[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 194 (Tuesday, December 18, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2597-E2598]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 RECOGNIZING THE LIFE OF CASIMIR LENARD

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MARCY KAPTUR

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, December 17, 2007

  Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Col. Casimir I. 
Lenard AUS (Ret.) who passed from this life on December 7, 2007. At 
exactly the same moment, the Polish-American Congress was holding a 
recognition ceremony during which he was awarded with the first-ever 
Polish-American Congress Medal of Freedom.
  Casimir Lenard was born in Chicago, Illinois on March 10, 1918. Even 
though Chicago had an ever-expanding Polish population, at the age of 
10 he journeyed to Poland, a country who regained its independence 
after more then a century of being ruled by its neighbors. He studied 
at the Jesuit Gimnazjum in Chyrow, Poland. Upon completion, he returned 
to the United States to attend Northwestern University where he 
received a Bachelor of Science degree in Economic History.
  In receipt of his degrees, he learned of the German-Nazi's invasion 
of Poland. Upon hearing this news, he immediately joined the Chicago 
Black Horse Troop, 106th Cavalry, Illinois National Guard. This 
commenced a meritorious and distinguished military career. When the 
United States was drawn into the conflict in Europe, in 1941, he became 
part of the first U.S. Army to go overseas as a commissioned 2nd 
Lieutenant, assigned to the 1st U.S. Infantry Division. As a member of 
the 1st Reconnaissance Troop, Lenard was engaged in overseas combat 
duty from 1942 to 1945. He participated in major operations in the 
European Theatre including the D-Day invasion. He also served as press 
and radio censor with the Supreme Headquarters of the Allied 
Expeditionary Forces.
  In 1945, he returned to the United States where he married Casimira 
(Myra) Lamot. He worked in the family restaurant business, known as 
``Lenard's Little Poland'' in Chicago and ``Lenard's Casino'' Summer 
Resort in Beverly Shores, Indiana. However, when the United States 
engaged in the Korean War, he volunteered for active duty, serving from 
August 1951 to 1957, under special assignment with the Headquarters 
Berlin Command and later in Chicago.

[[Page E2598]]

  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. And as the United States engaged in 
another military conflict in Vietnam, he again heeded the call to 
service in 1967. After his tour, he was a military intelligence 
research analyst at the U.S. Army Institute of Land Combat. In 1970, 
Col. Lenard retired after 30 years of distinguished military service.
  Col. Lenard gained numerous recognitions and awards during his 
extensive military career 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 (Algeria-French Morocco, Tunisia, 
Sicily, Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes-Alsace and Rhineland) and 
numerous other, citations, the last being the Normandy Medal of the 
Jubilee of Liberty.

  Upon retirement from the military, he became the first executive 
director of the Polish-American Congress, Washington D.C. Office. After 
leaving that office in 1974, he became Project Manager of the U.S. 
Bicentennial Ethnic Racial Council. He organized nationwide conferences 
and coordinated local and national U.S. Bicentennial activities, 
providing many opportunities for Polonia participation.
  Together, with his wife Myra, Col. Lenard worked on many initiatives 
to support Polish independence, as the country once again suffered 
under the pervasive influence of its Soviet neighbor. He administered 
millions of dollars in grants at The National Endowment for Democracy 
through the Polish American Congress Charitable Foundation to support 
the budding Polish underground: Solidarity. He helped provide to 
Citizens' Committees with urgently needed technical resources and 
finances. Col. and Mrs. Lenard lead the march toward supporting 
Poland's membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). 
Col. Lenard served on the Board of Directors of the American Red Cross. 
Moreover, Col. Lenard was well-known for his advocacy of close 
relations between Poles and Jews, the two groups that suffered the most 
under German-Nazi rule.
  For his work with the Polish-American Community, the Polish-American 
Congress and the embitterment of Poland's position in the world, 
Colonel Lenard and his wife Myra, either jointly or as individuals, 
received many awards. These included the following: the Commander's 
Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland with Star, 
Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland, 
Polish Cavalry saber with inscription ``For Your Freedom and Ours From 
The Grateful Nation of Poland,'' the Polish-National Alliance's ``Gold 
Cross Legion of Honor,'' the Polish Apostolate ``Pride of Polish 
American Community Award, the Founders Award and the Grand Cross of the 
Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland.
  Myra Lenard passed from this life on May 1, 2000, later to be joined 
with her husband. They are survived by their three children: George, 
Antoinette and Elizabeth as well as their grandson Jeffrey Lenard.
  The Polish-American Congress Medal of Freedom was awarded to Col. 
Lenard on December 7, 2007. Since he was unable to obtain his award and 
the gratitude of Polish-Americans in person, it is a fitting to 
conclude this record of a remarkable man with the acceptance speech he 
wrote, but could not make upon receipt of this honor:

       Merry Christmas to all of my dear friends.
       This is the first time in many years that I will not be 
     able to share with you the wonderful holiday celebration we 
     all look forward to that is sponsored by the Washington 
     office of the Polish-American Congress.
       Nonetheless, I am with you in spirit. I cherish the 
     memories of our long association together, our common 
     struggles in favor of a free and democratic Poland and in 
     favor of Polish-American culture and the values that we all 
     share.''

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