[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 22 (Tuesday, March 5, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Page S1535]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        THE DEATH OF LT. COL. HENRY ``HANK'' BARROWS, USAF, RET.

 Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I rise today to honor a great 
American patriot, Hank Barrows. Hank passed away unexpectedly on 
Monday, February 11 at his home in Washington, DC. My deepest 
sympathies go out to his wife, Suzanne, and his sons, Geoffrey and 
Brian.
  Born in Bremerhaven, Germany on September 9, 1946, Hank emigrated 
with his family to the United States in 1960, settling in Westfield, 
NJ. Following his graduation from Westfields High School, Hank was 
accepted by Rutgers University, where he graduated in 1964 with a 
bachelors of arts degree in German.
  Trained as a navigator following his graduation from Air Force 
Officers Candidate School, OCS, in 1969, Hank served two tours in 
Vietnam. In his first tour, Hank served as a EWO on a C-130 gunship and 
the second as a B-52 EWO during the Linebacker II Operations over North 
Vietnam. It was on December 19, 1972, during one of the Linebacker 
missions, that Hank was shot down and taken prisoner by the North 
Vietnamese. Hank was held prisoner in the infamous ``Hanoi Hilton'' 
until his release on March 29, 1973. After being released by the 
Vietnamese, he was assigned to the 343rd Strategic Reconnaissance 
Squadron at Offutt Air Force Base as an Electronic Intelligence 
intercept officer on the RC-135s.
  His next assignment was to the 7575 Operations Group Operating 
Location A Support Squadron stationed at Rhein Main Air Force Base, 
Frankfurt, Germany flying in and out of Berlin as part of the freedom 
of the corridors mission. In recognition of his superior performance 
and expertise, Hank was reassigned in 1979 to United States Air Force-
Europe, USAFE, headquarters in the office that managed airborne 
operations.
  Hank returned to the U.S. in 1982 working in the Air Staff 
Intelligence Directorate in the Pentagon. He spent the last seven years 
of his distinguished Air Force career in the Defense Support Project 
Office. He finished that assignment as the Deputy Director for Airborne 
Reconnaissance.
  Upon his retirement in 1992, Hank joined MRJ as a key member of the 
Mariner Support team. As a result of his superior performance on that 
team, he became the program manager for the Defense Airborne 
Reconnaissance Office, DARO, support contract. Having successfully 
managed that contract, Hank was promoted to the position of Division 
Manager. After the reorganization of MRJ, Hank was put in charge of the 
Development Systems Division, which later became the Development 
Systems Group when Veridian acquired MRJ. Hank's group consistently 
exceed their business goals each year.
  In 2000, Hank received the Veridian Leadership Award. In nominating 
Hank for this award, he was cited for ``. . . accepting and tackling 
difficult and challenging business opportunities, his unique talent, 
his contagious enthusiasm and a belief that winning is for those 
willing to give their best.'' He was also cited for his ``. . . knack 
of finding and recruiting the best-qualified people for the planned 
growth of his division.'' In addition, he was recognized for ensuring 
that his team was kept well-informed, equipped with the right tools to 
do their jobs, and encouraging each individual to inject initiative and 
promote professional growth while increasing customer support.
  Hank will be remembered in many ways by those who came to know him. 
We will remember Hank as an exemplary role model with vision, passion, 
and loyalty.

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