[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 92 (Thursday, June 18, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1500]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO JERRY W. MARTY

                                 ______
                                 

                    HON. F. JAMES SENSENBRENNER, JR.

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 18, 2009

  Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Jerry W. 
Marty for a career of service to our country. For 40 years, Mr. Marty 
toiled to advance his dream of exploring the Arctic. Having worked 
after college for a civilian contractor under the U.S. Antarctic 
Research Program and as an infantry Imjin Scout in the U.S. Army, Mr. 
Marty is most known for his research at the South Pole. Later this 
month, Jerry will retire from the National Science Foundation (NSF). 
After 15 consecutive seasons at the South Pole, on June 30, 2009, Mr. 
Marty will begin a new chapter in his life.
  From 1998 until his retirement Jerry served as the NSF 
Representative, South Pole Station and as Facilities Construction and 
Maintenance Manager for the South Pole Station Modernization Project, 
building a new elevated station, and the home of cutting edge research 
in topics ranging from astrophysics and origins of the universe, to 
climate change. It is a 65,000 square foot elevated research station 
that sits atop a moving ice sheet on stilts to protect it from snow 
drifts. The official dedication of the new station took place on 
January 12, 2008.
  Jerry was involved in the Nation's Antarctic research program from 
1969 until his retirement. He is one of the few people on Earth who can 
say he was involved, in some aspect, with every South Pole station. He 
was Assistant Construction Manager for completion of the second South 
Pole Station, including the iconic Dome enclosure for the station's 
buildings and was present for the dedication in 1975, helping to 
transition from the original station built in 1957. During 1994-1998 he 
served as Construction Manager associated with planning for 
modernization of South Pole Station, and oversaw the construction of 
the current station. Since October of 1994 he has not missed a single 
season at the South Pole, sacrificing holidays and birthdays with his 
family. In all, his service at the South Pole totals almost 5 years of 
his life.
  His vision of traveling the world started with a pulldown map in his 
one-room school house in Monroe, Wisconsin, where he grew up as the son 
of a dairy farmer. He went on to graduate from the University of 
Wisconsin, Platteville with a B.S. from the School of Industry, with an 
emphasis in Construction Management. He also served for 2 years 
starting in 1970 with the U.S. Army in South Korea, where he spent time 
in the demilitarized zone as an Imjin Scout (2nd Infantry Division).
  To honor his dedicated years of service to building state of the art 
research facilities in the highest, driest, coldest, windiest place on 
Earth, Jerry was honored by the United States Board on Geographic Names 
by having the Marty Nunataks named after him. The Marty Nunataks are a 
group comprising about six nunataks in the western part of the 
Britannia Range in Antarctica.
  In 1997, as Chairman of the Science Committee, I had the privilege of 
meeting Jerry during a visit I made to our research facilities in 
Antarctica to witness firsthand the research and construction that 
Americans were conducting at the South Pole and to evaluate the working 
and living conditions for our personnel stationed there. I was 
impressed with the dedication and expertise of the individuals on site. 
It was evident then, as it is now, that Jerry was admired by his 
colleagues.
  Having worked diligently to ensure that the South Pole Station 
Modernization Project was authorized and funded, I am especially proud 
to honor Jerry on this occasion of his retirement for his dedication to 
the Nation's Antarctic Program since 1969. His unending commitment to 
the support of science will be remembered by all who know him.

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