[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 186 (Tuesday, December 6, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2187-E2188]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING LARENCE C. ``LARRY'' MAXWELL
______
HON. JEFF DENHAM
of california
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Veterans of Foreign
Wars Chowchilla Post 9896 Life Member Larence C. ``Larry''
[[Page E2188]]
Maxwell who served his country honorably from a very young age.
Larence C. ``Larry'' Maxwell entered the United States Army shortly
after completing high school and began a journey that would see him
serve in multiple wars and conflicts for thirty-two years throughout
the world culminating with promotion to Command Sergeant Major, the
highest enlisted rank in the Army.
The son of Andrew and Addie Maxwell of Chowchilla, Larry was born in
Madera on December 21, 1946. He was raised in Chowchilla, where he
attended elementary school and attended Le Grand High School. In 1965,
he entered the Job Corps. In 1966, he was drafted at age nineteen and
subsequently enlisted in the Army. He completed basic training at Fort
Ord, California and then Advanced Individual Training at Fort Leonard
Wood, Missouri, where he was selected for training as an Army Engineer
Heavy Equipment Operator. His first duty assignment was with C Company,
94th Engineer Battalion in Nillingen, Germany, where he assisted in the
construction of facilities for ammunition and equipment when France
resigned from NATO.
Vietnam was the next tour for the young Army combat engineer. He was
assigned to the 92nd engineer Battalion in January 1968 as a heavy
equipment operator and squad leader. The 92nd was known as the ``Black
Diamonds'' and gained a reputation as the ``can do'' unit during combat
operations, earning fourteen battle streamers in Vietnam and four
Meritorious Unit Commendations and the Vietnamese Civil Action Honor
Medal First Class. Maxwell participated in the Tet Offensive and four
more major campaigns until his tour ended in January 1969. He was
wounded by enemy mortar fire in May 1968 and was medevaced to the Army
hospital at Bien Hoa and after recovery from his wounds he returned to
the 92nd for duty.
He concluded his twelve-month tour and returned stateside. He took a
brief break from the Army for two years before re-enlisting in 1971,
and was stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas, with the 68th engineer Company
as a squad leader and heavy equipment operator, where he worked on
numerous projects including those for the Bureau of Indian Affairs on
the Mescalero Indian Reservation. After Fort Bliss, he received orders
to report to the 598th Supply and Service Company in Kaiserslautern,
Germany, where he assumed duties as Class 3 Distribution Chief. He
subsequently was promoted to Assistant Platoon Sergeant of the
Equipment Platoon with the 370th engineer company. While serving in
Germany, his unit was designated as the best engineer company in the
U.S. Army.
In 1975, he reported to B Company, 43rd engineer battalion, Fort
Benning, Georgia, where he served initially as a squad leader and
promoted to platoon sergeant. With obvious leadership qualities, he was
assigned to the 36th Engineer Group as an instructor in the Basic
Leadership Course. His superiors selected him to attend the Engineer
Advanced Course at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Upon completion of the
Advanced Course, he was selected for Drill Sergeant School at Fort
Leonard Wood, Missouri. After graduation from Drill Sergeant School, he
served as Drill Sergeant from June 1979 to October 1982.
He returned to Germany as First Sergeant with the 58th Combat
Engineer Mechanized 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment at Downs Barracks, at
Fulda, Germany. The unit was responsible for protecting the East/West
German border. After completion of the tour with the 11th Armored, he
found himself back at Fort Leonard Wood as First Sergeant of A Company,
6th Battalion, 10th Infantry Basic Training.
In June 1988, he was selected for the Sergeants Major Academy at Fort
Bliss, Texas. After graduating from the Sergeants Major Academy in
January 1989, he was assigned to Army forces at Camp Nimble in Korea as
First Sergeant of B Company, 44th Engineer Battalion. The 44th had
responsibilities for duties on the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). In
September 1989, he was promoted to Sergeant Major and served in the
capacity in Korea at Camp Mercer.
