[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 59 (Tuesday, April 15, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E621]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             TRIBUTE TO LIEUTENANT COLONEL ALBERT P. BARRY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN P. MURTHA

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 15, 2008

  Mr. MURTHA. Madam Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to 
recognize the late Lt. Col. Albert P. Barry, USMC (Ret.). On December 
2, 2007, Lt. Col. Barry passed away at his South Carolina home with his 
loving wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Taylor Barry, by his side. On January 16, 
2008, he received full U.S. Marine Corps honors at Arlington National 
Cemetery. The date was very special in that it would have been Al and 
Liz's 20th wedding anniversary.
  Madam Speaker, Al lived a full and courageous life even through his 
battle with glioblastoma, terminal brain cancer. He refused to give up 
and he and Liz filled their last year with hope, prayer, and as much 
laughter as possible. Sustained by family and all those who knew him 
well, Al's reaction was typical of the Marine within. He had been given 
his ``orders''--by physicians this time--and he set out to ``beat it.'' 
He never complained--and never failed to be Al Barry.
  Albert P. Barry was born on April 12, 1936, in New Haven, 
Connecticut. He earned a Bachelor's Degree at Tufts University and a 
Master's Degree at Syracuse University. In 1958, he joined the U.S. 
Marine Corps, was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in December 1959, 
and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1979. His 21-year active duty 
service in the Marine Corps included tours with three Marine Divisions. 
He served as a Marine Barracks Commanding Officer in the Personnel 
Management and Assignment Office at Marine Corps Headquarters, and 
completed his career in the Liaison Office to the United States Senate 
from July 1975 until November 1979. He spent two tours in the Vietnam 
War with duty as an Aerial Observer; he served as a Battery Commander 
twice, a Battalion Operations Officer, an Assistant Regimental 
Operations Officer, and a Marine Amphibious Unit Operations Officer and 
Fire Support Coordinator. He received many notable personal decorations 
during his military service, which include the Legion of Merit, the 
Bronze Star with Combat ``V,'' the Air Medal, the Navy Commendation 
Medal with the Combat ``V,'' the Navy Achievement Medal, the Combat 
Action Ribbon, the Presidential Unit Citation, the Navy Unit Citation, 
the Vietnam Staff Service Honor Medal and other campaign medals.
  Following his U.S. Marine Corps Service, Mr. Barry served as a 
Legislative Director in the U.S. Senate and was appointed in 1981 as 
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense in the Reagan Administration. He 
was awarded the Department of Defense Civilian Distinguished Service 
Medal in 1985.
  Mr. Barry's professional positions included Director of Legislative 
Affairs for Sikorsky Aircraft, Director of Washington Operations for 
Pneumo Abex Corporation, and Vice President of Washington Operations 
for AAI Corporation. He was active in defense and industrial 
associations, and officially retired in March of 2006.
  Surviving family in addition to his wife, Elizabeth, include eight 
children, two step-children, five sons-in-law, one daughter-in-law, and 
eleven grandchildren. The children are Barbara Barry, Emily Helm, Paul 
Barry, Kathleen Mullins, Eileen Macleay, Beatrice McMurrer, Sarah 
Smith, Matthew Barry, Tanya Taylor, and Tom Taylor.
  Madam Speaker, Lt. Col. Albert Barry was a true American Patriot. He 
was a man who loved his family and did his duty to his country. He was 
unselfish in service and he was a great friend to many, including 
myself. I want to conclude my remarks by commending him for his life 
well lived and I want to thank him for his many years of service in 
helping to make our country great.

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