[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 63 (Wednesday, May 9, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4587-S4588]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    IN RECOGNITION OF JOE B. MURRAY

 Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I recently received a copy of To 
Be as Brave, a collection of memoirs of Joe B. ``Bob'' Murray. This 
fine book tells the story of a great American, who evolved from an East 
Texas farm boy

[[Page S4588]]

into a valiant soldier who defended his nation during World War II. Bob 
grew up in Spring Hill, Texas, and shortly after his high school 
graduation in 1944, he left Texas for Europe and the heart of World War 
II. Although he was trained for combat against the Japanese in the 
Pacific, Bob was sent to the Alsace region of France to join a regiment 
that had been devastated by Hitler's counteroffensive.
  Bob proudly served in B Company of the 157th Infantry Regiment of the 
45th Division. His regiment was given the herculean task of breaching 
the Siegfried Line and entering Germany. The young men succeeded beyond 
anyone's expectations by breaking the Siegfried Line in less than a 
week, when the high command predicted that it could take up to three 
months. After entering Germany, his regiment continued to move eastward 
to protect General Patton's right flank by clearing the territory of 
enemy troops. The division was so successful that General Patton lauded 
them as ``one of the best, if not the best, division in the history of 
American arms.''
  The 45th Division later entered Dachau and liberated tens of 
thousands of prisoners in several concentration camps. Bob was proud to 
bring hope and freedom to thousands of captives. Bob's regiment was 
then assigned the often difficult task of maintaining law and order in 
Munich, as the war was brought to an end.
  After World War II, Bob continued to demonstrate his patriotism by 
enlisting as a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division during the 
Korean War. He later had a successful career as an oil and gas 
consultant in my home state of New Mexico. Bob is married to his 
childhood sweetheart, Dulcia, and last year, they celebrated their 50th 
wedding anniversary.
  To Be as Brave is an excellent book and it celebrates the life of an 
outstanding patriotic American, Mr. Joe B. Murray. I thank Joe for my 
copy of his book and salute his exceptional service to our 
Nation.

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