[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 131 (Tuesday, October 8, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10108-S10111]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                TRIBUTE TO MAJOR GENERAL STROM THURMOND

  Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, throughout America's history, our Nation 
has been blessed with leaders of rare courage, character, and 
conviction. The Senate for almost half a century has been fortunate to 
count among its members an especially remarkable individual, Senator 
Strom Thurmond.
  Earlier, I joined in paying tribute to Senator Thurmond's 
unparalleled record of public service both to his country and to his 
beloved citizens of South Carolina. His extraordinary record of service 
spans almost 80 years.
  We should also recall another aspect of service to his country--
Senator Thurmond's heroic and selfless record of military service.
  His distinguished military career spanned more than three decades, 
commencing shortly after his 21st birthday when he was commissioned a 
Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserve. When he retired in 1965, 
Senator Thurmond had risen to the rank of Major General, the highest 
rank then available to a Reserve Officer.
  Inasmuch as he was serving as a South Carolina circuit judge at the 
outset of World War II, Mr. Thurmond was exempt from military service. 
But, then First Lieutenant Thurmond did not hesitate: he volunteered 
for duty the day the U.S. declared war against Germany, receiving a 
commission in the Active Army and becoming a member of the First U.S. 
Army.
  While serving in the European theater, Strom served in all battles of 
the First Army, fighting through France, Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg, 
Czechoslovakia, and Germany. A lieutenant colonel at the time of the 
Normandy invasion--known forever as D-day--Strom volunteered for 
temporary duty with The All-American Division, North Carolina's 82nd 
Airborne, with whom he would land on the first day of the invasion.
  Senator Thurmond once recounted this experience with the 82nd:

       On May 23, they informed us that they needed Civil Affairs 
     officers for temporary duty with the 82nd Airborne. Three of 
     us volunteered. . . . On May 29, our units headed for an 
     airfield near Newbury, where the three of us were briefed, 
     given final instructions, and assigned to various gliders. We 
     were to arrive with the 82nd in France on D-Day, June 6. The 
     primary mission of the 82nd and the 101st Airborne Divisions 
     was to keep enemy reinforcements from the invasion beaches. 
     One fifth of the American airborne soldiers were killed or 
     wounded that day, but we succeeded in accomplishing our 
     mission.
       After we crossed the coast line of France we were subjected 
     to heavy anti-aircraft fire, soon thereafter the tow plane 
     cut us loose. Well, after that, we lost altitude fast. All I 
     could see rushing toward us were fields full of fences and 
     trees and crooked up gliders. As we came in to land, we hit a 
     tree and tore off one of our wings. The crash threw us into 
     another tree, and that clipped off our other wing. What was 
     left of us kept going until it plowed into a fence. We had 
     crash landed into an apple orchard.
       We had landed within the German lines and as soon as we 
     touched the ground we were hit with enemy fire. I headed a 
     reconnaissance party with personnel from my glider to locate 
     a command post. I borrowed a jeep from an officer of the 4th 
     Infantry Division and made a reconnaissance of other nearby 
     gliders, trying to assist injured personnel in getting to the 
     rendevous. As soon as we had consolidated the group and set 
     up a temporary camp, we started to dig foxholes. We were 
     still being shelled, but not as heavily, along with 
     [receiving] small arms fire. I had busted up my left knee 
     when the glider had landed, so once we had taken care of more 
     urgent matters, I had the medics patch me up.

  With typical humility, Senator Thurmond failed to note that he was 
awarded a Purple Heart for his injuries that day. In addition, he has 
been the recipient of numerous other decorations for heroism and valor, 
including 5 battle stars and 18 decorations, the Legion of Merit with 
Oak Leaf Cluster, the Bronze Star Medal with V device, the Belgian 
Order of the Crown, and the French Croix de Guerre.
  In an effort to honor all soldiers of the 82nd Airborne and to 
acknowledge the spirit and actions of Major General Strom Thurmond 
during his military career, I wrote to the Secretary of the Army this 
past April. My request was that Fort Bragg's new 82nd Airborne Division 
Strategic Deployment Facility--a key complex ensuring that Fort Bragg 
will serve as the Army's principal power projection platform for years 
to come--be named in honor of Major General Strom Thurmond.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of my letter of 
April 19, 2002, and the Department of the Army's response of June 4, 
2002, be printed in the Record at the conclusion of my remarks.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  (See exhibit 1.)
  Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, needless to say, I am grateful to have 
received the Army's positive response and in September a ceremony was 
held at the green ramp at Pope Air Force Base, adjacent to Fort Bragg. 
More than 200 gathered to dedicate a premier facility,

