[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 143 (Friday, September 23, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1718]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      IN HONOR OF JUDGE AARON COHN

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. SANFORD D. BISHOP, JR.

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 23, 2011

  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to 
our Nation's longest serving juvenile court judge and one of Columbus, 
Georgia's most distinguished legal minds, celebrated military veterans 
and dedicated public servants, Judge Aaron Cohn. Judge Cohn, who has 
served as a juvenile court judge since 1965, will step down from that 
position at the end of this month. His longevity of dedicated judicial 
service and steadfast commitment to positively influencing generations 
of Columbus-area youth, are just a few of the many reasons as to why 
Judge Cohn has been an invaluable and irreplaceable pillar in Georgia's 
legal community.
  A Columbus native, Judge Cohn was born on March 3, 1916. He is a 
graduate of Columbus High School and the University of Georgia. As a 
student at the University of Georgia, he epitomized the true meaning of 
scholar-athlete in that he was the Captain of the Bulldogs' tennis 
team, served as Vice President of the Inter-fraternity Council and was 
a member of the Blue Key Honorary Society.
  Following his exemplary collegiate career, Judge Cohn was admitted to 
the Georgia Bar in 1938 and in 1940 he volunteered for the United 
States Army. He served under General George Patton in World War II and 
earned the Bronze Star for his patriotic service on behalf of our great 
Nation. As a Major in the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, he bravely 
fought with U.S. armed forces across France and broke through German 
defenses at Metz.
  One of the most defining and heroic moments of Judge Cohn's 
illustrious military career occurred when as a young commanding officer 
in the U.S. Army, he was among the first of the Allied troops to help 
liberate the Nazi Concentration Camp in Ebensee, Austria. Almost 40 
years later in 1982, he was honored by the United States Holocaust 
Memorial Commission as an Official Liberator of the Concentration Camp 
at Ebensee, Austria. Additionally, he was cited by the City of 
Bettembourg, Luxembourg, for his service in the liberation of 
Luxembourg while with the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment.
  After the war, Judge Cohn diligently focused his efforts on working 
to prevent children from taking the wrong path, advocating civil rights 
and promoting religious tolerance. During the initial years following 
his return from Europe, he worked as a successful lawyer and served as 
chief registrar for Muscogee County, Georgia where he was active in the 
desegregation of the voter registration process. When he became a 
juvenile court judge in 1965, his love of children and his 
determination to help the underprivileged led him to embark on a highly 
successful and rewarding judicial career.
  A recent headline in the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer recently read 
``Judge Cohn is an icon of integrity.'' It is true that Judge Cohn is 
an icon of integrity but he is also so much more. His notable judicial 
feats and vast accomplishments are an accumulation of tangibly 
substantive deeds that have positively impacted the lives of countless 
families around the world.
  I would be remiss if I did not also recognize the important role that 
Judge Cohn's late wife, Janet Ann, played in his numerous achievements 
by being a supportive spouse, close confidant and loving mother to 
their three children: Gail Cohn, Leslie L. Cohn and Jane Cohn Kulbersh.
  Finally, Judge Cohn has been a pillar of integrity throughout his 
life. He has been a mentor for me and limitless others; an adviser; 
role model and friend.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in saluting a true 
American hero, outstanding legal scholar and one of Columbus, Georgia's 
most beloved figures, Judge Aaron Cohn, on the occasion of his well-
deserved retirement.

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