[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 54 (Monday, April 16, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Page S2322]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                TRIBUTE TO MASTER SERGEANT CHARLES HAYES

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I rise today in honor of MSgt Charles 
Hayes of London, KY. Master Sergeant Hayes served in the U.S. Air Force 
from 1972 to 1996, and was involved in both the Vietnam and gulf wars. 
Hayes volunteered to join at age 21 and continued to be a volunteer for 
the duration of his two-decade stint in the military.
  During Hayes's extended period of time in the Air Force, he had the 
opportunity to visit a variety of foreign countries, including Germany, 
Turkey, and Thailand, just to name a few. Hayes enjoyed every aspect 
that went along with being a part of the Armed Forces. He flourished as 
a member of the U.S. Air Force in more ways than one.
  What Hayes enjoyed most about the service was experiencing history in 
the making. Hayes remembers participating in the evacuation of Saigon, 
South Vietnam, in April 1975. It was a mission in which Hayes and his 
team were given the objective of recovering an American merchant ship 
that had been pirated by the Khmer Rouge navy. The ship was 
successfully recovered on May 13, 1975, and Hayes was an instrumental 
part of the operation, one that many of us remember paying close 
attention to while back home in the States.
  Hayes also enjoyed the Air Force because it inspired its members to 
show initiative. In 1987, Charles was assigned public affairs duties 
for his section. He remembers how difficult and ``utterly impossible'' 
the men told him it was to get an article published in the base 
newspaper. Hayes took on the challenge of getting a story published 
head on, and that year he had 37 articles and 17 pictures with captions 
published in the newspaper.
  Lt. Col. Richard Vaught recalls that Hayes was one of the best 
sergeants he has ever commanded. It wasn't unusual for those who worked 
with Hayes to speak highly of him. While serving as the squadron safety 
noncommissioned officer from 1990 to 1996, Hayes's unit received 
numerous honors and awards, including Best Small Unit Safety Program 
Award and Best Additional Duty Safety NCO Award.
  Many different attributes have been used to describe Charles Hayes 
over the years. Talented, ambitious, reliable, and persevering are just 
a few of the countless positive references of the master sergeant. 
Lieutenant Colonel Vaught is recorded as saying, ``Charlie always knew 
how to get everything when nobody else could. If you go to war, he's 
the one you want to go with you. He'll get you everything and then 
some.''
  Charles Hayes exemplifies every characteristic of a successful member 
of our Nation's Armed Forces. His dedication and service to our great 
country over 24 years will most certainly not go unnoticed and is the 
very cause of my standing here today. It is my wish that my colleagues 
in the Senate join me in commemorating MSgt Charles Hayes at this time.
  There was an article published in Laurel County's local news 
magazine, the Sentinel-Echo: Silver Edition, in November of 2011. The 
article highlighted Charles Hayes and the outstanding dedication he has 
shown throughout the years in his involvement with the U.S. military. 
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that said article be printed in 
the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

          [From the Sentinel-Echo: Silver Edition, Nov. 2011]

                           A Part of History

                            (By Carol Mills)

       Master Sergeant Charles Hayes, a Vietnam and Gulf War 
     veteran, volunteered to join the United States Air Force when 
     he was 21, serving from 1972 to 1996. He worked for 12 years 
     in security police and 12 years in computers.
       What Hayes liked most about his 24 years of service was 
     being a part of history.
       ``While my part was very small, the unit I was assigned to 
     (56 SPS, Nakhon Phanom RTAF, Thailand) was responsible for 
     assisting in the evacuation of Saigon, South Vietnam, and 
     Phenom Phen, Cambodia, in April 1975,'' 60-year-old Hayes 
     said. ``We were part of the recovery of the American merchant 
     ship, Mayaguez, which had been pirated by the Khmer Rouge 
     Navy. I lost 18 buddies on May 13, 1975, during the 
     operation.''
       During the 1991 Gulf War, his unit (608 APS, Ramstein AFB, 
     Ramstein, Germany) was responsible for shipping all munitions 
     to the air bases in the desert, as well as thousands of tons 
     of other supplies.
       ``I remember looking at what seemed to be miles of pallets 
     and wondering when we would get them all shipped down 
     range.''
       After the Gulf War, Hayes's unit was kept busy supporting 
     United Nations' humanitarian missions in Eastern Europe and 
     Africa. In 1992, one of Russia's largest cargo planes arrived 
     at Ramstein AFB to receive donations. He was in charge of 
     ground safety while his unit loaded the plane.
       ``We weren't able to use forklifts because the plane wasn't 
     configured for them. Because I was all over the operation, 
     the plane's crew must have figured I was a big wheel of some 
     kind and gave me three cases of Russian vodka.''
       Hayes also liked the Air Force because it allowed him to 
     show initiative.
       ``While sometimes routine duties were a little mundane, 
     additional duties allowed personnel an opportunity to show 
     initiative. In 1987, I was assigned public affairs duties for 
     my section. I was told that it was almost `impossible' to get 
     an article printed in the base newspaper and utterly 
     `impossible' to get an article published anywhere else.''
       That year, Hayes had 37 articles and 17 pictures with 
     captions published in the base newspaper. Two articles were 
     published in command-level publications and two in a local 
     newspaper.
       Lt. Col. Richard Vaught said Hayes was one of the best 
     master sergeants he ever commanded.
       ``He's the type that if you needed anything done, he always 
     found a way to get it done when everyone else couldn't,'' he 
     said. ``He was the ultimate scrounger. I would say he was a 
     very talented individual. Charlie always knew how to get 
     everything when nobody else could. If you go to war, he's the 
     one you want to go with you. He'll get you everything you 
     need and then some. He just knew how to use all the various 
     avenues. I was quite happy to have him in my command.''
       From 1990 through 1996, he was assigned the additional duty 
     of squadron safety non-commissioned officer. During his 
     tenure as safety NCO, his unit received a Best Explosives 
     Safety Program Award from both the command and USAF as well 
     as a Best Small Unit (under 600 personnel) Safety Program 
     Award. He also received a Best Additional Duty Safety NCO 
     Award.
       Hayes also liked associating with other patriots.
       ``When situations got tough, everyone got tougher,'' he 
     said. ``We all regarded a challenge as something to overcome, 
     not something to shy away from. Esprit de corps was highest 
     when things were toughest. I served with some of the best 
     people in the world.''
       Hayes enjoyed the opportunities the Air Force had to offer. 
     ``I always held the attitude that I was stationed in the best 
     section of the best squadron on the best Air Force base in 
     the United States. I learned that education was the least 
     expensive hobby a person could have and completed a master's 
     in education before I retired.''
       During his service he traveled throughout the British 
     Isles, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Belgium, Turkey, 
     Thailand, and several other countries to a lesser degree, and 
     has driven through every state except Maine, New Hampshire 
     and Vermont. He has also been to Alaska and Hawaii during his 
     service.
       Before Hayes had lived in London, Ky., for five months, he 
     had spent more time in London, England, than in London, Ky.

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