[[Page S10109]]

to honor the 82nd Airborne, and to pay tribute to Major General 
Thurmond's exemplary contributions as a soldier and a statesman.
  On that occasion, many fine tributes were spoken. I was particularly 
moved, though, by the words of the Under Secretary of the Army, the 
Honorable Les Brownlee. As a result of his distinguished service as 
majority staff director of the Senate Armed Services Committee, where 
he served under both Senators Thurmond and Warner, Secretary Brownlee 
is well known to many Senators.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Secretary Brownlee's 
remarks from the September 16 dedication and a copy of a document 
``Thurmond Military Service Record'' be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

Remarks by Hon. Les Brownlee, Under Secretary of the Army at Dedication 
 Ceremony, MG Strom Thurmond Strategic Deployment Facility, Pope AFB, 
                         NC, September 16, 2002

       Congressman Hayes, thank you very much for your very 
     enthusiastic remarks to our soldiers here in the 82nd 
     Airborne Division.
       I hope you forgive me if I don't mention everybody's name 
     again, since they have been mentioned a number of times 
     already. But I did want to recognize the soldiers of the 82nd 
     Airborne Division and the airmen of the 43rd Airlift Wing who 
     are here today and who I know will enjoy the benefits of this 
     marvelous facility.
       I also wanted to recognize that not only did Congressman 
     Hayes play a pivotal role in this facility but Senator Helms 
     and his staff did as well, and I know that Senator Helms 
     insisted that this facility be named for his colleague, 
     Senator Strom Thurmond.
       This year we will lose two giants out of the Senate. 
     Senator Thurmond and Senator Helms will complete their tenure 
     in the Senate this year but they will be sorely missed by the 
     Nation.
       I want to recognize also the great work that was done by 
     everyone concerned in achieving this marvelous facility. It 
     is truly a wonderful example of the jointness and cooperation 
     that exists between the Army and the Air Force, and I want to 
     recognize and express our appreciation to our Air Force 
     comrades in arms.
       I'm going also to pay a special tribute here to Mr. Duke 
     Short, Chief of Staff at the current time to Senator Thurmond 
     for almost thirty years. But more importantly, as 
     a lieutenant he was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division 
     and served here at Fort Bragg. Duke, please stand. Please 
     join me in giving Duke a big round of applause for his 
     many years of outstanding service to the Nation and to 
     Senator Thurmond.
       I spent some time last week with Senator Thurmond and 
     remarked that I was planning to borrow Duke Short from him 
     for a few hours so that he could participate in this 
     dedication ceremony. In typical Strom Thurmond fashion he 
     didn't blink an eye as he deadpanned ``that's fine . . . just 
     bring him back.''
       As many of you know, I have had the distinct honor and 
     privilege of working directly for Senator Thurmond for many 
     years on the Senate Armed Services Committee, so I feel 
     especially grateful for the opportunity to say a few words 
     today. Senator Thurmond has been, and continues to be, an 
     inspiration for us all and I am certain he is both honored 
     and humbled by the dedication of this facility in his name.
       Pay particular notice that this facility is dedicated to 
     Major General Strom Thurmond--no Senator Thurmond. This is 
     significant as it recognizes his military career and 
     accomplishments. But let's also take note of the 
     extraordinary list of important positions Strom Thurmond has 
     held throughout his life: Superintendent of Education for 
     Edgefield County, South Carolina State Senator, Circuit Judge 
     of South Carolina, Governor of South Carolina, Candidate for 
     President of the United States, United States Senator where 
     he served as chairman of the Armed Services, Veterans 
     Affairs, and Judiciary committees and as President Pro 
     Tempore, Major General in the Army Reserve, and the oldest 
     Senator, as well as the longest serving senator. On December 
     5th this year Senator Thurmond will be 100 years old and 
     still an active senator. What an impressive list--what a 
     marvelous life of public service.
       In 1924 Strom Thurmond was commissioned as a second 
     lieutenant in the US Army Reserve. During World War II, 
     although exempt from military service due to both his age and 
     position as a judge, he took a four-year leave of absence 
     from a Circuit Judgeship in South Carolina in order to 
     voluntarily serve his country as a soldier. As a 43 year old 
     lieutenant colonel he served with the All Americans--the 
     82nd Airborne--and landed in a glider carrying 8 other 
     soldiers and a jeep as part of the D-Day invasion in 
     Normandy. His team reinforced parachute troops that landed 
     earlier that day and collectively routed the German forces 
     from the town of Ste. Mere-Eglise.
       In fact, I remember discussing the glider operations with 
     Senator Thurmond. Riding a glider into battle is high 
     adventure, and the usual result was a crash-landing. That's 
     in fact how Senator Thurmond landed--a terrific crash that 
     wounded him and destroyed the jeep the glider was carrying. I 
     asked the Senator how he got out of the glider and into the 
     battle. He explained that the entire side of the glider was 
     torn open. ``All you had to do was to stand up and walk right 
     out the side!''
       Four days after landing in the glider Lieutenant Colonel 
     Thurmond, armed with only a pistol, captured a German 
     motorcycle and commandeered it for his section's use.
       Subsequently, Lieutenant Colonel Thurmond participated in 
     the liberation of Paris, the Rhine Campaign, and was among 
     the first Americans to liberate the Buchenwald concentration 
     camp. As a result of his actions, Strom Thurmond was awarded 
     the Legion of Merit--the Bronze Star for Valor, the Purple 
     Heart, and 5 Battle Stars. Although the war ended in Europe, 
     General Thurmond didn't return straight home. He volunteered 
     for and was transferred to the Pacific Theater at the 
     conclusion of combat in Europe and was preparing for the 
     final assault on the Japanese island of Okinawa when the war 
     ended.
       In 1959 Senator Thurmond was promoted to the rank of Major 
     General, and retired from the Army Reserve in 1964 after 40 
     years of active and reserve duty. Senator Thurmond obviously 
     knows the military, is a stalwart supporter of the Army, and 
     holds dear to his heart the soldiers, particularly the 
     paratroopers, of our Army.
       At this time I have a letter from Senator Thurmond which he 
     asked that I read to you this morning:

