[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 45 (Thursday, March 20, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4154-S4155]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page S4154]]
                          HONORING FRAN AGNES

  Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, at this hour, the men and women of our 
Armed Forces face great dangers in the Middle East. We are thinking of 
them and praying for them in the challenges they encounter. As a 
nation, we have faced many conflicts before, and we have relied upon 
the bravery, skill, and honor of our military personnel.
  Today I am honored to share with my colleagues and with the American 
people the example of a remarkable man named Fran Agnes, who served his 
country and his fellow veterans and their families for many decades.
  I know his name is familiar to many of my colleagues and to anyone 
who has worked on veterans issues. I am sad to report that Fran Agnes 
passed away on February 9 of this year. He was surrounded by his loving 
family.
  I suspect that if Fran were here today at the start of this new war, 
he would say, ``Make sure we are prepared to take care of the soldiers, 
sailors, and airmen we send over there. They need to know, and their 
families need to know, that we will be there for them.''
  Today, I want to pay tribute to Fran Agnes and discuss a bill that 
bears his name. I am especially honored that Fran's family members and 
friends are here in Washington, DC, today.
  I don't recall exactly when or where I met Fran, but it is a sure bet 
that he walked up to me, shook my hand, smiled, and said: ``You don't 
know me, but I'm Fran Agnes and I want to help you help veterans.''
  Boy, he wasn't kidding. As I look at the things Fran worked on over 
the years, that is exactly what he did.
  For example, 7 or 8 years ago Fran started talking to me about the 
importance of making honor guards available at the funerals of 
veterans. We talked about the nearly 30,000 World War II veterans who 
pass away every month--who take with them an important part of our 
history. Fran was upset that we as a nation were allowing veterans to 
be laid to rest without the appropriate honors.
  We discovered that the military was relying more and more on 
volunteers to perform funeral honors. And more often than not, the 
volunteers themselves were older veterans who struggled to meet the 
demand. We found case after case of families all across the country who 
couldn't find an honor guard to present a flag with the words ``On 
behalf of a grateful nation'' at the funeral service of a veteran. We 
even had a case at Arlington National Cemetery where a local family 
could not secure an honor guard for a veteran.
  Fran asked me to get involved in the issue. We worked together to 
come up with legislation to require the Department of Defense to 
provide honor guards for veterans' funerals. We worked with the 
American Ex-Prisoners of War. Fran was an enthusiastic member of the 
organization and served as its national commander. We built a coalition 
of veterans service organizations in support of the legislation. 
Senator Paul Sarbanes, Senator Frank Murkowski, and Congressman Lane 
Evans joined the effort and provided important leadership.
  The Department of Defense opposed our legislation. With Fran's 
encouragement, we set out to address the DoD's concerns. Ultimately, we 
offered an amendment to the Defense authorization bill, and it was 
agreed to unanimously. Similar legislation passed the House of 
Representatives. Together, we succeeded in changing the law and 
ensuring the Department of Defense would provide honor guards when 
requested by a veteran's family. Fran Agnes raised this issue and 
touched a nerve all across our country. And he helped change the law 
for veterans. That is just one example of Fran's service.
  Fran was also the visionary leader behind the campaign to create the 
Takoma National Cemetery for Washington's veterans. He was its greatest 
champion, and I worked closely with him to authorize and build it. Fran 
loved Takoma. Washington State veterans are proud that when Fran was 
taken from us last month, the Takoma National Cemetery was there to 
welcome him home with full military honors.
  Fran Agnes lived a life of service to his family, to his fellow 
veterans and to his community. He coached Little League baseball for 20 
years. He was responsible for building ballfields for young 
Washingtonians in both the Spokane and Everett areas. He was involved 
in both the Elks and the Eagles.
  I was fortunate to know and work with Fran Agnes. I was blessed by 
his support and friendship. Washington State is a stronger community 
because of Fran Agnes, and veterans in my State had no greater friend 
or advocate than Fran.
  As I mentioned, Fran passed away on February 9, 2003, with his loved 
ones at his side. At his service a few days later, his family was 
joined by the veterans community, the State of Washington, and a truly 
grateful nation to pay tribute to Fran as he was laid to rest in his 
beloved Takoma National Cemetery.
  Secretary of Veterans Affairs Tony Principi sent a moving letter to 
Fran's wife Marlene Agnes. The letter from Secretary Principi states, 
``Fran's service to America is legend in the veterans' community. He 
and all the men and women of his generation will long be remembered for 
their monumental struggle and decisive victory. However, Fran's service 
and sacrifice at Bataan, and later as a prisoner of war, were as great 
as any American has ever been asked to endure.''
  I ask unanimous consent that the full letter appear in the 
Congressional Record at the conclusion of my remarks.
  Several years ago, my father passed away. He, too, was a World War II 
veteran. It wasn't until after my father's death that we discovered his 
letters and writings from the war. My father was like most veterans of 
his generation who did not talk about their experiences. Fran was like 
that, too. I saw Fran many times over the years. He came to Washington 
with the American Ex-Prisoners of War. I saw him at veterans events all 
over my State. If I attended a veterans event, you can bet Fran would 
be there--proudly wearing the maroon coat of the American Ex-Prisoners 
of War.
  In all the time Fran and I spent together, he never asked me to do 
anything for himself. It was always things for other veterans and their 
families. He asked me to help the widows of our veterans. He asked me 
to support the POWs' lawsuit against the Japanese companies that 
profited from slave labor during World War II. He would ask about 
helping another veteran who might be having a problem with the VA.
  Fran Agnes did not boast of his service. He didn't complain to me 
about injuries or problems from his time as a prisoner of war. Fran 
would call my office just to check in. He usually didn't have a 
request. He would just call and say, ``I know you're working for us. 
Keep it up.''

