[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 192 (Thursday, December 17, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S13380]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     REMEMBERING ORVAL ALLEN KELSO

 Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, today I wish to ask my colleagues to 
join me in recognizing the accomplishments of Mr. Orval Allen Kelso.
  Today, deeply engaged in a war on terror, thousands of American 
civilians are working and serving in harm's way. Like the brave men and 
women serving in uniform, these patriotic citizens risk their lives 
every day in an effort to rebuild a stronger future for the people of 
Iraq. However, they are not alone. American civilian contractors have 
been operating in combat theatres since as early as World War II, and I 
am here today to tell you about one of those.
  Hailing from Emmett, ID, Orval Allen Kelso arrived on Wake Island in 
the North Pacific in June 1941, working as a powerplant operator for 
Morrison Knudsen. Mr. Kelso worked as a powerplant operator until 
December 1941, when he was captured and taken as a POW to Camp 18, 
Sesabo, Japan. While a POW at Camp 18, Orval helped build the Soto Dam 
that provides water to Sesabo city today. He, among several hundred 
civilian POWs, built this dam with hardly the right tools to work with, 
malnutrition, improper clothing, and daily physical and emotional abuse 
by their captors. Orval later died in Camp 18 on April 8, 1943, just 
days after his birthday. In 1949, his only child, Walter Richard 
``Dick'' Kelso, reclaimed his father's remains, and brought him back to 
rest on U.S. soil at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in 
Honolulu, HI. I also note that although Mr. Kelson was a civilian 
during the time I have discussed, after his death, the Department of 
the Navy awarded him an E4 military status.
  It is fitting that we honor Mr. Kelso for his sacrifice and also be 
reminded of the many others who were taken prisoner or who paid the 
ultimate sacrifice working in harm's way. We often forget about the 
nonmilitary Americans who gave their all for the freedoms we cherish in 
our great Nation. Let us help remedy that today by recognizing Mr. 
Kelso and the civilian POWs taken during World War II. They are an 
exemplary example of the selflessness displayed by Americans in an 
effort to bring peace and freedom to millions, and we thank them for 
their sacrifice.

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