       Dear Friends: I am sorry that I am unable to join you today 
     as you dedicate the Major General Strom Thurmond Strategic 
     Deployment Center.
       When the Commander-in-Chief needs to project American 
     military might quickly, he has no better option than the 82nd 
     Airborne Division. For more than the past fifty-years, ``The 
     All American'' has distinguished itself in military 
     operations around the world.
       I think one of my proudest distinctions as a Soldier is my 
     association with the 82nd Airborne Division. A lot of things 
     have changed over the past 55 years that makes the 
     Paratrooper an even more efficient Soldier than he was in 
     1944. Thank goodness you do not use wooden gliders anymore. I 
     must confess that my one day only ride in that particular 
     aircraft is not one of my favorite memories. We can be proud 
     that today's Paratrooper is better equipped, better trained, 
     better armed and more lethal than the Airborne Soldiers of 
     any other generation or army. The military power that a 
     Regiment of 21st Century Paratroopers brings to bear in a 
     fight is nothing short of awe-inspiring to our allies, and 
     nothing less than terrifying to our enemies.
       In addition to advances in weapons and tactics, there have 
     been considerable changes in quality of life for our 
     Soldiers. Investing in the well being of our Soldiers and 
     their families is not only a down payment toward readiness, 
     but it is simply the right thing to do. The Deployment Center 
     being dedicated today will give Paratroopers a modern, and 
     well designed, power projection platform.
       That this facility is being named in my honor is a 
     recognition that is truly flattering and meaningful. I am 
     proud of this . . . and I am proud of my affiliation with the 
     82nd Airborne Division. I am very appreciative of this 
     distinction and I am always proud to do whatever I can to 
     help the fine men and women of our Armed Forces.
       With best wishes and kindest regards,
           Sincerely,
                                                   Strom Thurmond.

