[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 94 (Friday, July 12, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6704-S6705]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




HONORING 65 MEN FROM ALEXANDRIA WHO WERE KILLED IN ACTION OR MISSING IN 
            ACTION IN SOUTHEAST ASIA DURING THE VIETNAM WAR

  Mr. ALLEN. Mr President, I rise today to recognize 65 fallen 
servicemen from Alexandria, VA, who paid the ultimate sacrifice with 
their life while defending freedom in the Vietnam war.
  No mere words can express the depth of gratitude this country owes to 
the families of our fallen service members for the loss of their sons, 
daughters, brothers, sisters, husbands, or wives. By touching their 
names etched in granite and marble on monuments and statues in 
countries around the world, we who are living and those who come after 
us have the ability to connect with these fallen heroes. We must never 
take the sacrifices of past generations of Americans for granted, for 
each new generation is called upon to defend representative democracy's 
first axiom: that ``freedom is not free.''
  On July 6, 2002, the city of Alexandria dedicated a beautiful 
memorial plaza to pay tribute to the 65 fallen American heroes from 
Alexandria who were killed in action or who remain missing in action in 
southeast Asia from the Vietnam war. Toby Mendez, a brilliant

[[Page S6705]]

young sculptor, has created a work that will allow us to touch the 
names of the brave men whose sacrifice will be memorialized for all 
time.
  A statue of U.S. Army Cpt. Humbert Roque ``Rocky'' Versace is the 
centerpiece of the plaza. On July 8, 2002, I had the distinct honor of 
being present at the White House for the posthumous awarding of the 
Medal of Honor by President George W. Bush for Rocky's conspicuous 
gallantry at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty 
while a captive of the Viet Cong from October 29, 1965, until he was 
executed on or about September 26, 1965. His captors took his life 
after they had given up trying to break Rocky's indomitable will to 
resist interrogation and indoctrination, his unshakable faith in God, 
and his steadfast trust in his country and his fellow prisoners.
  Captain Versace was a 1959 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy and 
lived his life by the West Point ideals of Duty, Honor, and Country. 
His fellow prisoner, U.S. Army 1 Lt James Nicholas ``Nick'' Rowe 
recalled that Rocky told his captors that ``as long as he was true to 
God and true to himself, what was waiting for him after this life was 
far better than anything that could happen now. So he told his captors 
that they might as well kill him then and there if the price of his 
life was getting more from him than name, rank, and serial number.''
  Captain Versace's statue shows him holding hands with two Vietnamese 
children, who had been orphaned by Viet Cong terror against their 
parents. Rocky did many good works on his own to improve the lives of 
the many orphans he came in contact with. In fact, he planned on 
entering the Maryknoll priesthood after his tour of duty ended in 
Vietnam. It was Rocky's desire to return to Vietnam after ordination to 
be a missionary priest to work among the villagers and help educate 
their children so they could achieve a better life for themselves, free 
of Communist domination.
  The remains of Captain Versace and three other men from Alexandria 
lie in unmarked graves in southeast Asia, known only to God. They are: 
U.S. Army SSG Douglas Randolph Blodgett; U.S. Air Force Maj Joseph 
Edwin Davies; and U.S. Air Force Maj Morgan Jefferson Donahue.
  Additionally, two other servicemen drowned, and their bodies did not 
resurface: U.S. Army 1 Lt Leland S. McCants III, who drowned on his 
first day in Vietnam while trying to save another soldier; and U.S. 
Navy Seaman Apprentice John Anthony Winkler, who was swept off of the 
deck of the Navy aircraft carrier USS Bon Homme Richard and was lost at 
sea. The waters, jungles, and mountains of southeast Asia may never 
reveal these missing men's remains, but the U.S. Government is 
committed to continue to search for all those of our missing in action 
personnel, those brave souls who, in the words of General of the Army 
Douglas MacArthur gave up their ``youth and strength, . . . love and 
loyalty . . . all that mortality can give.''

