[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 191 (Thursday, December 13, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S15458]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             CASIMIR LENARD

 Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, today I wish to pay tribute to 
the life and legacy of a great American who passed away last week--
Casimir Lenard.
  Cas Lenard was an American patriot, who also made a tremendous 
contribution to strengthening the friendship between the United States 
and Poland. He served bravely in three U.S. wars. He was a leader in 
the Polish American Community. He was also a beloved husband to the 
late Myra Lenard, his partner in life and his partner in his work on 
behalf of the Polish American community.
  Cas Lenard was born in Chicago to a family of Polish immigrants. Like 
so many children of immigrants, Cas Lenard embraced his country while 
never forgetting his homeland.
  After hearing that the Nazis had invaded Poland in 1939, Cas joined 
the Chicago Black Horse Troop, 106th Cavalry, Illinois National Guard. 
Two years later, he requested and was assigned to the 1st U.S. Infantry 
Division--the first U.S. Army unit to go overseas. From 1942-1945, Cas 
was engaged in overseas combat duty, participating in the Operation 
Torch landing at Oran, North Africa, the invasion of Sicily, and in the 
D-Day amphibious landing at Omaha Beach, Normandy.
  After his discharge from the Army in 1945, Cas married his beloved 
wife, Myra, and began working in the family restaurant business in 
Chicago. Again heeding the call to service, Cas volunteered for active 
duty and served for 6 years during the Korean War. In 1962, he was 
selected for a 5-year tour of active duty with the General Staff at the 
Pentagon, where he became Chief of the Army Intelligence Reserve 
Office. Cas then went on to serve in Vietnam and at the U.S. Army 
Institute of Land Combat at Ft. Belvoir, Virginia.
  After 30 years of distinguished service, Cas retired from the 
military and was awarded many citations, including the Silver Star 
Medal with Cluster, the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal, 
the Bronze Star Medal with ``V'' for Valor, the French Croix de Guerre 
with Palm, seven overseas campaign ribbons, and the Normandy Medal of 
the Jubilee of Liberty.
  I got to know Cas and Myra Lenard because of their work with the 
Polish American Congress--where Cas served as its first executive 
director in Washington.
  Cas and Myra worked tirelessly to support the Solidarity movement in 
Poland. And when the wall came down, Cas and Myra Lenard were strong 
advocates for Poland's membership in the North Atlantic Treaty 
Organization, NATO. The Lenards were there every step of the way--
organizing the Polish American community to educate their Senators 
about how Poland's membership in NATO would strengthen America's 
security.
  For all of his efforts on behalf of Polish Americans and for 
improving Poland's position in the world, Cas received many awards, 
including the Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic 
of Poland, the Founders Award by the Polish American Congress, and the 
Polish American Congress Medal of Freedom.
  Cas Lenard's life was a triumph. His legacy is a deep friendship and 
alliance between the United States and a free, democratic Poland. His 
children and grandchildren are in my thoughts and prayers.

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