       In December 1996 Senator Thurmond celebrated his 94th 
     birthday with the 82nd Airborne Division. He served as 
     honorary jumpmaster on a C-141 with the same unit he had 
     served with in 1944. Senator Thurmond said at the time 
     that he wanted to parachute into Normandy in 1944 but was 
     told that he was too old. Then, with his typical style, 
     Senator Thurmond stated ``Perhaps they will finally let me 
     jump and I'll get a pair of Airborne wings in celebration 
     of my 94th birthday!''
       Almost five years ago I was honored to attend Senator 
     Thurmond's 95th birthday party. Throughout the party many 
     friends and well-wishers all remarked to the Senator that 
     they hoped that they could attend his 100th birthday party. 
     The Senator looked at each of them and said, ``well, if you 
     eat right, exercise, and take care of yourself there's no 
     reason why you can't be there.''
       This Strategic Deployment Facility is a tremendous 
     testament to the spirit and tenacity of General and Senator 
     Thurmond. Strom Thurmond admires courage, toughness, and 
     perseverance--traits he believes, and I certainly agree with 
     him, are found in every soldier. The soldiers who pass 
     through this facility will be the standard-bearers of our 
     great Nation, and will undoubtedly live up to the ideals of 
     Strom Thurmond. The soldiers who train here, the soldiers who 
     will deploy from here, the soldiers who we send in harm's 
     way, will be better prepared to meet the challenges of 
     today's environment because of both this facility and the 
     lifelong dedication to the Nation rendered by Senator Strom 
     Thurmond--a man committed to our nation's security.
       We have learned all too well the uncertainty of our world. 
     The threats to our Nation's interests are more complex and 
     diverse than at any time in our history. The stakes are high. 
     The United States must

[[Page S10110]]

     safeguard our national interests and fulfill our world 
     leadership responsibilities as well. Today, the U.S. military 
     is protecting our Nation's interests both on the war front 
     and on the home front, and the call may come at any time, day 
     or night, for our valiant troopers to pass through these 
     portals and answer the call to battle.
       As our military forces use this MG Strom Thurmond Strategic 
     Deployment Facility to protect and defend this great Nation, 
     I am confident that all of us, military and civilian, soldier 
     and family member, will always remember and live up to the 
     words of our President, George W. Bush, on 14 September 
     last year when he stated: ``America is a nation full of 
     good fortune, with so much to be grateful for. But we are 
     not spared from suffering. In every generation, the world 
     has produced enemies of human freedom. They have attacked 
     America, because we are freedom's home and defender. And 
     the commitment of our fathers is now the calling of our 
     time.''
       A week later President Bush declared: ``We will rally the 
     world to this cause by our efforts, by our courage. We will 
     not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail.''
       The paratroopers who pass through this facility will never 
     fail us. They will continue to live to the high standards of 
     courage, valor, and selfless service demonstrated by Senator 
     Thurmond. I know that our soldiers of today and the future 
     will draw strength, resolve, and inspiration from this 
     facility and its namesake, and will continue to protect the 
     security of this great nation.
       God bless each and every one of you and God Bless America!
                                  ____


