[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 46 (Tuesday, April 25, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E594]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            TRIBUTE TO AN AMERICAN HERO--MICHAEL J. NOVOSEL

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                           HON. TERRY EVERETT

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 25, 2006

  Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to one of 
America's greatest military heroes, Michael J. ``Mike'' Novosel, who 
passed away on April 2 at the age of 83 at Walter Reed Army Hospital in 
Washington, DC.
  Mike Novosel was a remarkable man who ranked among the best who ever 
donned a military uniform. I'm proud to point out that he spent much of 
his life in southeast Alabama where he had a monumental impact on the 
mission of the U.S. Army Aviation Center at Fort Rucker.
  Born in Pennsylvania in 1922, Novosel joined the U.S. Army Air Force 
when he was 19. His training eventually took him to Maxwell Air Force 
Base where he qualified to fly the B-29 Superfortress. In 1945, he flew 
four Pacific combat missions with the 58th Bombardment Wing during the 
final days of World War II. But he did not stop there. Novosel 
commanded a B-29 as part of a fly-over during the Japanese surrender 
ceremony. His military career then led him to command the 99th 
Bombardment Squadron in the Pacific where he served until 1947 when he 
returned to the United States as a B-29 test pilot and then joined the 
Air Force Reserve. Soon after, he was called back to active duty at the 
Air Command and Staff School during the Korean War. But this was all 
just the beginning for Novosel.
  During the Vietnam War, then Lt. Col. Novosel volunteered for duty in 
the Air Force Reserve. However, he was turned down because of his age. 
So, he traded his blue suit for the uniform of a U.S. Army warrant 
officer, and instead of piloting B-29's, took the stick of a Bell UH-l 
Huey. As a ``dust-off'' helicopter pilot, Novosel served two tours in 
Vietnam, totaling 2,543 missions airlifting 5,600 medical evacuees. 
Amazingly, one of the men he rescued was his own son, who, ironically, 
later rescued him. In one rescue mission, Novosel braved tremendous 
enemy fire to rescue no less than 29 men.
  His bravery resulted in his receiving the Congressional Medal of 
Honor. He returned stateside to instruct the Army's Golden Knights 
parachute team at Fort Bragg and later he taught the Warrant Officer 
Career College at Fort Rucker. In 1985, Novosel was the last World War 
II pilot still flying. Fort Rucker named its main street ``Novosel 
Avenue'' for him, and after retirement Novosel remained in Enterprise, 
Alabama where he was an active member of the community until his death.
  Mr. Speaker, Chief Warrant Officer Four Mike Novosel will rightfully 
be buried in Arlington National Cemetery alongside America's other 
great heroes. We can all be proud of his exemplary record, and I extend 
my condolences to his family.

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