[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 68 (Thursday, April 26, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E876-E877]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 IN HONOR OF RICHARD GRESKO AND EXPRESSING THAT HE SHOULD RECEIVE THE 
 MEDAL OF HONOR FOR HIS COURAGEOUS ACTIONS ON MARCH 11, 1970 IN VIETNAM

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                         HON. PATRICK J. MURPHY

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 26, 2007

  Mr. PATRICK J. MURPHY of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I rise today to 
pay tribute Richard Gresko, one of America's true heroes. The reason 
for my statement today, however, is to correct a grave injustice done 
to him by our country.
  In March of 1970 Richard Gresko was in Vietnam serving as a lance 
corporal in the United States Marine Corps. On the night of March 11, 
1970 Gresko was leading three of his fellow marines in an ambush to 
protect a village from the Viet Cong. Around midnight Gresko's team was 
surprised from behind by the enemy. A firefight ensued and one of the 
enemy threw a grenade in between Gresko and his men.
  As the citation on his military award reads, ``With complete 
disregard for his own personal safety and fully aware of the dangers 
involved, he unhesitatingly threw himself on top of the grenade, 
absorbing most of the blast fragments with his own body in order to 
protect his men from certain injury and possible death.'' Despite being 
painfully wounded, Gresko continued to direct his men in combat. When 
he was helicoptered out to receive medical treatment, he continued to 
give information about the enemy despite bleeding profusely with 
hundreds of pieces of shrapnel in his face, arms and chest. Madam 
Speaker, it is a miracle that he survived.
  Madam Speaker, I wish I could be here today to say that Richard 
Gresko, a man who unhesitatingly risked his own life to save his fellow 
marines, received the recognition that he deserves, but sadly I cannot. 
Mr. Gresko's bravery, sacrifice, and valor are beyond question, yet he 
has not been honored as he should. To truly honor this brave American, 
he should be awarded the Medal of Honor. Despite the fact that Gresko's 
commanding officer immediately put him in for the Medal of Honor, 6 
years would pass before any recognition of Mr. Gresko's heroism was 
made by our Nation when he was awarded the Navy Cross.
  Madam Speaker, as a former soldier I appreciate the amount of courage 
and bravery it takes to do what Mr. Gresko did for his men. There is no 
room for subjectivity in this matter. Richard Gresko risked his life to 
save men under his command. That is the highest form of sacrifice a 
serviceman can make and it deserves the highest honor that our Nation 
can bestow.
  For over 30 years Mr. Gresko has patiently waited for the recognition 
that he deserves. His case has undergone countless reviews but each 
time is caught in a web of bureaucracy and dead ends. It is high time 
that we honor this hero and pay tribute to him for what he did for us. 
For that reason, Madam Speaker, I am introducing a bill to authorize 
and request that the President of the United States award Richard 
Gresko the Medal of Honor for his acts of valor on March 11, 1970, in 
Vietnam.

[[Page E877]]

  As if his gallantry on the battlefield was not enough, Mr. Gresko is 
also a pillar of his community in Newtown, PA, in my district. He is a 
father, a grandfather, and a husband of more than 38 years. Even today, 
despite the fact that he lives in constant pain from the injuries he 
sustained that night, Mr. Gresko is adamant that he would do it all 
over again. His instincts told him to run from that grenade, but Mr. 
Gresko says, ``You have to overcome that. You know you're gonna die, 
but you have to protect your men. Sometimes the whole is more important 
than the one.''
  Madam Speaker, Richard Gresko is truly among the finest that America 
has to offer. It is my hope that with the introduction of this bill we 
will move one small step closer toward correcting an injustice that has 
gone unrecognized for almost 4 decades. Our Nation must do right by 
this hero whose actions define the phrase ``above and beyond the call 
of duty.''

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