  Each of the 65 names engrave on the limestone benches in Alexandria 
has a story to tell of honor and courage. Two outstanding examples of 
the dedication and service of this fine group of men are Robert William 
Cupp and Herman Leroy Judy, Jr.
  U.S. Army Cpl., Robert William Cupp served proudly with Company D, 2d 
Battalion, 1st Infantry Brigade of the Americal Division. He was killed 
in action in South Vietnam on June 6, 1968, by an enemy booby trap. 
Corporal Cupp was laid to rest in his family's plot at Mount Comfort 
Cemetery on June 17, 1968, his 21st birthday.
  U.S. Cpl., Herman Leroy Judy, Jr. served proudly with Company B, 2nd 
Battalion, 505th Infantry, 82nd Airborne Division. He was killed in 
action in South Vietnam on May 29, 1969, a day before his first wedding 
anniversary. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
  Both of these brave men received the Combat Infantryman's Badge, 
Bronze Star Medal, and Purple Heart Medal for their heroism in combat.
  Plato, that wise philosopher of ancient times, observed that ``only 
the dead have known the end of war.'' So it is today with the never-
ending struggle between freedom and evil. All those brave men and women 
who proudly wear the uniform of our armed services, and who willingly 
risk their lives to achieve battlefield victories over our enemies, 
deserve our Nation's eternal gratitude.
  Mr. President, it is my great honor to enter into the Congressional 
Record the names of the 65 men from Alexandria who were killed in 
action or remain missing in action in southeast Asia during the Vietnam 
war, and who were memorialized on July 6, 2002.
  I ask unanimous consent that the list be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the list was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

 Names and Dates of Casualty for 65 Men Killed in Action or Missing in 
              Action, Entering Service From Alexandria, VA

              (Dates are from thevirtualwall.org website.)

       Lewis L. Stone, January 11, 1963.
       Ray B. Browne, January 16, 1964.
       Humbert R. Versace, September 26, 1965.
       John A. Winkler, November 22, 1965.
       Paul M. Bayliss, November 7, 1966.
       Carl L. Young, December 24, 1966.
       Paul R. Karas, February 3, 1967.
       Wayne L. Jordan, March 17, 1967.
       Ralph B. Pappas, March 30, 1967.
       Ronald W. Ward, May 22, 1967.
       Richard H. Freudenthal, June 30, 1967.
       Joseph C. Shartzer, July 29, 1967.
       Foster J.G. Touhart, Jr., September 6, 1967.
       Darrell L. Gibbons, October 11, 1967.
       Robert E. Whitbeck, January 30, 1968.
       Harry F. Richardson, Jr., January 31, 1968.
       Raymond L. Conway, February 1, 1968.
       Douglas R. Blodgett, April 19, 1968.
       Jeron F. Valentine, May 7, 1968.
       Michael E. Ludwig, May 27, 1968.
       Robert W. Cupp, June 6, 1968.
       Henry L. Page III, June 25, 1968.
       Henry A. Ledford, July 5, 1968.
       Charles H. Elliott, Jr., August 21, 1968.
       Henry L. Warner III, August 27, 1968.
       Joseph L. Powell, Jr., October 17, 1968.
       James E. King, November 25, 1968.
       Morgan J. Donahue, December 13, 1968.
       Leland S. McCants III, December 30, 1968.
       Matthew W. Thornton, January 11, 1969.
       Kenneth E. Norris, January 31, 1969.
       Charles L. Suthard, Jr., February 6, 1969.
       Kenneth R. Sawyer, February 12, 1969.
       David J. Warczak, March 4, 1969.
       Philip N. Malone, March 6, 1969.
       Ross W. Collins, Jr., March 29, 1969.
       Robert W. Clirehugh, Jr., April 22, 1969.
       James W. Ward, May 9, 1969.
       Raymond L. Williams, May 13, 1969.
       Herman L. Judy, Jr., May 29, 1969.
       Robert W. Dean, July 11, 1969.
       Michael O. Thomas, July 26, 1969.
       Richard W. Hoffler, August 31, 1969.
       Michael J. Keberline, October 1, 1969.
       Donald W. Gill, Jr., November 12, 1969.
       David A. Lerner, November 20, 1969.
       George B. Colgan III, December 1, 1969.
       Brian J. O'Callaghan, January 16, 1970.
       Thomas M. Gaither, January 21, 1970.
       Michael J. McCarron, March 9, 1970.
       Kermit W. Holland, Jr., March 22, 1970.
       Tschann S. Mashburn, May 5, 1970.
       Johnny J. Smith, May 20, 1970.
       Bruce E. Graham, May 26, 1970.
       Clarence M. Overbay, Jr., June 25, 1970.
       Kevin C. McElhannon, Jr., September 15, 1970.
       James W. Dickey, October 21, 1970.
       Cleveland R. Harvey, November 18, 1970.
       William D. Holmes, April 22, 1971.
       Bernard G.J. Dillenseger, September 4, 1971.
       Michael J. Kilduff, September 11, 1971.
       Henry M. Spengler III, April 5, 1972.
       George B. Lockhart, December 21, 1972.
       Richard T. Gray, January 5, 1973.
       Joseph E. Davies, October 9, 1973.

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