[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 79 (Monday, June 2, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H4749-H4750]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  GENERAL CHARLES GABRIEL POST OFFICE

  Mr. SOUDER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1465) to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 4832 East Highway 27 in Iron Station, North 
Carolina, as the ``General Charles Gabriel Post Office''.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 1465

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. GENERAL CHARLES GABRIEL POST OFFICE.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 4832 East Highway 27 in Iron Station, 
     North Carolina, shall be known and designated as the 
     ``General Charles Gabriel Post Office''.
       (b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation, 
     document, paper, or other record of the United States to the 
     facility referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be 
     a reference to the General Charles Gabriel Post Office.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Indiana (Mr. Souder) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Souder).


                             General Leave

  Mr. SOUDER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks on the bill 
under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Indiana?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. SOUDER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1465, introduced by the distinguished gentleman 
from North Carolina (Mr. Ballenger), designates the facility of the 
United States Postal Service located at 4832 East Highway 27 in Iron 
Station, North Carolina, as the General Charles Gabriel Post Office. 
The entire delegation from the State of North Carolina has cosponsored 
this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, General Charles Gabriel was the 11th chief of staff of 
the U.S. Air Force. A lifelong North Carolina resident, he graduated 
with a bachelor's degree from the U.S. Military Academy in 1950 and was 
commissioned in the Air Force. He subsequently began studying to be a 
pilot and completed advanced training in December 1951. By August 1980, 
Charles Gabriel eventually had worked his way up to the position of 
commander in chief of the U.S. Air Forces in Europe at Ramstein Air 
Base in Germany. From that position, he was named Air Force chief of 
staff and moved to Washington, D.C. in July 1982. General Gabriel 
retired 4 years later on July 1, 1986.
  Mr. Speaker, General Charles Gabriel's decorated career in our 
Nation's Air Force is worthy of commendation by this House. I am proud 
to be part of the proceedings that honor General Charles Gabriel. I 
urge all Members to support the passage of H.R. 1465. I thank my 
colleague from North Carolina for introducing this important 
legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1465, to designate the facility of the United 
States Postal Service located at 4832 East Highway 27 in Iron Station, 
North Carolina, as the General Charles Gabriel Post Office, was 
introduced by the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Ballenger) on 
March 27, 2003. It names a postal facility in Iron Station, North 
Carolina, after General Charles Gabriel. The bill has met the committee 
policy and has been supported and approved by all members of the North 
Carolina delegation.
  A graduate of the U.S. Military Academy and former member of the 
Joint Chiefs of Staff, Charles Gabriel was a command pilot and the 
recipient of numerous military decorations and awards. He retired from 
the military in 1986. He is indeed one who is deserving of such an 
honor. I commend my colleague for seeking to honor General Gabriel in 
this manner.
  I urge the swift passage of H.R. 1465.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SOUDER. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
distinguished gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Ballenger), the 
sponsor of this legislation.
  Mr. BALLENGER. I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time.
  Mr. Speaker, North Carolina has been the home of many brave men and 
women who have served their country to the utmost of their ability. 
Today I would like to honor retired General Charles A. Gabriel, who 
served as chief of staff of the United States Air Force from July 1982 
to July 1986 by naming the United States Post Office in Iron Station, 
North Carolina, in his honor. I have chosen the Iron Station post 
office because General Gabriel's father worked in the same facility for 
44 years.
  General Charles Gabriel was born in 1928 in Lincolnton, North 
Carolina, as one of five children to Mr. and Mrs. Paul Gabriel. He 
graduated from Lincolnton High School in 1944 at the age of 16 and 
entered Catawba College as a star member of the football program. In 
recognition of his outstanding academic and athletic ability, he was 
recruited to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point at the age of 18 
where he was named quarterback for the military academy's football 
team, the Black Knights. He earned his commission and graduated with a 
Bachelor of Science degree in 1950. While on active duty, he continued 
his education and in 1963 received a Master of Science degree in 
engineering management from George Washington University.
  General Gabriel served a long and commendable career as a combat 
fighter pilot and later in various staff positions. He was first 
assigned to South Korea where he flew over 100 combat

[[Page H4750]]

missions in the Korean War. He then flew 150 combat missions after 
being stationed at Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base from 1970 to 1972 
during the Vietnam conflict. In 1979 he became the deputy chief of 
staff of operations, plans and readiness. In 1980 he was appointed 
commander in chief, United States Air Forces in Europe, and commander 
of Allied Air Forces Central Europe until his appointment in 1982 as 
chief of staff of the Air Force.
  General Gabriel has received numerous awards and decorations, 
including the Distinguished Service Medal, the Air Force Distinguished 
Service Medal, and the Legion of Merit. He also has attended both the 
command and staff school at the Naval War College and the Industrial 
College of Armed Forces in Washington, D.C.
  I ask my fellow colleagues to please join me in tribute to this great 
North Carolinian by naming the U.S. post office in Iron Station, North 
Carolina, in his honor.
  Mr. SOUDER. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from North 
Carolina for introducing this important legislation. I urge all Members 
to support the adoption of this measure.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Souder) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 1465.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of 
those present have voted in the affirmative.
  Mr. SOUDER. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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