[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 111 (Thursday, September 8, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S9822]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             IN HONOR OF LIEUTENANT COMMANDER LUKE CLYBURN

  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, it is with great pride that I pay tribute 
to an exceptional educator and steward of the Great Lakes, LCDR Luke 
Clyburn. Commander Clyburn is captain of the ship ``Pride of Michigan'' 
and president of the Noble Odyssey Foundation. He is an innovative, 
committed leader who has worked for more than 32 years to educate young 
people about the importance of the Great Lakes and other fresh water 
lakes through the Naval Sea Cadets training program. We are grateful 
for his long and distinguished service.
  The U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps was incorporated by an act of Congress 
in 1962, and a Great Lakes Division was added in 1973. The mission of 
the Corps is to ``encourage and aid American youth to develop, train 
them in seagoing skills, and to teach them patriotism, courage, self-
reliance and kindred virtues.'' For more than 32 years, Commander 
Clyburn has accepted that charge.
  Under Commander Clyburn's able leadership, the Sea Cadet program 
acquired a retired naval vessel, the ``Noble Odyssey,'' in 1977. On it, 
Sea Cadets from Michigan learned to man a ship from bow to stern, and 
they took part in invigorating scientific missions. With the cadets as 
crew, Commander Clyburn put together a series of Great Lakes research 
projects with professional scientists.
  In 1989, it was my honor to help Commander Clyburn replace the 
``Noble Odyssey'' with a larger ship, another retired naval vessel, the 
``Pride of Michigan.'' On the ``Pride of Michigan,'' Luke has continued 
the same great work with the same great results. The scientific work 
has included significant research on invasive zebra mussels, which are 
harming the Great Lakes, and an investigation of an ancient drowned 
forest 2 miles off of Lexington, MI. These projects have been filmed 
and produced into documentaries, including the educational videos 
``Fresh Water Invaders,'' ``Angels of the Sea,'' ``Emperor,'' ``The 
Underwater Forest,'' and ``The Norwood Project.''
  In 2002, the Noble Odyssey Foundation was established as a nonprofit 
organization to raise money for the Sea Cadet Corps. With Luke as its 
president, the foundation has ensured the future of the Naval Sea Cadet 
Program, Great Lakes Division.
  Commander Clyburn has dedicated himself to teaching young people 
about the importance of fresh water and how to protect these resources 
for future generations. He has been an inspiration and a gift to so 
many youth, and, along the way, he has made great contributions to 
scientific discovery. I know that my colleagues join me in thanking and 
praising Commander Clyburn for his distinguished service to our 
country.

                          ____________________