After returning stateside, he assumed duties as Sergeant Major for
the 535th Prime Power Detachment at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. The
535th had teams stationed in Kentucky, Georgia, Virginia, New Jersey,
Panama, and Germany.
At the beginning of the Gulf War, Maxwell was designated Command
Sergeant Major. In the U.S. Army, the leadership position of Command
Sergeant Major is the highest enlisted rank and acts as the senior
enlisted advisor to the commanding officer and represents all the
enlisted soldiers of the command.
Maxwell was made Battalion Sergeant Major of the 43rd Engineer
Battalion and deployed to Saudi Arabia, where he became Command
Sergeant Major of Task Force 43 assigned to echelons above corps during
hostilities with Iraq.
After the Gulf War, he participated in disaster relief during
Hurricane Andrew. He deployed to Somalia twice, first as Sergeant Major
with Task Force 43, 10th Mountain Division, and the second time when
his battalion was attached to United Nations' forces for the
construction of Victory Base. He subsequently deployed to Panama and
Costa Rica for civic action projects and construction of medical aid
facilities. His last assignment was Command Sergeant Major of the 84th
Engineer Battalion and Sergeant Major of the 45th Corps Support Group
(Forward), with the Army's famed ``Tropic Lightning'' 25th Infantry
Division at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. While at Schofield, Maxwell
deployed with units throughout the Philippines, and other areas. After
thirty-two years of service to his country, he retired from the U.S.
Army in 1998 and returned to Madera.
For his service, Command Sergeant Major Maxwell was awarded numerous
decorations including: two awards of the Legion of Merit, the Bronze
Star, Purple Heart, three awards of the Meritorious Service Medal, four
awards of the Army Commendation Medal, three awards of the Army Medal,
Vietnam Campaign Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with five campaign stars,
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, two awards of the National Defense
Service Medal, United Nations Medal, ten awards of the Good Conduct
Medal, two awards of Humanitarian Service Medal, the Korean Defense
Service Medal, the Presidential Unit Citation, the Republic of Vietnam
Cross of Gallantry Unit Award with frame, the Southwest Asia Service
Medal, Kuwait Liberation Medal, two awards of the Army Service Ribbon,
four awards of the NCO Professional Development Ribbon, the German
Schutzenschnur, the Bronze and Silver de Fleury Medal, and the Drill
Sergeant Badge. During his military career, Larry earned an Associate
of Arts degree from Central Texas College.
After retirement from the Army, Larry worked as a Corrections Officer
for the Madera County Probation Department, where he performed duties
as an instructor in ceremony and physical drill at the boot camp. In
2000, his drill team won the Grand Prize at the Fresno Veterans Day
Parade. He was promoted to sergeant in 2002 and continued to teach and
counsel adolescents to become productive members of society until his
retirement from the Probation Department in January 2010.
Larry is a life member of Chowchilla VFW Post 9896 and American
Legion Post 148. He is a member of the Army Engineer Association, the
Noncommissioned Officers Association, the Association of the United
States Army, and the Armed Forces Association. He is a member of the
Grace Community Church and is a volunteer with Food Bank.
Larry has two brothers, Charley Maxwell (deceased) of Idaho, First
Sergeant (Ret.) Donnie Maxwell, Sr. of Madera, and three sisters, Donna
Lea and Bonnie Bartley of Madera, and June Maxwell of Cleveland,
Oklahoma. Larry married his first wife, Linda Swilley of Chowchilla and
had three children, Garry Maxwell and his wife Tonya of Falmouth,
Kentucky, and a daughter Samantha and husband Tim Richards of
Chowchilla, and daughter Wendy and husband Chris Yowell of Chowchilla.
Larry married Ronda Davis of Mulberry Indiana, who has two children,
Jonathan Shambaugh and wife Melanie of West End, New Jersey, and
Courtney Shambaugh and Andrew Watkins of Highland, New Jersey. Larry
has thirteen wonderful and very active grandchildren.
Mr. Speaker, please join me in thanking Larence C. ``Larry'' Maxwell
for his honorable service to our great country, and wishing him the
best of luck and health in his future endeavors.
____________________