[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 34 (Thursday, March 21, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Page S2247]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 TRIBUTE TO SECOND LIEUTENANT MAURICE W. HARPER AND LIEUTENANT COLONEL 
                               EARLE ABER

  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, I rise today to honor the sacrifice of 
two American patriots who will be interred tomorrow at Arlington 
National Cemetery. Second Lieutenant Maurice W. Harper, United States 
Army Air Corps, a native of Birmingham in the great State of Alabama, 
and Lieutenant Colonel Earle Aber, United States Army Air Corps, of 
Wisconsin, gave their lives in defense of this Nation and freedom on 
March 4, 1945 when the B-17G bomber they were flying was shot down 
while returning from a mission over Holland.
  Over half a century later, the crash site was located and 2nd Lt. 
Harper's remains, along with the remains of his pilot, Lieutenant 
Colonel Earle Aber, were recovered in September, 1999 and identified by 
the Army Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii. Their aircraft 
was severely damaged after it was mistakenly hit by British anti-
aircraft guns which were firing at retreating German bombers over the 
English coastline. Lt. Col. Aber ordered the crew to bail-out while he 
and 2nd Lt. Harper struggled at the controls of their damaged aircraft. 
Their selfless actions allowed the other nine members of their crew to 
bail-out from the aircraft and survive the mission. There was not 
enough time, however, for these two brave airmen to escape and they 
perished when the aircraft crashed into the River Stour near Ramsey, 
England. The remains of both of these fine young men, that could be 
identified, were returned to their families. Unfortunately, not all of 
the remains could be positively identified. The co-mingled remains of 
these two fine Americans, still together after 57 years, will be laid 
to rest together at Arlington National Cemetery on March 22, 2002.
  I would also like to take this time to thank the professionals at the 
Army's Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii who continue their 
labors to identify the remains of our fallen sons and daughters and 
return them to their loved ones.
  These two fine gentlemen, members of the ``greatest generation,'' 
deserve the gratitude of this great Nation. I know the Members of the 
Senate will join me in honoring the sacrifices of these two brave men 
and expressing our deepest condolences and heartfelt thanks to their 
families as they lay their loved ones to rest tomorrow in the hallowed 
ground at Arlington.

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