[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 54 (Tuesday, March 31, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E822]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         HONORING HANK PITTMAN

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GEORGE RADANOVICH

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 31, 2009

  Mr. RADANOVICH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Hank 
Pittman upon being named as a ``Distinguished Life Member'' by the 
Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 9896. Mr. Pittman was honored on 
Saturday, January 31, 2009.
  Mr. Pittman was born in Madera, California in September 1947. He was 
raised in Chowchilla, graduated from Chowchilla High School in 1965 and 
immediately enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He completed Navy boot camp in 
San Diego and was designated as a shipfitter. He was assigned to the 
USS Long Beach, a guided missile cruiser, and in 1966 was deployed to 
the Western Pacific. The cruiser served in the Gulf of Tonkin to detect 
enemy aircraft attempting to evade identification by hiding among U.S. 
aircraft returning from missions over North Vietnam. The USS Long Beach 
also provided support for Search and Rescue helicopter units that 
rescued downed fliers. During this tour, the ship was responsible for 
downing Soviet-made North Vietnamese An-2 planes attempting to fire on 
South Vietnamese Navy units. In July 1967 the USS Long Beach was re-
deployed to the Gulf of Tonkin and shot down two MiG fighters with RIM-
8 Talos missiles. Crew members were awarded a Meritorious Unit 
Commendation for these actions.
  Upon returning to the U.S., Mr. Pittman was selected for a two month 
training course at the Navy Divers' School in San Diego. When he 
completed the course he was designated as a Hull Maintenance Technician 
(Diver). His next duty station was with the USS Simon Lake, a submarine 
tender in Holy Loch, Scotland. During the next eighteen years he 
completed more courses and steadily progressed in rank while serving on 
a number of ships, naval air stations and bases.
  In 1976, while serving aboard the USS Holland, Mr. Pittman received a 
letter of commendation for superior performance in critical operations 
repairing the hull of the USS Batfish, a nuclear-powered attack 
submarine. Two years later he successfully completed a seventeen week 
Deep Sea Diving and Salvage Course at the Washington Navy Yard. Mr. 
Pittman was promoted to Chief. Throughout his career he served on many 
ships and at many stations around the U.S., Southeast Pacific, Europe, 
the Indian Ocean, Australia, the North Atlantic, Africa, Panama and the 
Caribbean. Chief Pittman retired in February 1987. For his service he 
was awarded the Navy Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service 
Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal with Device, three 
Meritorious Unit Commendations, four awards for the Good Conduct Medal, 
the Navy Expeditionary Medal, the M-14 Rifle Ribbon, the .45 Pistol 
Ribbon and the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.
  After retiring from the Navy, Mr. Pittman worked as a security 
officer, forklift operator and wood cutter. He is a life member of the 
Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 9896, where he served six years as Post 
Commander and attends the Church of Latter Day Saints. He has three 
children and three grandchildren.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend and congratulate Hank Pittman 
upon being named as a ``Distinguished Life Member'' by the Veterans of 
Foreign Wars, Post 9896. I invite my colleagues to join me in wishing 
Mr. Pittman many years of continued success.

                          ____________________