[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 176 (Tuesday, December 1, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2846]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING WILLIAM J. ROGERS

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. MICHAEL H. MICHAUD

                                of maine

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 1, 2009

  Mr. MICHAUD. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 
accomplishments of William J. Rogers of Auburn, ME.
  Bill Rogers was a model American. He fought to protect our country, 
was an advocate for veterans and a leader in his community. Bill was 
born and grew up in Auburn, Maine. He attended Syracuse University, but 
his education was cut short when he enlisted in the Navy to fight in 
World War II. During flight school he was classmates with Major League 
Baseball Hall of Famer Ted Williams and Boston Red Sox great Johnny 
Pesky. He was roommates with the latter. Bill Rogers flew F6F Hellcat 
Fighter planes and Lockheed Ventura Submarine hunters in the pacific 
theatre. When he left the military after the war in 1946, his 
decorations included the Air Medal and the Presidential Unit Citation.
  After the war, he became very active in veterans affairs. He was a 
founding member of American Legion Post 153 in Auburn, where he held 
several offices at both the local and state levels including adjutant, 
vice commander and department commander. On the national level, he was 
Maine's national executive committeeman, a member of the liaison 
committee to the National Public Relations Commission and national vice 
commander from 1965 to 1966. In 1976, he was elected national commander 
of the American Legion, the first national commander from the State of 
Maine. In his capacity as commander, he met with Panamanian dictator 
General Omar Torrijos and then testified before a congressional 
committee on the process of returning the canal back to Panama.
  During his tenure as commander, he also met with Presidents Ford and 
Carter, Mexico's President Lopez Portillo, Ferdinand Marcos of the 
Philippines, and President Chieng of the Republic of China. During his 
year as national commander, he traveled more than 300,000 miles 
throughout the world representing millions of veterans in all 50 states 
and 17 countries.
  Bill Rogers was a lifelong member of the American Legion, the Army/
Navy Club, the Navy League of the U.S., the Veterans of Foreign Wars, 
and a trustee of the Maine Veterans' Home. Bill was named Auburn 
Maine's Citizen of the Year in 1995. The State of Maine and the 
American Legion are honoring his memory and hard work by dedicating 
American Legion Post 153 to him.
  Madam Speaker, please join me in honoring William J. Rogers for his 
life of dedication and service to his community and his country.

                          ____________________