[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 85 (Monday, June 24, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5953-S5954]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              TRIBUTE TO CAPTAIN HUMBERT ``ROCKY'' VERSACE

 Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. Madam President, I rise today to 
honor Captain Humbert Roque ``Rocky'' Versace, U.S. Army. On Monday, 8 
July 2002, Captain Rocky Versace will be awarded posthumously the 
Congressional Medal of Honor for service in the Viet Nam war.
  On 29 October 1963, Captain Versace, along with First Lieutenant 
Nicholas Rowe, was captured in South Vietnam. Taken prisoner by the 
Viet Cong, he demonstrated exceptional leadership, resolute adherence 
to the Code of Conduct and unflagging faith in his country. Captain 
Versace ultimately sacrificed his life rather than betray his country 
and the Viet Cong executed him in September 1965 as he set an example 
of an American officer that the Viet Cong could not tolerate. Captain 
Versace died upholding the military creed of Duty, Honor, Country.
  I want to recognize Captain Versace through the words of his fellow 
captive, Nick Rowe, who escaped from captivity to freedom on 31 
December 1968. Nick Rowe remained in the Army, rose to the rank of 
Colonel, and continued to serve in Special Forces until April 1989, 
when he was assassinated by the communist New People's Army in Manila, 
Philippine Islands. His captivity memoir, ``Five Years to Freedom'' was 
published in 1971 and contains this tribute.
  The tribute follows:

                  Nick Rowe's Tribute to Rocky Versace

     He stood as others dream to stand;
     He spoke as others dared not even think;
     From soul deep faith, he drew his courage,
     his granite spirit, his ironclad will.

     The Alien force, applied with hate,
     could not break him, failed to bend him;
     Though solitary imprisonment gave him no friends,
     he drew upon his inner self to create a force so strong
     that those who sought to destroy his will, met an army
     his to command.

     Phrases of his I shall not forget,
     spoken sincerely, filled with truth:
     All I wish is to return to family, home and those I love;
     For I am young and life is dear,
     but to bargain for this life of mine when the price you ask
     requires of me to verify a lie
     and sell my honor short,
     makes clear the choice between the two;
     a life with honor, a life without;
     With me, you see, life without honor is no life at all,
     So I will not comply with what you require and choose to 
           suffer
     whatever may come.

     This is my answer at this time,
     this is my answer in times to come;
     I only pray that I shall not weaken, for I am right
     and with God's help, I will have the strength to resist 
           whatever means you use
     while attempting to fulfill your evil scheme.

     Thus his fate was surely sealed,
     for such a man, standing firm
     defeated them on their own ground
     and for him to live and tell of this
     was a thing that could not be.

     I saw him not the day he died,

[[Page S5954]]

     for, I imagine, as he lived alone;
     so they arranged for him to die alone;
     But in my mind there is no doubt,
     as he stood while he was alive,
     Duty bound, Honor bound, Unswerving in allegiance,
     so he stood the day he died . . . a Rock.--James Nicholas 
           Rowe,
     ``Five Years to Freedom,'' pp. 205-206.

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