[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 33 (Tuesday, March 9, 2010)]
[House]
[Page H1203]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       CAPTAIN LUTHER H. SMITH, U.S. ARMY AIR FORCES POST OFFICE

  Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 4547) to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 119 Station Road in Cheyney, Pennsylvania, as the 
``Captain Luther H. Smith, U.S. Army Air Forces Post Office''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 4547

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. CAPTAIN LUTHER H. SMITH, U.S. ARMY AIR FORCES POST 
                   OFFICE.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 119 Station Road in Cheyney, Pennsylvania, 
     shall be known and designated as the ``Captain Luther H. 
     Smith, U.S. Army Air Forces Post Office''.
       (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 ``Captain Luther H. Smith, U.S. Army Air 
     Forces Post Office''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Missouri (Mr. Clay) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Garrett) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Missouri.


                             General Leave

  Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Missouri?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CLAY. I now yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4547. This legislation will 
designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 119 
Station Road in Cheyney, Pennsylvania, as the Captain Luther H. Smith, 
U.S. Army Air Forces Post Office.
  Luther Smith was one of the original Tuskegee Airmen, a highly 
decorated World War II prisoner of war, and a recipient of the 
Congressional Gold Medal. One of the first African Americans to become 
a licensed pilot, Captain Smith began his military career in 1943. He 
flew 133 combat missions with the 332nd Fighter Group as a combat 
fighter pilot over Europe. He was severely wounded on his last mission 
in October 1944 and spent the next 7 months in enemy hospitals and 
prison camps before being liberated in May of 1945 by the Allied 
forces.
  During his distinguished military career, Captain Smith destroyed two 
German aircraft in aerial conflicts and 10 aircraft in ground strafing 
attacks. Captain Smith was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the 
Air Medal with six oakleaf clusters, the Purple Heart, the Prisoner of 
War Medal, and eight European Theater Campaign Ribbons.
  After retiring from the U.S. Army Air Forces, Captain Smith earned a 
B.S. in mechanical engineering at the University of Iowa. He was hired 
by General Electric, where he was involved in projects for the Air 
Force, the Navy Submarine Command, and NASA. His work included missile 
and jet engine design, and he published numerous papers and was awarded 
two patents.
  Following his retirement from GE in 1988, Captain Smith was active in 
support of local civic causes, serving as the vice chairman of the 
Radnor Township, Pennsylvania, school board, and the board of the 
Delaware County Community College in Pennsylvania.
  He also was instrumental in preserving the history of the Tuskegee 
Airmen. He and two other Tuskegee Airmen were featured in the 2006 
documentary, ``On Freedom's Wings: Bound for Glory--The Legacy of the 
Tuskegee Airmen.'' He also designed the plaque, dedicated in memory of 
the Tuskegee Airmen, in Arlington National Cemetery.
  In May of 1995, he was selected by President Bill Clinton to 
represent the U.S. Air Force for the 50th anniversary celebration of VE 
Day, and he accompanied President Clinton and Vice President Gore to 
Europe.
  Captain Smith was a pioneer in American military and aviation history 
and left a lasting legacy for future pilots and engineers.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4547 was introduced by the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania, Representative Joe Sestak, on January 27, 2010, and was 
reported out of the Committee on Oversight by unanimous consent on 
March 4, 2010. This legislation enjoys the support of the entire 
Pennsylvania delegation.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 4547.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GARRETT of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  I do rise today in support of H.R. 4547, designating the facility of 
the U.S. Post Office, located at 119 Station Road in Cheyney, 
Pennsylvania, as the Captain Luther H. Smith U.S. Army Air Forces Post 
Office.
  Luther H. Smith was an original of the now legendary Tuskegee Airmen. 
His accomplishments, as already set forth, during World War II truly 
speak for themselves but deserve to be mentioned here on the floor.
  Mr. Smith was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Purple 
Heart, the Air Medal with six oakleaf clusters, the Prisoner of War 
Medal, and eight European and Mediterranean Theaters Campaign Ribbons.
  It was on October 13, 1944, while he was flying a mission over 
Hungary, that Mr. Smith's P-51 Mustang fighter plane was hit, caught 
fire, and he was forced to bail out. Saved then only by a parachute, 
Mr. Smith lost consciousness as he drifted towards Earth, snapping his 
hip in two places when he crashed into a tree. Later, there were some 
German soldiers who found him, and he was placed in a German hospital 
and then, after that, a prison camp for 7 months until the war ended. 
Wounded and starving, the exuberant and now talkative man, 
affectionately nicknamed Quibbles by his Airmen friends, withered to a 
mere 70 pounds during his internment.
  After returning home from the war, Mr. Smith received an engineering 
degree from the University of Iowa. He went on to spend the next 37 
years as an aerospace engineer for General Electric, leveraging his 
experience to hold two U.S. patents; a testament, I think, to his 
creativity and his innovation.
  Mr. Speaker, Mr. Smith's life is an inspiration, and his tremendous 
sacrifices and a clear willingness to place himself in harm's way for 
this Nation are worthy of commendation. I ask our colleagues to support 
this resolution so that his life story will continue to inspire 
generations of Americans to serve their country.
  Having no further requests for time, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, again, I encourage my friends from both sides 
of the aisle to join me in supporting H.R. 4547. Mr. Smith certainly 
led an exemplary life which we can all be proud of.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 4547.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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