  Because Fran, like so many veterans, did not boast of his own 
accomplishments, I want to share them with the Senate today. I cannot 
let this moment pass without sharing some of the things about Fran that 
he didn't talk about.
  Fran Agnes was born in 1922 in North Dakota. His father was an Irish 
immigrant who moved the family to Wenatchee, WA, for a WPA job during 
the Great Depression.
  Fran graduated from high school and enlisted to join the war effort. 
In 1941, he was stationed with the 20th Pursuit Squadron in the 
Philippines. He was captured early in 1942.
  Fran Agnes endured the Bataan Death March--a 100-mile forced march 
conducted without food or water. During the march, men would drop out 
of column due to fatigue, dehydration, illness, and injury. This 
``disobedience'' would cause the Japanese guards to rush up, shouting 
commands in Japanese to get back in the group. When that approach 
failed, shots would ring out, killing those who would not or could not 
rise.
  Many of those failing to obey the order to march were killed 
instantly by sword-wielding Japanese soldiers who were guarding the men 
on the march. Seventy thousand Americans were forced on the Bataan 
Death March. Only 54,000 made it to the Japanese prisoner-of-war camps 
that awaited the survivors. Fran turned 20 years old on the Bataan 
Death March. He survived and was detained at Camp O'Donnell, which was 
used as a holding station.
  Most prisoners stayed there for about 50 days. Eventually, it would 
house 50,000 men. Conditions there were grossly underequipped for the 
volume of men passing through its gates. For

[[Page S4155]]

