[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 122 (Tuesday, September 24, 2002)]
[House]
[Page H6478]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     MIDSHIPMAN EDWIN JOSEPH O'HARA

  (Mr. PITTS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, 60 years ago, on September 27, 1942, 
Midshipman Edwin Joseph O'Hara saw two enemy surface raiders suddenly 
appear out of the morning mist to attack the vessel he was on. Heavy 
guns of one raider pounded his ship, and machine guns fired from the 
other, spraying the decks for one-half hour at close quarters.
  The heroic gun crew of O'Hara's ship exchanged shot for shot with the 
enemy, placing 35 shells into the waterline of one of the raiders, 
until its crew was forced to abandon their sinking ship. All of the gun 
crew were killed or wounded when an enemy shell exploded the magazine 
of their gun.
  At the explosion, Midshipman O'Hara ran aft and single-handedly 
served and fired the damaged gun with five live shells remaining in the 
ready box, scoring direct hits near the waterline of the second raider. 
O'Hara was mortally wounded in this action.
  With boilers blown up, engines destroyed, masts shot away, and ablaze 
from stem to stern, the ship finally went under, carrying O'Hara and 
several of his shipmates with her.
  O'Hara was awarded the Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal 
for his bravery, bravery we should never forget.

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