[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 89 (Tuesday, June 10, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E943]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                        HONORING JOSEPH BENARDO

                                  _____
                                 

                          HON. ELIOT L. ENGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 10, 2014

  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, far too many of our young men and women in 
the armed services have witnessed the horrors of war. So noble is the 
sacrifice they have made while serving our country in uniform. Patriots 
like Joseph Benardo proudly served, so that others would not have to.
  Joe was just 22 years old when he was sent to fight in Europe. A 
first-generation American, he felt compelled to defend his homeland and 
to fight for the freedom of people everywhere.
  Joe was in the first wave of troops who stormed Omaha Beach in the 
historic invasion on June 6, 1944. He and two other soldiers were hit 
by a mortar; Joe was severely wounded during the invasion. A medic 
found Joe and whisked him to a military hospital, where he remained 
until the war's end.
  A very strong history of service runs within the Benardo family. Joe, 
the oldest of Samuel and Alegra's three children, is a Purple Heart 
recipient. His brother Jack won a Bronze Star, and the youngest brother 
Leo served stateside during the Korean War. Ian, Joe's only grandchild, 
served in the Israeli army.
  Joe is equally committed to his country as he is to his family, for 
he understands both are the very foundations of our society.
  A Bronx boy at heart, Joe never left his hometown, save for his 
service abroad. He and his brothers lived in close proximity to each 
other, so that their bond would remain strong. Joe and his late wife 
Lillian raised two sons, Steven and Sheldon, who still call the Bronx 
home. Like their mother, Steve and Sheldon chose to serve our country 
by educating Bronx youth.
  This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Omaha Beach invasion, a 
day that helped alter the course of history. We owe our lives, liberty, 
and freedom to those who have served honorably in the armed forces. It 
is a debt that we, as a nation, can never fully repay.
  Joseph Benardo has much to be proud of when he celebrates his 95th 
birthday in September. He has created an enduring legacy of valor, 
service, and sacrifice that can be felt by the lives of whom he has 
touched.

                          ____________________