lattimore, the original 
     Superintendent who was responsible for the original 
     restoration efforts there. She, too, was a hard worker who 
     contributed much to this community for many years. . . . So, 
     if you can have them recognized for all of this on this very 
     special occasion, it would mean the world to them, me and the 
     rest of our family and friends . . .
       2.) The second issue deals with me and my fellow Veterans 
     who have served our country as a career in the U.S. Air 
     Force. I retired after having served over 25 years. I am, 
     once again, a conservative Christian Family Man Who is a 
     Card-Carrying Republican. I am appalled at what our country 
     has done to its Veterans. We were promised free medical, 
     dental, insurance, etc. for the rest of our lives--in return 
     for 20 or more years of service. We however, have to pay for 
     ``Tri-Care'' and have no Dental Insurance, Eye Care, or Life 
     Insurance . . . I, also, happen to have qualified for V.A. 
     benefits due to disability suffered from a broken back, etc. 
     while in service (I am a Viet Nam Era Veteran, as well). 
     However, every dollar that I receive in V.A. is taken out of 
     my retirement pay. Why is it that a young person can serve 6 
     months of service and be placed on V.A. due to an injury/
     disability and receive the same pay that I receive after 
     having had served for over 25 years.
       (a) If there is any way you could help initiate a bill and 
     push it through Congress to eliminate this unfair practice/
     discrepancy--and allocate payment of retirement pay to those 
     who have earned it, as well as V.A.--and another bill to 
     return the proper medical care to all Veteran Retirees for 
     Life, as originally promised by our U.S. Government 
     Representatives/Recruiters/Retention Officers--this would be 
     so very much appreciated, along with a reasonable increase in 
     Retirement Pay for Military Retirees, so we won't have to 
     struggle so much on the outside . . . If I was making more in 
     retirement at this very moment, I would not have to be 
     working to make ends meet and would be at the hospital, 
     helping to morally support my parents during this very trying 
     time. . . .
       In closing, thank-you, Jack, for all that you have done for 
     our community, our state and our nation--and for how you 
     present yourself--as an Honest, God-fearing, Christian, 
     Family, Moral Man with Values. If

[[Page E2022]]

     there is ever anything that I can do to help support your 
     mission, your campaign, your office, please do not hesitate 
     to call upon me, sir!
       Anything that you can do positively relative to the above 
     shared situations would be greatly appreciated and would not 
     go unnoticed. Thank-You, again, Jack, and May God Continue To 
     Richly Bless You In All That You Undertake For His Glory and 
     For The Betterment of Mankind, Our Country, Our Community, 
     and Your Family!!!
       Looking forward to hearing from you in the near future in a 
     most positive manner concerning these matters, I am most 
     humbly and sincerely,

     

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