[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 6 (Wednesday, January 20, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H198-H200]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
PRIVATE FIRST CLASS GARFIELD M. LANGHORN POST OFFICE BUILDING
Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 3250) to designate the facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 1210 West Main Street in Riverhead, New York, as the
``Private First Class Garfield M. Langhorn Post Office Building''.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 3250
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. PRIVATE FIRST CLASS GARFIELD M. LANGHORN POST
OFFICE BUILDING.
(a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 1210 West Main Street in Riverhead, New
York, shall be known and designated as the ``Private First
Class Garfield M. Langhorn Post Office Building''.
(b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation,
document, paper, or other record of the United States to the
facility referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be
a reference to the ``Private First Class Garfield M. Langhorn
Post Office Building''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Schock)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Massachusetts.
{time} 1030
General Leave
Mr. LYNCH. I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5
legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and
add any extraneous materials.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Massachusetts?
There was no objection.
Mr. LYNCH. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, as chairman of the House subcommittee with jurisdiction
over the United States Postal Service, I am proud to present H.R. 3250
for consideration. This legislation will designate the facility of the
United States Postal Service located at 1210 West Main Street in
Riverhead, New York, as the ``Private First Class Garfield M. Langhorn
Post Office Building.''
H.R. 3250 was introduced by my colleague and friend Representative
Tim Bishop of New York, on July 17, 2009, and was favorably reported
out of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee by unanimous
consent on October 29, 2009. In addition, the legislation enjoys the
support of the entire New York House delegation.
Born on September 10, 1948, in Cumberland, Virginia, Private First
Class Garfield Langhorn distinguished himself through his brave,
dedicated, and selfless military service during the Vietnam War as a
member of the United States Army's Troop C, 7th Squadron, 17th Cavalry
Regiment, 1st Aviation Brigade.
In recognition of his heroic actions during the Vietnam War, Private
First Class Langhorn posthumously received the Medal of Honor, the
highest military decoration awarded by the United States Government, as
well as the Purple Heart. Private First Class Langhorn was one of 20
African American soldiers to receive the Medal of Honor for their
service during the Vietnam War.
As noted by the citation accompanying his Medal of Honor, Private
First Class Langhorn demonstrated ``conspicuous gallantry and
intrepidity in action at the risk of his life and beyond the call of
duty'' while serving as a radio operator in Troop C in Vietnam's Pleiku
province on January 15, 1969.
Specifically, the citation recounts that Private First Class
Langhorn's
[[Page H199]]
platoon had been inserted into a landing zone in order to rescue two
pilots of a downed Cobra helicopter. While members of his platoon, who
had found the two pilots dead, attempted to take the men's bodies to a
nearby pickup location, Private First Class Langhorn provided radio
coordination and covering fire as the platoon came under intense fire
from enemy forces.
As darkness fell, an enemy hand grenade landed directly in front of
Private First Class Langhorn and only a few feet from several wounded
members of his platoon. In response, and without hesitation, Private
First Class Langhorn threw himself on the grenade and absorbed the
ensuing blast, thereby saving the lives of his comrades by sacrificing
his own.
Accordingly, the Medal of Honor citation further notes that,
``Private First Class Langhorn's extraordinary heroism, at the cost of
his own life, was in keeping with the highest traditions of the
military, and reflects great credit on himself, his unit, and the
United States Army.''
Mr. Speaker, in continued tribute to Private First Class Langhorn's
bravery and self-sacrifice, the members of the United States Army's 7th
Squadron, 17th Cavalry, past and present, have committed themselves to
ensuring that his legacy and his memory lives on.
As noted by retired Sergeant Major Tony Morton, president of the 7th
Squadron 17th Air Cavalry Association, all cavalry troopers assigned to
the squadron must ``earn their spurs'' through the completion of a
grueling 3-day series of tests and tasks known as the ``spur ride.'' It
is notable that completion of one of the stations requires soldiers to
possess a detailed knowledge regarding the service and sacrifice of
Private First Class Langhorn, a requirement that, according to Sergeant
Major Morton, serves to ensure that Private First Class Langhorn ``will
go on in this squadron as long as this squadron is flying the colors.''
In addition, in 2008, the squadron cut the ribbon on a conference
center named after Private First Class Langhorn and the unit's other
Medal of Honor recipient from Vietnam, Sergeant Ray McKibben. Moreover,
the squadron also rededicated a memorial to the two soldiers that has
been relocated from Fort Knox, Kentucky, to the unit's new headquarters
at nearby Fort Campbell on the Kentucky-Tennessee border.
