[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 195 (Wednesday, December 19, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2603]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     TO HONOR PAUL VICTOR LINSTROM

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. MARILYN N. MUSGRAVE

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 18, 2007

  Mrs. MUSGRAVE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Paul Victor 
Linstrom who was born May 31, 1926, in Whitewood, SD. Paul attended 
school in Sturgis, SD. He joined the Navy in August of 1943, finishing 
his high school GED and naval training at the U.S. Naval Training 
Station at Farragut, ID. He was listed as a graduate of the class of 
1944 at Sturgis High School. He was assigned to the Pierre Victory 
troop transport ship as a signalman and spent his military tour in the 
South Pacific. Paul was honorably discharged from the Navy in July 
1946.
  Paul married Isabelle Gerhard on September 21, 1946, in Sturgis, 
where he started his truck driving career for his Dad's business. Paul 
and his family moved to Rapid City in 1950 where he started a 25-year 
career as an over-the-road, sleeper, truck driver for United Buckingham 
Transport. He also drove for AMOCO Oil Co. of Rapid City from 1975 to 
1990, when he retired.
  He loved fishing, hunting, traveling and camping in the Black Hills 
as well as and throughout the American West, Mexico, and Canada. In 
1965, he helped organize the ``Black Hills Hillbillies'', a camping 
club associated with the Red Dale National Campers Club, serving as the 
Head Scout for the Hillbillies and hosting a number of National Rallies 
in South Dakota, as a 36-year member.
  Paul and Isabelle spent 10 years wintering in Apache Junction, AZ, 
meeting many new friends in the RV Park and taking bus trips in 
Arizona, California and Mexico. Paul and Isabelle raised two daughters, 
Paula Kay LaPorte, who is married to John LaPorte, and Deborah Ann 
Phelps, who is married to Mike Phelps. They have four grandchildren and 
four great-grandchildren.
  Madam Speaker, we are so fortunate to live in this great country 
where freedom is something that we rarely have to think about and often 
take for granted. It is simply a way of life for us, and we are truly 
blessed to live in a country whose citizens willingly volunteer to put 
themselves in harm's way to defend and protect our great Nation.
  I am proud to honor Paul for his dedicated service to our Nation. 
Paul is an American hero who left his home to defend our Nation, and 
then returned home to be a valued member of his community, showing his 
children and grandchildren how to live meaningful lives of service. 
Paul truly is the embodiment of all the values that have molded America 
into the great Nation it is today. May God bless Paul and his family, 
may God bless our precious veterans, and may God bless America.

                          ____________________