[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 84 (Wednesday, May 21, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S4615]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 REMEMBERING ELWOOD ``WOODY'' LECHAUSSE

 Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I wish today to honor the life and 
service of Elwood Lechausse of Manchester, CT, who died on Saturday May 
17, 2008. Mr. Lechausse, known to many as ``Woody,'' enlisted in the 
U.S. Army in 1958, the day after his 18th birthday, and served with 
distinction in the 101st Airborne Division in both Turkey and South 
Vietnam.
  Mr. Lechausse's service to his country did not end with his departure 
from the military in 1965. Following his honorable discharge from the 
Army, Mr. Lechausse dedicated himself to supporting his fellow 
veterans. For over 35 years, Mr. Lechausse was a tireless advocate for 
veterans issues, serving in leadership positions in more than two dozen 
veterans organizations, including serving as a senior member of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs Board of Trustees and the Secretary and 
Treasurer of the Connecticut Veterans Coalition from 1988-2002 and the 
Department of Connecticut Adjutant of the Disabled American Veterans.
  Mr. Lechausse worked hard to educate his fellow Americans on the 
importance of honoring our veterans and recognizing the challenges they 
faced. Whether testifying before the U.S. Congress or speaking in the 
local classroom, Mr. Lechausse carried himself with a vigor and passion 
that spoke volumes of his dedication to advocating on behalf of his 
fellow veterans.
  In 2003, Mr. Lechausse was named as a Connecticut Treasure for his 
work on behalf of Connecticut's veterans. In 2007, in recognition of 
the many lives he touched throughout nearly four decades of service, 
Mr. Lechausse was inducted into the Connecticut Veterans Hall of Fame.
  Mr. Lechausse was a valuable friend of my office, and all of us in 
Connecticut owe a deep debt of gratitude to Mr. Lechausse for his 
service to both his country and his fellow veterans. On behalf of the 
Senate, I offer my most sincere condolences to Mr. Lechausse's wife, 
Kathryn, his children James and Ralph, and all those who were touched 
by his tremendous spirit. With Woody's passing, Connecticut and the 
Nation's veterans have lost a powerful voice that will be sorely 
missed.

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