[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 123 (Tuesday, September 14, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1599]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING WESLEY HEINRICHS

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GEORGE RADANOVICH

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 14, 2010

  Mr. RADANOVICH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Sergeant Wesley 
Dean Heinrichs, a United States Marine Corps Veteran of World War II.
  Mr. Heinrichs was born on November 28, 1923 in a farming community in 
Kirk, Colorado. He worked on his family's farm before enlisting in the 
United States Marine Corps. After hearing the news on the radio about 
the attack on Pearl Harbor and the outbreak of the War, Mr. Heinrichs 
came under deep conviction to join the Marines after seeing a billboard 
with a Marine's picture that stated: ``we need one more good man.'' It 
was Mr. Heinrichs' passion and love for his country that spurred him to 
join the Armed Forces to defend and protect our country. In December of 
1942, at the age of 19, he traveled to the recruiting office in Denver, 
Colorado and enlisted in the Marine Corps.
  After completion of basic training in San Diego, Mr. Heinrichs served 
in the commissary of Camp Pendleton distributing packed foods and 
serving on guard duty. In the same year, he was transferred to a motor 
transport unit where he worked with the 1st Amphibian Truck Company. 
His company worked on the Dukw, an experimental amphibious truck for 
traveling over water and landing on coral reefs. On December 22, 1943, 
Mr. Heinrich and his company were deployed to the Pacific Arena to 
provide support to the Marine Corps operations in the Mariana Islands.
  Mr. Heinrichs and his company used the Dukws to carry 105 Howitzers 
and place them in strategic locations in the Mariana Islands. 
Additionally, Mr. Heinrichs assisted with the transportation of wounded 
Marines and Soldiers to medical ships and with the hauling of 
ammunition and supplies to Marine Bases. Mr. Heinrich and his company 
served in combat in the battles of Saipan and Tinnian in the Mariana 
Islands. After the islands were secured, Mr. Heinrichs and his company 
were transferred to Guam where they protected the island and began 
training for the invasion of Japan. In 1945, Mr. Heinrich was 
transferred back to San Diego and was honorably discharged from the 
Marine Corps on January 13, 1943.
  Mr. Heinrichs now resides in Coarsegold, California and is an active 
member of the American Legion Post 110, the Griswold USMC League and 
the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Mr. Heinrichs and his wife of 64 years, 
Anna Queen Spencer Heinrichs, have four daughters, eight grandchildren 
and eleven great grandchildren.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend and honor Wesley Heinrichs for 
his service and dedication to our country. I invite my colleagues to 
join me in honoring Sergeant Wesley Dean Heinrichs.

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