[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 80 (Tuesday, May 25, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Page S4209]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                     TRIBUTE TO DR. MORRIS W. SELF

 Mr. BENNET. Mr. President, today I wish to honor the heroic 
service of Dr. Morris W. Self of Pagosa Springs, CO. Dr. Self, a 
retired civil engineer, was recently honored by France for his brave 
service during World War II. This past month, the French Consul General 
in Los Angeles bestowed on him the National Order of the Legion of 
Honor, France's highest award, in the rank of Chevalier, or Knight, in 
appreciation for his distinguished service.
  Morris was born in St. Paul, MN, in December 1921. During high 
school, he was active in several sports and served as president of the 
student government. At 18, Morris joined the Minnesota National Guard 
and trained with the 101st Coast Artillery Unit. After the U.S. entered 
the war in 1941, he enrolled in the Engineer Officer Candidate School. 
He was commissioned as a combat engineer with the rank of 2nd 
lieutenant in July 1942. Lieutenant Self was deployed to the United 
Kingdom in November 1943 with the 348th Combat Engineering Battalion to 
prepare for the Normandy landings.
  On D-day, Lieutenant Self's unit landed on Omaha Beach at 7:30 a.m. 
under intense enemy fire. He was 23 years old at the time. Lieutenant 
Self led an infantry unit in clearing beach areas of enemy 
fortifications. His reconnaissance patrol cleared mines and located 
booby traps under enemy fire.
  On June 7, Lieutenant Self continued to clear the beach of mines. 
That day, he saw several landing crafts hit by enemy fire begin to 
sink. After quickly assessing the situation, Lieutenant Self swam 200 
yards from shore to look for survivors. On this first trip, he helped 
three men to shore with lifejackets and by creating a makeshift raft. 
Then he went back to save more. After finding a long rope and attaching 
it to shore, Lieutenant Self and Lieutenant Walter Sidlowksi of 
Brooklyn, NY, found a rubber raft and ferried three more groups of 
survivors to safety. They were in the frigid water of the English 
Channel for about 2 hours.
  Lieutenant Self and his unit continued to clear beach areas for the 
next several months. In December 1944, the 348th was moved to the 
Ardennes area in Belgium to fight back against the German offensive 
during the Battle of the Bulge and to help rebuild the community. He 
returned to the U.S. in September 1945 and was discharged that 
December.
  Prior to this most recent award, Lieutenant Self was awarded the 
Bronze Star Medal for heroic actions at Omaha Beach, the French Croix 
de Guerre with Bronze Star, and the Presidential Unit Citation. 
Lieutenant Self later attended the University of Minnesota and earned a 
civil engineering degree, a master's, and a doctorate in civil 
engineering. He was married to Ruth Mar in 1947, and they have three 
children: Ted Alan, Douglas, and Jenann.
  I would like again to congratulate Dr. Self on his receipt of the 
esteemed Legion of Honor award and thank him for his selfless service 
to our country. His bravery, on D-day, and for months after, is a 
testament to the courage and conviction that American soldiers brought 
to a dreadful war. We are humbled by his service.

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