[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 88 (Monday, June 16, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7924-S7925]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       A TRIBUTE TO BAKER'S CREEK

 Mrs. HUTCHINSON. Mr. President, in the recent years, there 
have been many tributes dedicated to celebrating members of what Tom 
Brokaw so rightly called ``The Greatest Generation.'' Succeeding 
generations have honored the men and women who led America to victory 
during World War II, who did nothing less than save the world. The 
events of World War II have become a shining moment in American 
history, and the stories of battles and life on the home front are well 
known by most Americans. However, many stories remain untold, and many 
heroes remain unrecognized.
  As we count on our soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, and coast 
guardsmen to defend our Nation in today's time of war, we have a 
renewed appreciation of the sacrifices made by our men and women in 
uniform and their families.
  Our recent military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq provide an 
excellent backdrop to tell a story from World War II involving a 
little-known Texas hero. It is my hope we can join together to honor 
this man and those whose lives were lost on the fateful day he 
survived.
  June 14 is an historic day in the life of our Nation. On this day in 
1775, the United States Army was born. Two years later, broad red 
stripes on a field of white, and bright stars on a field of blue were 
officially adopted as our country's banner. In 1949, President Truman 
signed an Act of Congress officially declaring June 14 as National Flag 
Day to honor our colors. June 14 also marks a somber anniversary, one 
that few of us know.
  Sixty years ago, on June 14, 1943, 40 Americans were killed when 
their B-17C airplane crashed in a field near Baker's Creek, five miles 
south of Mackay in Queensland, Australia. The plane belonged to the 
46th Troop Carrier Squadron, Fifth U.S. Air Force.

[[Page S7925]]

The men aboard the aircraft were returning to combat zones in New 
Guinea after their brief rest-and-recreation known as R&R at the 
American Red Cross Center in Mackay. Wartime censorship and reasons of 
military security prevented the incident from ever being reported in 
the United States. It was classified until 1958.
  Families of those who were killed were never informed how their loved 
ones perished. Information was so closely guarded they were only told 
their soldier died in the Pacific while fighting for their country.
  Little is known of the crash outside Mackay. Remarkably, one of the 
41 men aboard the aircraft survived the crash. He is Foye Kenneth 
Roberts of Wichita Falls, TX. At the time of the accident, it was the 
worst plane crash in the Southwest Pacific theater. Australians regard 
it as their worst aviation disaster.
  In May 1992, a monument was built by local citizens at Baker's Creek 
to mark the B-17C crash site. Thousands of Americans soldiers spent 
their R&R at Mackay, and many became longtime friends of local 
families. When the Baker's Creek memorial was unveiled on May 11, 1992, 
only the names of the six aircrew and the sole survivor were known. A 
complete list of casualties did not exist in U.S. or Australian 
archives.
  After extensive, painstaking research, a plague with the names of all 
casualties was rededicated on June 14, 1995. Their names are: Sgt. Carl 
A. Cunningham, T/5 George A. Ehrmann, F/0 William C. Erb, Sgt. David E. 
Tileston, Sgt. Dean H. Busse, Pfc. Jerome Abraham, S/Sgt. Frank E. 
Whelchel, S/Sgt. Lovell D. Curtis, 1/Lt. Vern J. Gidcumb, Pfc. Norman 
J. Goetz, T/Sgt. Leo E. Fletcher, Pfc. Frederick C. Sweet, Pfc. Kenneth 
W. Mann, Pfc. Charles M. Williams, Cpl. Marlin N. Metzger, Pfc. Vernon 
Johnson, Capt. John O. Berthold, Cpl. Charles W. Sampson, Cpl. Franklin 
F. Smith, Maj. George N. Powell, Pfc. Arnold Seidel, 2/Lt. Jack A. 
Ogren, Cpl. Jacob O. Skaggs, Jr., Pvt. James E. Finney, T/Sgt. Alfred 
H. Fezza, Sgt. Donald B. Kyper, Pfc. Frank S. Penska, Sgt. Anthony 
Rudnick, Cpl. Raymond H. Smith, T/5 William A. Briggs, Pfc. John W. 
Parker, Pvt. Charles D. Montgomery, S/Sgt. Charlie O. LaRue, Cpl. Foye 
K. Roberts (Sole Survivor) S/Sgt. Roy A. Hatlen, S/Sgt. John W. 
Hilsheimer, Cpl. Edward Tenny and Pfc. Dale Van Fosson. Since the 
Memorial's unveiling, an effort has been made to locate the final 
resting places of the victims, and to trace their family relatives. The 
search continues today.
  The men who lost their lives that day and the one who survived, 
regarded themselves as ordinary men. We know better. They like so many 
before and after them, answered our Nation's call to arms. We needed 
them and they came. Many went, some gave all.
  These men renewed for the ``Greatest Generation'' the cherished 
American ethos of service to Nation. They came from farms and 
factories, from city streets and country lanes. In doing so, they 
transcended from ordinary men with common dreams to extraordinary 
citizens with uncommon valor. Their example enabled our young men and 
women today to take up arms when we needed them for Operation Iraqi 
Freedom. Regrettably, some of them made the ultimate sacrifice as well.
  It is my fervent hope this June 14, along with the salute to the Army 
and our grand flag, that we also salute the men who gave their lives at 
Baker's Creek. We owe a special thanks to the Baker's Creek Memorial 
Association for keeping their memories alive and for helping their 
families discover their loved ones' fate.

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