[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).
____________________