[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 4 (Saturday, January 6, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E23]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     TRIBUTE TO BRIGADIER GENERAL HOMER A. BOUSHEY, USAF (RETIRED)

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                           HON. ANNA G. ESHOO

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Saturday, January 6, 2001

  Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I wish today to celebrate the life of a 
distinguished American and a beloved Californian, Brigadier General 
Homer A. Boushey, USAF (Retired).
  Brigadier General Boushey died on December 22, 2000, at the age of 
91. He was a native of San Francisco and a graduate of Stanford 
University. He enlisted as a flying cadet at Randolph Field, Texas, 
where he became interested in Robert H. Goddard's studies of extreme 
altitude flying. He flew a postal route between Cleveland and Newark in 
an open cockpit bi-plane, and then returned to San Francisco where he 
flew bi-planes from Crissy Field. He was awarded the Distinguished 
Flying Cross for his heroism in bringing in a Douglas 0-46 with damage 
to both ailerons and the main wing spar. With the outbreak of World War 
II, Boushey was assigned to a P-40 Pursuit Group, but was soon 
transferred to Research and Development to work on the development of 
jet engines and was instrumental in the development of the 
revolutionary Lockheed P-80.
  His life history is a litany of ``firsts'' and of honors bestowed. He 
commanded the first U.S. jet fighter group, and held briefly the 
``over-water'' air speed record. He was listed in the Aerospace 
Museum's 1959 Laureates Hall of Fame for his efforts on behalf of a 
military space program and he was invited to the President's 
Astronauts' Dinner after the successful moon landing.
  Brigadier General Boushey, an ardent advocate of a strong national 
defense, was an early opponent to U.S. involvement in Vietnam, the arms 
race and nuclear proliferation. He sponsored California's Nuclear 
Freeze Initiative in 1982 and in June 2000, he was a signatory to the 
Global Security Institute's Joint Nuclear Reduction/Disarmament 
Statement.
  After his retirement, in addition to pursuing his hobbies of tennis 
and inventing, he supported his wife in her career as a Councilwoman 
and Mayor of Portola Valley.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring this great 
and good man whom I was proud to represent and to call my friend. I ask 
my colleagues to also join me in extending my deepest sympathy to 
Homer's beloved wife, Eleanor, and his children Annette, Helen, Boyd 
and Homer, Jr. We are indeed a better nation and a better people 
because of him.

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