[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 169 (Friday, December 7, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2236-E2237]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 REPRESENTATIVE GEORGE MILLER PRESENTS WWII VETERAN NICK COMINOS WITH 
                             MEDAL OF HONOR

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. GEORGE MILLER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, December 6, 2001

  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I had the honor of 
joining the family and friends of WWII Veteran Nick Cominos in a 
ceremony to present several medals on Saturday, December 1, 2001, just 
days before the 60th anniversary of Pearl Harbor. These medals are a 
long-overdue recognition of his heroic efforts in the Dalmation Islands 
and Greece as part of a covert reconnaissance operation that led to the 
retreat of the Nazis from the area in 1944.
  Federal military decorations are awarded to members of the armed 
forces exhibiting valor and self-sacrifice, the heroic acts of Mr. Nick 
Cominos are worthy of such an honor.

[[Page E2237]]

  Almost 58 years ago, on Christmas Eve Nick Cominos and his Company 
boarded the liberty ship, Pierre L'enfant, to join a large convoy to 
the Atlantic. Thirty-one days later Cominos' Company landed on the only 
one of the Dalmation Islands in Adriatic Sea not occupied by the Nazis, 
the Island of Vis.
  From their base on the Island of Vis, Company C raided the Nazi 
occupied Island of Solta. Within two days, Company C and their allies 
had captured the island. This was not without a cost. Company C lost 
one man and six others were wounded, including Nick Cominos.
  After recuperating and returning to Vis, in August of 1944, Mr. 
Cominos and his Company C were deployed to Greece where they parachuted 
behind enemy lines and conducted covert reconnaissance missions to 
disrupt the German occupation of Greece. The Nazis retreated from 
Greece in November of 1944, at which time the Greek/American 
Operational Group was disbanded.
  The type of covert ground operations first used by Mr. Cominos and 
the men of Company C, 2671st Reconnaissance Battalion of the Office of 
Strategic Services are now being used to help fight the war against 
terrorism in Afghanistan.
  Mr. Cominos and other World War II veterans have received numerous 
medals commemorating their service to this country during the war. 
However, because the records of the Office of Strategic Service were 
classified until 1988, the individual acts of bravery of Mr. Cominos 
and Company C have not been officially recognized.
  Friday, December 7, 2001 is the 60th anniversary of the bombing of 
Pearl Harbor. Many have drawn parallels between the terrorists attacks 
of September 11th and Pearl Harbor.
  We have a living parallel. A WWII veteran and his Company who 
pioneered the types of special covert operations which are helping to 
bring closure to the tragic events of September 11.
  In a time of national emergency, when we are once again engaged in 
military operations on foreign soil in an international effort to 
defend freedom, it is important to praise those who have served our 
country so courageously in the past and whose actions make them role 
models for our troops in Afghanistan and in future military efforts.
  It is my honor to publicly recognize Mr. Nick Cominos for his acts of 
courage, heroism, and sacrifice in WWII.

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