[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 178 (Thursday, December 20, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2382-E2383]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       WILKES-BARRE NATIVE HONORED FOR ROLE IN BOMBER CREW RESCUE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. PAUL E. KANJORSKI

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, December 20, 2001

  Mr. KANJORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call the attention of the 
House of Representatives to the dedication of the team from the USS 
Russell who rescued the four member-crew of an Air Force B-1B bomber 
that crashed on December 12th in the Indian Ocean. In particular, I 
would like to highlight the role of Boatswain Mate 1st Class Stephen 
Lyons, a native of my District.
  In addition, Mr. Speaker, I would like to note that I am proud of him 
and all the military personnel from Northeastern and Central 
Pennsylvania and grateful for their willingness to serve America.
  I would now like to enter into the record the following article about 
Boatswain Mate 1st Class Lyons from the December 17th edition of the 
Wilkes-Barre Citizens' Voice:

              City Native Involved in Indian Ocean Rescue

                  (By Gene Skordinski and Tom Venesky)

       A Wilkes-Barre native was one of the members of the USS 
     Russell who rescued the four member-crew of an Air Force B-1B 
     bomber that crashed Wednesday in the Indian Ocean.
       Boatswain Mate 1st Class Stephen Lyons, 38, operated one 
     boat that rescued the crew.
       The rescue boats were launched from the destroyer USS 
     Russell after the jet crashed on its way to bomb targets in 
     Afghanistan.
       The $280 million bomber went out of control and fell into 
     the ocean about 60 miles north of Diego Garcia after taking 
     off from the British island, government sources reported.
       It was the first manned, fixed wing U.S. aircraft lost in 
     the Afghanistan campaign.
       Crew members ejected from the plane at 15,000 feet and were 
     in the water about two hours during the night.
       Lyons, who is on the USS Russell, was driving one search 
     and rescue boat that responded to the crash.
       All four crew members were in good condition, said 
     officials.
       Lyons Joined the Navy following his graduation from Meyers 
     High School in 1983.
       During his Navy career, he has served aboard the USS Guam 
     for five years as well as the USS Savannah. He has served in 
     Beirut, Somalia and the Gulf War. He has also completed 
     several six-month tours of sea duty in the Mediterranean Sea 
     and the Indian Ocean.
       Lyons was responsible for collecting personal items from 
     sailors on the USS Guam as well as the embassy personnel 
     during the evacuation of the embassy in Somalia.
       Aside from operating search and rescue craft, Lyons drives 
     the captain's launch, a boat used to shuttle the ship's 
     captain to and from shore.
       He has also served at Norfolk, Va.; Pax River, Md.; Kings 
     Bay, Ga., and Pearl Harbor.
       While at Pax River, he worked in the testing of hovercraft 
     and with the David Taylor Research in Norfolk.
       He is the son of Harold and Jean Lyons, 160 Wood St., 
     Wilkes-Barre. Boatswain Mate 1st Class Lyons is married to 
     the former Sharon Gula, formerly of Edwardsville. They have 
     two sons, Stephen, 13, and Justin, 11, and the family resides 
     in Pearl Harbor. His grandmother, Lucy Machinshok, resides in 
     the Pocono area.
       His mother said he is currently on his fourth six-month 
     cruise since joining the Navy in 1984. He is set to return 
     after Easter.
       Although his exact location is classified, she said she 
     keeps in touch with her son through e-mail.
       ``He e-malls me three times a week,'' she said, adding it 
     can be difficult not knowing where he is.
       ``You worry and wonder and thank God when you hear from him 
     that it's good news,'' she said. ``He can't tell us where he 
     is or even where he's going.''

[[Page E2383]]

       Mrs. Lyons explained that the long months away from his 
     family are accepted as part of her son's job.
       Although it can be difficult to be gone for extended 
     periods of time, she said her son is doing what he loves.
       ``He's happiest when he's on the ocean. There's a certain 
     calm about it that he enjoys while he's on the ship,'' she 
     explained.

  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to call to the attention of the House of 
Representatives the service to our nation of the crew of the USS 
Russell, including Boatswain Mate 1st Class Stephen Lyons, as well as 
all the military personnel from Northeastern and Central Pennsylvania, 
and I send my best wishes to them and their families.

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