[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 96 (Monday, July 8, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5516-S5517]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO JOSEPH C. McQUAID

  Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, on Monday, July 1, 2013, Joseph C. McQuaid 
was laid to rest, with full military honors, in the Fort Logan National 
Cemetery in Denver, CO.
  A proud World War II veteran, Joseph ``Big Joe'' McQuaid will rest 
beside his brother John ``Hootcher'' McQuaid, also a World War II 
veteran. Joe was one of the most unique, memorable persons I have known 
in my lifetime. He was also my brother-in-law.
  Joe was born on March 16, 1919 in the family farmhouse near Stuart, 
IA. A proud Irishman, Joe always noted that his birthday was one day 
before St. Patrick's Day. Joe, his two brothers, and sister were born 
and raised in a loving, but very poor, family. His father ``Willie'' 
was a self-taught, accomplished musician, playing the fiddle and piano 
in local bands around Iowa.
  From an early age, Joe was known as ``Big Joe'' because he was a big 
bear of a man, standing 6 feet 4 inches and tipping the scale around 
240 pounds, all muscle and bone. He used to show off his strength by 
tearing phonebooks and decks of cards in half as if they were pieces of 
paper. This always impressed a lot of young kids.
  Joe also liked to balance heavy, unwieldy objects, such as 
lawnmowers, on his chin. It wasn't only heavy objects he could balance. 
He is the only person I have ever seen who could balance a straw broom 
on his nose. He could entertain a group of kids for hours by doing his 
balancing tricks.
  When the Great Depression hit the Midwest, Joe's family, like so many 
others, was in dire economic straits. So Joe, at the age of 16, went to 
work in the Civilian Conservation Corps, the CCC. The legal age was 18, 
but because of Joe's size and the poverty at home, Joe said he was 18 
and thus joined the CCC. Young men left home, lived in CCC camps, 
worked on building dams and dikes, cleared roads in winter, cleaned up 
after floods, and created State parks and recreation areas. CCC camps 
were run in a semimilitary fashion.
  Joe worked at the CCC camps for 3 years and was paid $36 a month. As 
Joe remembered, he sent $30 home and kept $6 for himself. He often said 
the CCC was President Roosevelt's best program.
  The day after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Joe went right down to the 
recruiting office and signed up for military duty. He joined the Navy 
and spent most of the war years as a Boatswain Mate First Class on 
destroyer escorts, escorting troop ships and cargo ships the United 
States to Russia, England, and North Africa.
  His ship, the USS Marchand, sank several German U-boats and rescued 
survivors of cargo and troopships sunk by enemy torpedoes. Joe was 
present at Normandy on D-day, again protecting the troopships and big 
cruisers from enemy submarines.
  After the war in Europe ended, Joe was sent to the Pacific as a 
Boatswain Mate on a troopship headed to the Philippines. During his 
voyage, Joe's ship was attacked by Japanese kamikaze planes. As the 
acting Chief Boatswain Mate, Joe got all the anti-aircraft guns manned, 
taking a 50 caliber mount himself. They brought down all the enemy 
aircraft, and not one hit the ship. Joe remembered how one crashed in 
the water so close that ocean spray and parts of the aircraft landed on 
the ship's deck.
  Sometime after that, on their way to the Philippines, Joe ordered--
through his boatswain pipe--all hands on deck for an important 
announcement from the captain. The captain said that after dropping two 
atom bombs on Japan that wiped out two cities, President Harry S Truman 
said the Japanese surrendered and the war was over. There was 
unrestrained cheering and backslapping among the troops and sailors. 
Joe asked the captain if he should use his boatswain pipe to call them 
to order, and the captain said ``No, no, let them go.'' They refueled 
at sea, and headed back to Honolulu.
  After nearly 4 straight years at sea, dodging and sinking U-boats in 
the North Atlantic, surviving kamikaze attacks in the Pacific, ``Big 
Joe'' was back in Iowa with a chest full of medals and his beloved 
boatswain pipe.

[[Page S5517]]

  For his life thereafter, Joe could keep you entranced with his war 
stories and what shipboard life was like in the frigid waters of the 
North Atlantic.
  Joe was so proud of his service and his fellow World War II comrades. 
He was truly one of the ``Greatest Generation'' of young Americans.
  Joe passed away on January 31, 2013, with his loving wife June by his 
side. He was just about 2 months shy of his 94th birthday.
  Up to his 93rd birthday, Joe always marched every year in the 
Veteran's Day parade wearing his original World War II Navy blues, a 
white sailor's cap jauntily placed on his head, a chest full of ribbons 
and medals, and his cherished boatswain's pipe hung around his neck. At 
age 88 he participated in one of the honor flights from Denver to 
Washington, DC, for World War II veterans to see the World War II 
Memorial.
  After my mother died and Joe had married my sister Sylvia, I went to 
live with them, and Joe became almost a surrogate father to me. I was 
13 years old. As we both grew older, we took many trips together and he 
became more like my older brother. Joe was so unique. He was a gifted 
observer of human behavior and interactions. He could fix anything. He 
made beautiful objects out of wood, some of which I still have in my 
home. He was also the best storyteller I have ever met.
  Many years after my sister died of cancer, Joe met and married June, 
a talented artist in her own right, and they had a wonderful, loving 
life together.
  Joe is survived by his wife June; his sister Mary Ann; his four 
children, Theresa, Joe Kelly, Danny, and Mary; four grandchildren, 
Sean, Ryan, Erin, and Ciera; and four step grandchildren, Terry, 
Kristen, Shauna, and Dawn.
  ``Big Joe'' led a full, challenging, and interesting life. He was 
truly one of our ``Greatest Generation,'' a true patriot who loved his 
country, his family, and his many friends.
  He helped to make America a better nation for all.
  Mr. President, with that, I yield the floor and note the absence of a 
quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. MURPHY. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. Hirono). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.

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