[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 89 (Friday, June 28, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1181]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING THE TELLEZ FAMILY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. HILDA L. SOLIS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 27, 2002

  Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a very special family 
celebration that will take place on June 29, 2002, in the town of 
Clifton, Arizona. On Saturday, the Tellez family, many members of whom 
now reside in my district in California, will be honored for its 
dedication and service in valiantly defending our nation in the U.S. 
Armed Forces. The family will be recognized by the Hermanos de Vietnam, 
a division of the American Legion Post in Clifton, Arizona, for its 
combined 30 years of service in the U.S. military.
  Remarkably, 11 out of the 15 family members have served in the 
military. The legacy began when Florencio Tellez, the family patriarch, 
served in the Army during World War I. His eight sons and two daughters 
followed in their father's footsteps.
  Ruben and Florencio Tellez, Jr., both served in the U.S. Navy during 
World War II. Ruben Tellez served with the airborne division as a radio 
man, and Florencio, Jr., survived when his ship was struck by the 
Germans and sunk.
  Raul, Joe and Gilbert Tellez all served in the Korean War. Raul and 
Joe were in the Navy and served on the same ship; Gilbert was a Marine 
who was wounded by enemy fire.
  Richard Tellez, served in the Navy during the 1950s and continued as 
a reservist through Desert Storm.
  His brothers Edward and Oscar ``Duffy'' Tellez served during the Cold 
War era. Edward was in the Air Force stationed in Iceland, and Oscar 
joined the Army and was stationed in Germany.
  Florencio's two daughters also devoted themselves to the U.S. 
military. Stella Tellez was in the Marine Corps, and Katherine Tellez 
was in the Cadet Nurse Corps, a group that addressed the nursing 
shortage in civilian hospitals.
  This remarkable family has given more to our nation than anyone would 
ever have thought possible. I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring 
the Tellez family for their valiant and courageous service to our 
country.

                          ____________________