Mr. Speaker, the life of Private First Class Garfield M. Langhorn
stands as a testament to the lives of all those brave men and women who
have served in the United States military and offered our Nation the
ultimate sacrifice. Let us further honor the courageous soldiers
through the passage of H.R. 3250, which designates the Riverhead, New
York, Postal Service building in Private First Class Langhorn's name.
I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 3250.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SCHOCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3250, designating the
facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1210 West Main
Street in Riverhead, New York, as the ``Private First Class Garfield M.
Langhorn Post Office Building.''
Garfield M. Langhorn's selfless and heroic actions, for which he
received the Congressional Medal of Honor, serve as an inspiration to
all Americans.
On January 15, 1969, U.S. Army Private First Class Garfield M.
Langhorn of New York was serving as a radio operator in the Pleiku
province of North Vietnam. His platoon's assignment was to rescue two
helicopter pilots who had been shot down and were behind enemy lines.
Langhorn coordinated with aircraft that were providing cover to his
platoon during the rescue mission. While soldiers in the platoon were
bringing the bodies of two helicopter pilots they were rescuing to an
extraction site, well disguised North Vietnamese soldiers suddenly
surrounded the platoon. Langhorn radioed the support aircraft for
assistance and helped provide cover for the other soldiers in the
platoon.
As night came, the fighting continued, but the air support could no
longer accurately pinpoint the soldiers on the ground. The enemy
soldiers continued to close in. An enemy soldier threw a hand grenade
near Langhorn and wounded several of his colleagues and men. According
to his Congressional Medal of Honor citation, ``choosing to protect
these wounded, he unhesitatingly threw himself on the grenade, scooped
it beneath his body and absorbed the blast. By sacrificing himself, he
saved the lives of his comrades.''
Mr. Speaker, Garfield Langhorn was a true American hero. In his last
dying words, he is reported to have said, ``You have to care.'' Private
First Class Langhorn did care deeply about his fellow soldiers and he
cared about his country. His story is an inspiration to all Americans.
I ask my colleagues to support H.R. 3250 to honor Private First Class
Langhorn's sacrifice for years to come.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman's kind words.
I yield 3 minutes to the chief sponsor of this bill, Mr. Bishop of
New York.
Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, let me start by thanking my
friend Mr. Lynch for his remarks with respect to this legislation. Let
me also thank the gentleman from Illinois for his remarks and his
support of this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I rise as the proud sponsor of H.R. 3250, and I thank
the leadership for calling up this bill to name the United States Post
Office located at 1210 West Main Street in Riverhead, New York, in my
district on Eastern Long Island, as the ``Private First Class Garfield
M. Langhorn Post Office Building''.
It was a journey of a hardworking American family, looking for an
opportunity and a better way of life, that brought the family of
Private First Class Garfield Langhorn of the United States Army from
Cumberland, Virginia, to Riverhead, New York, in the early 1950s.
Private First Class Langhorn's mother still lives in this close-knit
community--her name is Mary--where she raised her son who proudly
answered the call of his country during the Vietnam War. He
distinguished himself as a radio operator and as a good soldier. I am
proud to represent Mrs. Langhorn, and I commend her for the grace and
the dignity with which she carries her loss.
On a hillside in Pleiku province, Private First Class Langhorn heard
an even higher call than service and duty. His ultimate sacrifice saved
the lives of several of his fellow soldiers by selflessly absorbing the
explosion of an enemy grenade within his own body. It was an act of
valor and heroism for which the Medal of Honor was created, and for
which it is solemnly reserved.
Today, the Medal of Honor retains pride of place on Mary Langhorn's
wall as a tangible symbol of the respect and honor her son earned from
the American people. Passing H.R. 3250 today affirms the pride of
Riverhead by memorializing one of its most distinguished citizens.
As they conduct their business each day, the people of Riverhead who
visit the post office will be reminded of PFC Langhorn's extraordinary
service and sacrifice and can reflect on the true value of freedom.
They will know that PFC Garfield M. Langhorn is a national hero, and
the values for which he gave his life, honor, loyalty, and family will
again forever be memorialized.
Mr. Speaker, I am grateful to all of my colleagues in the New York
delegation for cosponsoring this legislation, and I again thank
Chairman Towns, Mr. Lynch, and the gentleman from Illinois for their
support.
Mr. SCHOCK. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage of
H.R. 3250.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I again, in closing, urge my colleagues to
join the gentleman from New York (Mr. Bishop) in honoring Private First
Class Garfield Langhorn through the passage of H.R. 3250.
I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3250.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a
quorum
[[Page H200]]
is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not
present.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.
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