example, there were only two water spigots available for all the 
prisoners. The men were fed tiny portions once a day.
  Fran spent 6 months at Camp O'Donnell before being moved to Camp 
Cabanatuan. Fran spent an additional year at that camp. He worked 
mostly in the hospital--helping other POWs survive their imprisonment.
  Finally, Fran was transferred to Japan where he was kept at the Hiro 
Hata POW camp and forced to work slave labor. He was held 30 miles from 
Hiroshima. He would later describe the atomic bomb that signaled the 
end of World War II and the end of his 3\1/2\ years of captivity.
  On September 2, 1945, the men at the Hiro Hata prison camp conducted 
a liberation ceremony. The men gathered together and sang ``The Star 
Spangled Banner.'' Fran Agnes returned home to the United States 
weighing approximately 100 pounds.
  Most of us can only imagine the horror that men like Fran Agnes 
endured as prisoners of war at the hands of the Japanese. After a short 
stint back at home in Wenatchee, Fran re-enlisted with the Army Air 
Corps before it became the Air Force. He served in the Air Force for 
two decades and retired at the rank of Captain. Fran worked for 
Washington State for 25 years.
  Fran had a big family as well. In addition to his wife Marlene, he 
had three daughters: Rose, Sonya, and Kathleen. I spent a few minutes 
with Fran's daughters yesterday, and in each of them, I was reminded of 
their father. Fran also had two sons, David and Gregory, as well as 13 
grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.
  Fran was involved in numerous veterans service organizations, 
particularly the American Ex-Prisoners of War, which is holding its 
winter meeting here in Washington, DC, this week. Fran served as 
national commander of the American Ex-POWs in 1990 and 1991. He was 
also chairman of the Governor's Advisory Action Committee in Washington 
State. Fran was chairman of the Tahoma National Cemetery Group in 
Washington.
  I think it is appropriate that we memorialize Fran's many sacrifices 
and his great service to our Nation. Today, I have asked my staff to 
work with the Tahoma National Cemetery, with the Agnes family, and with 
the Washington veterans community to discuss naming an appropriate 
place at Tahoma after Fran Agnes.
  In addition, I call upon my Senate colleagues to join me in support 
of the Francis W. Agnes Prisoner of War Benefits Act of 2003. This 
legislation clarifies who is eligible for POW benefits through the VA 
and ensures our POWs can receive care for a number of ailments related 
to their captivity. The legislation is important to all POWs, and a 
similar measure has been introduced in the House of Representatives.
  Fran wouldn't ask us to single out his fellow Pacific theatre POWs 
for health care, but I know he would take special pride in the passage 
of this legislation because it is so important to our prisoners of war 
who survived such harsh treatment at the hands of the Japanese in World 
War II. I encourage all of my colleagues in the Senate to support the 
Francis W. Agnes Prisoner of War Benefits Act of 2003.
  Fran Agnes was a great American. I was blessed to know him and work 
with him. Veterans everywhere were blessed to have him as a fellow 
soldier and airman. With his passing, it is time we acknowledge his 
service and commit his memory to our history as an example to us all.
  Even though I can't call upon him for his guidance and support, Fran 
will always be there for me. After all the time we spent together--and 
all the efforts we worked on together--I feel that I know what he would 
want me to do. And I pledge to continue to work very closely with 
veterans from my State and with his family to build on his legacy.
  I hope this tribute captures for the Senate the many contributions of 
a true patriot. Mr. President, Fran Agnes called himself a survivor. 
We--those who knew him and his life of service to others--call him an 
inspiration.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                                                  The Secretary of


                                             Veterans Affairs,

                                Washington, DC, February 13, 2003.
     Mrs. Marlene Agnes,
     Everett, Washington.
       Dear Mrs. Agnes: On behalf of America's 25 million 
     veterans, please accept my sincerest condolences on the death 
     of your husband, Fran. Although I am aware that mere words 
     cannot ease your sorrow, or that of your children and 
     grandchildren, be certain that my thoughts and prayers are 
     with you.
       Fran's service to America is legend in the veterans' 
     community. He and all the men and women of his generation who 
     answered America's call during World War II, will be long 
     remembered for their monumental struggle and decisive 
     victory. However, Fran's service and sacrifice at Bataan, and 
     later as a prisoner of war, were as great as any American has 
     ever been asked to endure.
       Fran was an American patriot who served his country twice-
     over. Once in a uniform of its military services, and once-
     again as a pillar of the Nation's veterans constituency. As 
     National Commander of America's Ex Prisoners of War, Fran's 
     leadership bore the same indelible hallmarks that 
     distinguished his wartime service . . . exemplary ability, 
     great honor, unfailing courage, and true compassion. His 
     contributions at once strengthened our Republic and enriched 
     the lives of its citizen-soldiers who, like him, had borne 
     the burden of captivity.
       Quite simply, Fran was an ordinary American who served in 
     extraordinary ways. He represented the best of what it means 
     to be an American, and our Nation is lessened by his passing.
       Mrs. Agnes, we who were privileged to know Fran, mourn with 
     you and your family.
           Sincerely yours,
     Anthony J. Principi.

                          ____________________