[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 147 (Tuesday, October 4, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Page S6087]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        REMEMBERING AMOS McCLURE

 Mrs. McCASKILL. Mr. President, today I pay tribute to Mr. Amos 
McClure, who passed away on October 1, 2011, at the Veterans 
Administration Hospital in St. Louis, MO. A veteran of the Korean war, 
during which he was taken prisoner, Amos lived the life of an American 
patriot.
  Just out of high school, Amos joined the U.S. Army in 1948 at the age 
of 17. At the U.S. Armed Forces Institute in Fort Lewis, WA, he became 
an expert rifleman before specializing in heavy infantry during the 
Korean war. On November 29, 1950--just 19 days shy of his 20th 
birthday--Amos was captured by the enemy while serving his nation in 
Korea. He spent almost 3 years as a prisoner of war, until his release 
on August 8, 1953--Armistance Day.
  Amos was shot and wounded as a prisoner of war. But Amos was a 
survivor and his strength and determination helped him overcome both 
the physical and emotional wounds that were inflicted on so many 
American POWs. For his service, and in recognition of the sacrifices he 
made for his country, CPL Amos McClure received numerous military 
awards, including the Prisoner of War Medal.
  Amos returned home from serving in Korea to marry his sweetheart, 
Norma Jean Southerland. They were married for almost 52 years before 
she passed away. They leave behind five children.
  After his discharge, Amos worked for the Atomic Energy Commission as 
a storage battery technician. Later, as a civilian for the U.S. Air 
Force, he worked as a storage battery technician before moving to St. 
Louis to become a service manager and electrician until his retirement 
in 2004.
  I honor Amos today out of appreciation for the sacrifices he made on 
behalf of his fellow Americans, for his contributions to his community, 
and for the example he set for his children. He had the benefit of a 
strong family support system and a work ethic that allowed him to move 
forward from the horrors of war. His spirited approach to life is 
emblematic of the courage, honor, and strength of our veterans who 
fought for our freedom.
  I join his family, the people of Missouri, and all Americans, in 
saluting Amos McClure's courage, and I humbly recognize him for all 
that he has done and for all that he endured for this country. Amos 
McClure was a true American hero.

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