[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 103 (Tuesday, July 13, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1308]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      RECOGNIZING COLONEL ROBERT GREENE OF CITRUS COUNTY, FLORIDA

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GINNY BROWN-WAITE

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 13, 2010

  Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to 
honor COL Robert Cushing Greene, USA (Ret.) of Citrus County, Florida. 
On July 24th Colonel Greene will do something that all of us strive to 
do, but that very few of us will ever accomplish, celebrate his 100th 
birthday.
  Bob was born July 24, 1910 in Keene, NH, he is the fifth of six 
children, born to his mother, Lillian Francis Greene and his father, 
Corydon Burton Greene, a furniture salesman. in April of 1931, while 
still attending the University of New Hampshire, he married his first 
wife and eventual mother to his three children, ``Betty''. That summer 
he was commissioned into the United States Army Reserve. One year 
later, he graduated college in the thick of the Great Depression. He 
took a job working for Betty's father's lumber company until 1939 when, 
he began working as a traveling cement salesman.
  In April of 1941, war clouds were gathering and Bob was called up to 
active duty. He reported to Ft. Benning, GA to receive his infantry 
training. In August of 1943 he received his orders to head overseas to 
serve in the Northern Combat Area Command in China-Burma-India during 
World War II where he served as an intelligence officer. While in 
Burma, he was promoted from captain to major.
  In 1945, at the wars end, many soldiers were trying to get out of the 
Army, but Major Greene and Betty decided that they liked the Army life 
and decided to stay in. From 1947 to 1949 Major Greene, Betty and their 
children lived in Panama, followed by Virginia where he transferred 
into the Quarter Master's Corps. He served in the Korean War, followed 
by two additional posts in Massachusetts and France. In 1961, after 
serving in two wars, crossing 69 countries and earning two Bronze Stars 
with oak leaf cluster, he retired from military service as a full 
colonel.
  He served as a civil servant until 1975 when, he and Betty were once 
again bit by the travel bug. They embarked on what Betty called ``the 
world's longest bridge game''. For nearly three years they traveled the 
country in a motorcoach. In 1979, they finally parked in Inverness, FL 
to be close to many friends whom they had met along their journey 
together. Betty passed away five years later. Their children, Bob, 
Sherry and Michael say their parents were, ``the very best''.
  In 1995, Colonel Greene married his current wife, Lori. His son, Bob, 
remarked that they credit Lori for their dad's enduring spirit. She 
encouraged him to become a mentor at the Inverness Primary School; He 
is also a former president of what is now the Citrus County MOAA 
Chapter. He enjoys spending time with his children, grandchildren and 
great-grandchildren, many of whom will join him on the 24th for his 
centenial celebration.
  Madam Speaker, please join me in thanking Colonel Greene for his 
service and congratulating him on one hundred years of life.

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