[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 85 (Wednesday, May 23, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1137-E1138]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   TRIBUTE TO THE EUGENE A. OBREGON AMERICAN LEGION POST 804 ON THE 
            OCCASION OF ITS 60TH ANNUAL MEMORIAL DAY SERVICE

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. LUCILLE ROYBAL-ALLARD

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 23, 2007

  Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the 
Eugene A. Obregon American Legion Post 804 located in East Los Angeles 
in my congressional district on the occasion of its 60th Annual 
Memorial Day Service.
  Chartered by Congress in 1919, the American Legion was formed as a 
patriotic wartime veterans' community service organization. Thirty-five 
years later, the American Legion Post 804 was chartered locally in East 
Los Angeles.
  Post 804 was named after East Los Angeles war hero Private First 
Class Eugene Arnold Obregon who was killed in Seoul, Korea in 1950 by 
enemy forces while in the line of duty. Private Obregon served with 
Company G, Third Battalion, Fifth Marines, First Marine Division 
(Reinforced) and his death occurred just days before his 20th birthday.
  While serving as an ammunition carrier for a machine gun squad, he 
was pinned down by hostile fire and left his covered position to attend 
to a fallen Marine, dragging him to safer ground. After seizing the 
Marine's shoulder rifle, he used his own body as a shield to protect 
his wounded comrade, firing at the enemy until he was fatally wounded 
by machine gun fire.
  For his courage and selflessness above and beyond the call of duty, 
Private Obregon was posthumously awarded the United States 
Congressional Medal of Honor--the highest award

[[Page E1138]]

for valor in action against an enemy force bestowed upon an individual 
serving in the Armed Services.
  My father, the late Congressman Edward R. Roybal, himself a World War 
II veteran, was extremely grateful to Private Obregon and the many 
other men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our 
nation. My father was among the founding members of Post 804, and it 
was always important to him that Memorial Day be observed with a 
heartfelt and patriotic tribute to the fallen. If my father were with 
us today, he would be the first to commend Post 804 for its 60-year 
tradition of organizing these poignant Memorial Day services.
  This year, the American Legion Post 804 will be holding an 
inspirational 24-hour Memorial Day Patriotic Vigil. It will begin at 10 
a.m. on Sunday, May 27 and conclude on Monday, Memorial Day, May 28 at 
10 a.m. The conclusion of the vigil will mark the beginning of the 
Post's Memorial Day service at Cinco Puntos in East Los Angeles, and 
the entire community has been invited to participate.
  Many of the Post's 150 members who will participate in the service 
know firsthand the toll that war takes on our brave men and women who 
serve. The Post's membership includes veterans of World War I, World 
War II, the Korean War, Vietnam, Lebanon, Grenada, Panama, Afghanistan 
and the Persian Gulf.
  In addition to the Post's Memorial Day service, Post 804 supports and 
sponsors a number of important community events throughout the year, 
including Veterans Day services at Atlantic Park in East Los Angeles, a 
toy drive for the Children of Brooklyn Avenue School, school 
presentations on the American Flag and Patriotism, and voter 
registration and blood drives.
  The Post is also home to Sons of the American Legion Post 804 and the 
Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4696, including its Ladies Auxiliary. The 
Los Angeles Chapter of the Hispanic Airborne Association, the San 
Gabriel Valley Chapter of the 82nd Airborne Association, and the Rice 
Patties Jumpers Chapter of 187th Regiment also call the Post home.
  Madam Speaker, I salute Post 804 for its patriotic and meaningful 
work in the community and for steadfastly holding true to its basic 
tenants to safeguard ``the principles of justice, freedom and 
democracy'' and ``to promote peace and goodwill on earth . . .'' 
Through its efforts in organizing Memorial Day services and its other 
important community undertakings, the Post serves as a living memorial 
to our men and women in uniform who have made the ultimate sacrifice 
for our country.
  I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the outstanding work of 
the Eugene A. Obregon American Legion Post 804 on the occasion of its 
60th Annual Memorial Day Service at Cinco Puntos in East Los Angeles, 
and in commending the Post for its dedication to preserving the 
memories of our brave soldiers to ensure that we ``never forget.''

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