[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 147 (Thursday, November 14, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2027]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING HENRY LEE PLAGE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. CLIFF STEARNS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 14, 2002

  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate this opportunity to share with 
my colleagues a story of heroism and to honor the bravery of Lt. 
Commander Henry Lee Plage who lives in my hometown of Ocala, FL. During 
World War II, he and his crew saved dozens of men from the water of the 
Pacific after a raging typhoon sunk three ships.
  Henry Lee Plage started his military career as a member of ROTC at 
Georgia Tech and he joined the Navy in 1937 after his graduation. 
Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, Lt. Commander Plage immediately 
requested sea duty. His first assignment was commanding a submarine 
chaser. With only 4 days to get ready, he assumed command of a crew of 
55.
  On February 18, 1944, the USS Tabberer (DE-418) was launched. She was 
commissioned on May 23, 1944, with Plage in command. By October the 
ship had joined Admiral Halsey's 3rd Fleet, helping to supply crucial 
air cover for General MacArthur's Land troops. On December 17m 1944, 
the USS Tabberer was east of the Phillippine Islands along with the 3rd 
Fleet, scheduled to refuel, when the weather began to deteriorate 
rapidly. The reason, Typhoon Cobra was heading directly toward them.
  The high winds and choppy seas prevented the USS Tabberer from 
refueling and by the evening of December 17th, the full force of the 
typhoon was upon them. The Tabberer had to fight extremely rough seas--
and by the 18th sustained winds had reached about 145 miles per hour, 
with wind gusts up to 185 miles an hour. Before the Typhoon had moved 
through, the USS Tabberer had lost its mast and radio antenna. Three 
destroyers from the fleet, the USS Hull (DD-350), the USS Spence (DD-
512) and the USS Monaghan (DD-354), had gone down.
  About 9:30 p.m. on December 18th, the Tabberer rescued its first 
survivor from the water. It was then that Lt. Commander Plage learned 
that the USS Hull had capsized. Plage and the Tabberer immediately 
began an intensive search and rescue effort. These efforts continued 
for 3 days and nights. In all, the USS Tabberer pulled 55 men from the 
Pacific Ocean. All were from the USS Hull and the USS Spence.
  Typhoon Cobra claimed nearly 800 lives. Only 92 survived, 55 of these 
rescued by the crew of the USS Tabberer. Lt. Commander Plage remained 
on sea duty after the war and gave the Navy 14 years of service before 
retiring in 1954.
  It is an honor for me to share this story of heroism and survival and 
I ask you all to join me in commending Lt. Commander Henry Lee Plage 
and the crew of the USS Tabberer for their dedication in saving the 
lives of 55 men from that terrible storm.

                          ____________________