[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 181 (Tuesday, November 29, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2127]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING FRED BIRCHMORE

                                  _____
                                 

                           HON. PAUL C. BROUN

                               of GEORGIA

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 29, 2011

  Mr. BROUN of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and 
celebrate the 100th birthday of one of the 10th Congressional 
District's most impressive and dedicated constituents, Mr. Fred 
Birchmore. Renowned for his round-the-world cycling trips, Birchmore 
has biked tens of thousands of miles worldwide on a one-speed 42-pound 
Reinhardt that now sits in the Smithsonian's National Museum of 
American History. His travels have taken him 25,000 miles across 
Europe, and through Africa, the far Middle East, Southeast Asia, Latin 
America, and 2,000 miles along the United States Appalachian Trail. 
He's traversed deserts, jungles, beaches and warzones, even once 
crossing paths with Adolf Hitler. Birchmore's adventures on his trusted 
bike opened his eyes to not only new horizons, but new cultures, 
peoples, and ways of life that enriched his own in many aspects.
  Even more than a sportsman, Fred is a decorated World War II war 
hero, a loving father of four and has been a devoted husband to Willa 
Deane Birchmore for 72 years now. His eight grandchildren and six 
great-grandchildren know him to be an adventurer, an intellectual, and 
an all around outstanding man and role model.
  Birchmore is a graduate of the University of Georgia and was a 
personal friend of the late Larry Munson. He carried the Olympic Torch 
under the Arch in the Classic City, takes great pride in his possession 
of the sword of Colonel Sanford who is the namesake of UGA's Sanford 
Stadium, and still remains a faithful community servant to Athens-
Clarke County today.
  I am honored to be able to wish Mr. Birchmore a happy 100th birthday 
on behalf of the United States Congress, and I am pleased to have the 
opportunity to shed light on a life that has been so filled with 
adventure, hard work, passion, and love for family, friends, community, 
and country. Happy Birthday Fred and may you continue to set an example 
for all those who love and admire you for many more years to come.

                          ____________________