  Thurmond Military Service Record--January 9, 1924-November 22, 1964

       Strom Thurmond began his military career when he was a 
     Reserve Officers Training Corps cadet at Clemson Agricultural 
     College from 1919-1923. He was appointed an officer in the 
     United States Army Reserve, at the rank of 2nd Lieutenant, on 
     January 9, 1924, and received the rank advancement to 1st 
     Lieutenant on August 9, 1927. He enlisted in the army, 
     shortly after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, on 
     December 11, 1941. However, he did not actually enter the 
     service until April 17, 1942. He performed various military 
     duties with the Military Police, as Captain, in the United 
     States until October 26, 1943, when he was assigned to the 
     Civil Affairs Division (Section G-5) of the headquarters, 
     First Army, as Major and Lt. Colonel, which was formed on 
     October 23, 1943. He worked in the European (England, France, 
     Belgium, and Germany) and Pacific (Philippines and Japan) 
     theaters, and participated in the Normandy Invasion with the 
     Eighty-second Airborne Division. Thurmond was awarded five 
     battles stars, eighteen decorations, medals and awards, 
     including the Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster, the 
     Bronze Star with ``V'' device, the Purple Heart, and the 
     French Croix de Guerre. He took official leave on October 19, 
     1945 to return to the South Carolina Circuit Court and was 
     officially discharged on January 20, 1946, with the rank of 
     Lieutenant Colonel. He then joined the U.S. Army Reserve 
     Corps and also became involved with the Reserve Officers 
     Association and the Military Government Association. Thurmond 
     served as the National Vice-President (July, 1953-June, 1954) 
     and President (June, 1954-July, 1955) of the Reserve Officers 
     Association and the President (December, 1957--c. December, 
     1958) of the Military Government Association. Thurmond 
     retired at the rank of Major General of the Army Reserves on 
     November 22, 1964, after forty years of service in the armed 
     forces.
       Strom Thurmond served with the Civil Affairs Division 
     (Section G-5) of the First Army Headquarters during World War 
     II. The division's mission was to occupy, govern, and help 
     restore devastated, war-torn countries and their economies, 
     and usually arrived during large-scale combat operations. 
     Thurmond studied and used various military school instruction 
     material, i.e., military police, legal, G-5, European 
     geography and history, etc. in connection with his civil 
     affairs/military government training and responsibilities. 
     This material covered numerous directives and rules dealing 
     with civilians, displaced persons, welfare, finance, 
     background in formation on Germany and France, etc. Of 
     interest, and further study, is a report discussing the 
     activities of the First Army Civil Affairs Division during 
     the D-Day Invasion titled, Civil Affairs: Soldiers Become 
     Governors, by Harry L. Coles and Albert K. Weinberg and was 
     published by the Office of the Chief of Military History, 
     Department of the Army, Washington, DC: GPO, 1964 (SuDoc 
     number D114.7:C49).
       From 1946 to 1959 Thurmond used the civil affairs/military 
     government training material and manuals he collected, along 
     with prior experience and knowledge, as he taught basic and 
     advanced officer courses to officers of the 352nd and 360th 
     Military Government Area Headquarters Units.
       From 1948 to 1958 Thurmond was involved with the Reserve 
     Officers Association and the Military Government Association 
     in leadership capacities. In particular, Thurmond served as 
     President of the South Carolina Department of the Reserve 
     Officers Association and as the organization's National 
     President and Vice-President, and as the National President 
     of the Military Government Association, mentioned above.
       On January 15, 1948, at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, 
     Lieutenant Colonel Strom Thurmond was promoted to the rank of 
     Colonel in the United States Army Reserves (USAR). On 
     February 20, 1955, at Third Army Headquarters, Fort 
     McPherson, Georgia, Colonel Thurmond was promoted to the rank 
     of Brigadier General in the USAR by General A.R. Bolling. And 
     on April 25, 1960, at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, 
     Brigadier General Thurmond was promoted to the rank of Major 
     General in the USAR by General R.V. Lee, United States Army 
     Adjutant General, witnessed by Secretary of the Army Wilber 
     M. Brucker.
       Senator Strom Thurmond (D-SC), as Colonel in the USAR, 
     organized the 360th Military Government Area Headquarters 
     (MGAH) Unit on October 1, 1950, and commanded it from that 
     date until January 3, 1954. During the four years Colonel 
     Thurmond commanded the 360th MGAH he received various 
     commendations including a superior rating by the South 
     Carolina Military District Headquarters, 3rd Army 
     Headquarters, and Army Inspectors from Washington, DC, rated 
     his the top reserve unit in 3rd Army area.
       During the last two weeks of October 1956, Senator 
     Thurmond, as Brigadier General in the USAR, accompanied the 
     Assistant Secretary of Defense, Carter L. Burgess, on an 
     inspection tour of the Far East. Secretary Burgess, was 
     traveling in dual capacity as Assistant Secretary of Defense 
     and Vice-Chairman of the Defense Advisory Committee on 
     Professional and Technical Compensation, as a part of the 
     Gordiner Committee. They visited Air Force and Army personnel 
     on bases in Alaska, Japan, Okinawa, and Korea. Senator 
     Thurmond made a special point of greeting all servicemen & 
     women from South Carolina during his visits to each base.
       The last two weeks of September 1957, Senator Strom 
     Thurmond, as Brigadier General in the USAR, and Congressman 
     LeRoy H. Anderson (D-MT), as Major General in the USAR, 
     during their active tours of duty, visited Air Force and Army 
     personnel at bases in France, Germany, and Italy. Again, 
     Senator Thurmond made an effort to visit with servicemen & 
     women from South Carolina.
       From October 25 to November 7, 1959, Senator Strom 
     Thurmond, as Brigadier General in the USAR, attended a two-
     week senior officer's course at the US Army Command & General 
     Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
       In November 1962, Senator Thurmond, as a Major General in 
     the USAR, toured US, German and Pakistani bases in Germany 
     and Pakistan with other member of the Congressional Command & 
     Operations Group consisting of member of Congress and their 
     congressional aids. Senator Ralph W. Yarborough (D-TX), a 
     Colonel in the USAR, was a member of the group as was Captain 
     Harry S. Dent, Senator Thurmond's Administrative Assistant.
       In January 1964, Senator Thurmond, as a Major General in 
     the USAR, was one of the 84 students enrolled in the Special 
     Warfare School's Senior Officers Counterinsurgency & Special 
     Warfare Orientation Course at Fort Bragg, North Carolina 
     where he viewed various demonstrations and presentations 
     including scuba diving.
       And in November 1964, prior to his retirement from the 
     military, Major General Thurmond, again with members of the 
     USAR Congressional Command & Operations Group, consisting of 
     members of congress and their congressional aids, visited 
     elements of the Southern European Task Force in Italy. The 
     purpose of the visit was to become familiar with the 
     organization and mission of the bi-national command. During 
     the latter part of his trip with the active duty group Major 
     General Thurmond also toured Wheelus Field in Libya.
                                  ____


