[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 64 (Monday, May 3, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E729]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    A TRIBUTE TO NICHOLAS H. BURLAK

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                           HON. BARNEY FRANK

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, May 3, 2010

  Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Madam Speaker, I recently was informed by 
a group of citizens who live in my district of a remarkable story about 
one of their neighbors. I admire their spirit in making sure that the 
inspiring story of their friend and neighbor, Nicholas H. Burlak, is 
more widely known. And I ask that my remarks here be printed to call 
attention to Mr. Burlak's remarkable achievements, so that they may 
serve as an example to others.
  Nicholas Burlak was born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in 1924, and 
when the Depression came, his father moved the family to Ukraine in 
search of work. When World War II broke out in 1941, when the Hitler-
Stalin pact fell apart and Germany then attacked its erstwhile ally, 
the Soviet Union, Nicholas Burlak tried to return to the United States, 
the home of his birth, to enlist in the Marine Corps. But this was 
physically impossible. He then did the next-best thing--determined to 
fight the Nazis, and to defend his country of birth as best he could, 
Mr. Burlak became an American volunteer in the Soviet Army. 
Subsequently he was wounded four times in battle, twice suffered shell 
shock and received several medals for bravery as he participated in the 
terrible battles between the Soviet and Nazi armies, ultimately 
fighting his way with other Russians to Berlin. Among the signatures 
left by Russian soldiers on the walls of the Reichstag in 1945 was one 
in English--``Bethlehem, PA, USA-Donbass, Ukraine, Aktyubinsk, 
Kazakhstan, Berlin, Germany May 1945--Nicholas.'' That was the heroic 
and patriotic American, Nicholas Burlak, who did not allow his 
separation from our country to prevent his allegiance to it.
  With the sixty-fifth anniversary of the end of World War II, the 
Russian government awarded Mr. Burlak a medal. I believe it is 
appropriate for his fellow countrymen in the United States, now that he 
has returned to live among us as he always wanted to do, to join in 
commemorating the extraordinary dedication of this brave young man who 
has become a very valued member of our country today.
  Madam Speaker, Nicholas Burlak's commitment to his fellow and sister 
citizens did not end with his joining in the war against the Nazis. In 
2007, for example, he received the Eloise K. Houghton Award in 
recognition of community spirit and outstanding volunteer service from 
the Newton Community Development Foundation, a very important 
organization in my hometown, which provides help to others.
  Madam Speaker, Nicholas Burlak understood how important his story was 
and how many people could learn from and be inspired by it, so he wrote 
a book--under the pseudonym of the time of M.J. Nicholas, entitled 
``Love and War: An American Volunteer in the Soviet Red Army.'' It is 
not just an inspiring book, but a gripping one, and I welcome the 
chance, Madam Speaker, to mention it here, as part of the tribute that 
our country should be paying to Mr. Burlak. It is a tribute to him and 
to his neighbors that they are so inspired by his story that they took 
the initiative in writing to me and calling this to my attention, and I 
am very pleased to have the chance to express my admiration of Mr. 
Burlak and my appreciation to his neighbors for giving me the chance to 
do this.

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