[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 54 (Wednesday, March 28, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E661]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO JOHN WALTERSHAUSEN

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. MARILYN N. MUSGRAVE

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 27, 2007

  Mrs. MUSGRAVE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Mr. 
John Waltershausen of Littleton, CO.
  Mr. Waltershausen was born in Chicago, IL, and served in the United 
States Army Air Corps during World War II from 1944-1946. During his 
military service, he played a heroic role in an incredibly significant 
moment in history, what many historians now believe to be the end of 
World War II. I believe his story is most worthy of being preserved in 
the Congressional Record.
  Five days after the bombing of Nagasaki, copilot John Waltershausen 
and the other nine crew members of the B-29B Super Fortress Boomerang 
flew, along with 142 other bombers, in what is now known as the ``Last 
Mission.''
  Awaiting word of surrender from Japan, John and his crew were ordered 
on one last assignment, to bomb an oil refinery in Akita, Japan. The 
Japanese did not think that the U.S. could reach Akita from Guam and, 
as such, did not build strong defenses there.
  Even though the crew of the Boomerang knew they might not have enough 
fuel to get back, the crew proceeded in the mission to take out 67 
percent of Japan's remaining oil refining capacity, as well as causing 
an air raid blackout alert.
  Unbeknownst to them, a group of Japanese officers attempted to 
prolong the war by staging a coup d'etat in seizing Japan's Imperial 
Palace and with it Emperor Hirohito. Upon the takeover of the Imperial 
Palace, the rebel leader Hatanaka learned that Emperor Hirohito had 
left the palace. Knowing that Hirohito had recorded a message of 
surrender that had not yet been broadcast on Japanese radio, the rebel 
officers hoped to sway the Japanese military into continuing the war 
with the U.S. However, because of the blackout caused by the U.S. 
bombing mission that included John Waltershausen's B-29B Boomerang, the 
rebel officers were unable to find the emperor's recording or to 
broadcast their own message to the Japanese people and soon lost their 
control of the situation. The message of surrender from Emperor 
Hirohito was broadcast the next morning.
  The ``Last Mission'' was 3,800 miles and the longest mission flown up 
to that time. By a bizarre twist of fate, it also marked the end of 
World War II.
  After the war, John married Sally Erwin and they had two daughters, 
Karen and Karoline. Today, they have 4 grandsons--Gregory, Benjamin, 
Jacob, and Samuel. John spent the last 45 years of his life in 
Colorado, with his happiest days being in the beautiful Colorado 
mountains.
  Madam Speaker, I am grateful for Mr. Waltershausen's selfless service 
to our Nation. His story should be preserved for posterity. I urge my 
colleagues to join me in recognizing a man worthy of our honor, Mr. 
John Waltershausen.

                          ____________________