                               Exhibit 1


                                                  U.S. Senate,

                                   Washington, DC, April 19, 2002.
     Hon. Thomas E. White,
     Secretary of the Army, 101 Army Pentagon, Room 3E700, 
         Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Secretary: The Honorable Strom Thurmond has 
     established an unparalleled record of public service during 
     his almost 48 years in the United States Senate.
       For the past 29 years, it has been my privilege to serve as 
     a colleague of Senator Thurmond's. During that time, his 
     leadership, dedication, and integrity have served as a source 
     of personal inspiration.
       As Strom will soon be retiring from the Senate, I expect 
     there to be a number of tributes and dedications honoring 
     various aspects of his unprecedented service to our country. 
     I would like to ensure that his 36 years of dedicated service 
     to the United States Army are also recognized in an 
     appropriate manner.
       As you are probably aware, Strom's remarkable record of 
     service to the Army began in 1924 when he was commissioned a 
     Second Lieutenant in the Infantry. An Army Reserve First 
     Lieutenant on the eve of World War II, Strom volunteered for 
     an active Army commission on the day the United States 
     entered the war against Germany (in spite of the fact that 
     his duties as a South Carolina Circuit Judge exempted him 
     from deployment). After receiving his commission, Lt. 
     Thurmond became a member of the First U.S. Army where he 
     would subsequently be attached to Fort Bragg's own 82nd 
     Airborne Division for the Invasion of Normandy. It was during 
     that operation that he sustained an injury that led to the 
     eventual award of a Purple Heart.

[[Page S10111]]

       As a gesture of our country's gratitude for his remarkable 
     military and public careers and as an inspiration to the 
     soldiers who will pass through it in defense of our nation, I 
     request that the Army dedicate the soon to be completed 82nd 
     Airborne Division Deployment Staging Complex adjacent to Pope 
     Air Force Base's Green Ramp as the ``Major General Strom 
     Thurmond Airborne Operations Center.''
       So dedicating this premier facility, designed by the Army 
     and the Air Force to ensure that Fort Bragg and Pope AFB will 
     function as the Army's leading Power Projection Platform for 
     many years to come, will serve as both an appropriate tribute 
     to Strom Thurmond's immeasurable contributions in service to 
     our country and as an inspiration to the courageous young men 
     and women who have committed their lives to the security of 
     our nation.
       Mr. Secretary, I will appreciate your expeditious 
     consideration of my proposal as I am told that the facility 
     is expected to open in July. If you have any questions, 
     please do not hesitate to call me or David Whitney of my 
     staff at 202-224-6342.
       Many thanks.
           Sincerely,
     Jesse.
                                  ____

         Department of the Army, Office of the Assistant Secretary 
           of the Army,
                                     Washington, DC, June 4, 2002.
     Hon. Jesse Helms,
     Senate, Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Helms: Thank you for your recent letter to the 
     Secretary of the Army, proposing the soon to be completed 82d 
     Airborne Division Deployment Staging Complex at Fort Bragg, 
     North Carolina, be named in honor of Senator Strom Thurmond.
       Senator Thurmond's distinguished record of almost 48 years 
     in the Senate, coupled with his military service and heroic 
     actions in the line of duty during World War II, merit 
     recognition. The package recommending that the Secretary of 
     the Army grant an exception to policy permitting the 
     requested naming has been prepared and is being expeditiously 
     processed.
       Thank you for your efforts to gain recognition for Senator 
     Thurmond for his long and distinguished service to our 
     Nation.
           Sincerely,
     Joseph W. Whitaker,
       Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Installations and 
     Housing), OASA (I&E).

                          ____________________