[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 73 (Wednesday, May 25, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E950]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               IN MEMORY OF REAR ADMIRAL GEORGE STROHSAHL

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ELTON GALLEGLY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 25, 2011

  Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in memory of an American military 
icon and my friend, Rear Admiral George Strohsahl (Ret.), who passed 
away this week after a lifetime of service to his country.
  Admiral Strohsahl had a storied career from the time he entered the 
Naval Academy in 1955 until he retired in 1994. Among his many 
accomplishments, George Strohsahl flew jet attack aircraft from 
aircraft carriers in both the Pacific and Atlantic fleets, which 
included two tours of combat flying in Vietnam and command of an A-6 
squadron. He was the Air Boss on USS Nimitz and played himself in the 
popular Kirk Douglas movie Final Countdown.
  He conducted operational testing of weapons systems at China Lake, 
California, and was the director of the Tactical Air Analysis office in 
the Pentagon, which was a part of the McNamara systems analysis team 
known as the ``Whiz Kids.'' He was Program Manager for the F/A-18 
Hornet family of aircraft, which was and still is the largest aircraft 
acquisition program in the Navy.
  From 1988 to 1990, Admiral Strohsahl commanded the Pacific Missile 
Test Center at Pt. Mugu, in my congressional district. As senior naval 
officer for the South Central California area, he was active in many 
civic organizations in Ventura County at that time.
  Following Navy retirement, Admiral Strohsahl spent more than seven 
years in fighter aircraft design, testing, and logistic support 
management positions at the Boeing Development Center in Seattle, 
Washington. He provided consulting services to industry and the Navy 
and contributed as a volunteer to Ventura County organizations involved 
in community support of Naval Base Ventura County.
  I testified with Admiral Strohsahl before the 2005 Base Realignment 
and Closure Commission. I believe his testimony was instrumental in 
minimizing the amount of technical work being moved from the base.
  Admiral Strohsahl was married for 44 years to the late Marvalyn 
Fiske. They raised three children, one of whom resides now in Ventura 
with her husband and family. After Marvalyn passed away, he married 
Mary Anne Vernallis, whose late husband, Sam, was a longtime associate 
of the admiral's in the Navy and a well-respected civic leader in 
Ventura County. Together, they share five children and eight 
grandchildren.
  Mr. Speaker, I know my colleagues join me in honoring the memory of 
Rear Admiral George Strohsahl and in offering our condolences to his 
family.

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