[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 142 (Wednesday, September 30, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1396]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





       CONGRATULATIONS TO JESSE M. BALTAZAR ON HIS 95TH BIRTHDAY

                                  _____
                                 

                           HON. RYAN K. ZINKE

                               of montana

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 30, 2015

  Mr. ZINKE. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize a great American 
patriot, Mr. Jesse M. Baltazar, on the occasion of his 95th birthday. 
His service to America covers three wars, four federal agencies, 
postings in nine countries and government travel to over 80 nations. He 
is a true and tested member of the Greatest Generation.
  Major Jesse M. Baltazar, USAF (Ret.) was born in Manila, Philippines 
on October 8th, 1920, and began his military career with the United 
States Armed Forces, Far East (USAFFE). He is a veteran of WWII, Korea, 
and Vietnam; a Japanese Prisoner of War and Bataan Death March 
Survivor.
  During Maj. Baltazar's Purple Heart ceremony on January 20, 2015, 
former Chief-of-Staff of the Army Gen. Ray Odierno summarized Maj. 
Baltazar's career to this country as follows:

       I am moved by Maj. Baltazar's humility, his selflessness, 
     and his service to our Nation . . . It's a story about a 
     young man from the Philippines who fought to defend both his 
     home and our Nation following the fateful attack on Pearl 
     Harbor on December 7, 1941; a story about a man who 
     understands the importance of unparalleled national 
     commitment and the willingness to volunteer and serve; a 
     story of honor and courage; and a story about an American 
     Patriot, Soldier, Airman, and Diplomat.

  And Gen. Odierno went on to describe the bravery of Maj. Baltazar 
during the Battle of Bataan, which earned him the Purple Heart:

       On March 15, 1942, Sergeant Baltazar was hit by shrapnel in 
     the leg when the Japanese bombed an area near his camp. With 
     the American and Filipino forces now having been cut off 
     since January 1942, supplies were dwindling and facilities 
     were limited. So he underwent surgery in an open air jungle 
     hospital with minimal anesthesia and little time to recover. 
     As the battle raged on and our Soldiers valiantly fought to 
     hold the line, 76,000 American and Filipino soldiers 
     eventually were forced to put down their arms and surrender 
     on April 9, 1942.
       When the Bataan Death March began, Sergeant Baltazar was 
     forced to use a bamboo stick as a cane to help him walk. He 
     suffered brutality and starvation at the hands of his 
     Japanese captors in conditions that led to the spread of 
     disease. Exhausted and fearing that he was going to die, he 
     seized an opportunity to escape on the third night into the 
     infamous 66 mile march. Hiding in a fisherman's boat for a 
     two-hour ride through the thick swamp, Sergeant Baltazar 
     found his way back home, where he proceeded to join the 
     Filipino resistance movement--what an incredible example of 
     the strength of the human spirit.

  After being discharged from the army in 1945, he went on to become 
the first Filipino-born Officer in the United States Air Force in 1948. 
He served for 20 years in the Air Force, primarily overseas as a 
Special Agent in the Office of Special Investigations (OSI), where he 
authored the monthly Counter-Intelligence report for Korea (1950-52), 
West Berlin (1956-58) and France (1958-60). During the Korean War, he 
was one of a handful of American officers posted to Korea that spoke 
both Russian and Chinese. During the Cold War, he was stationed in 
Berlin when the Berlin Wall was erected. After retiring from the 
military he worked for the United States Department of State, USAID and 
the Department of Labor. From 1966-70 with USAID, he served in Vietnam 
as Deputy Provincial Advisor. During the Sandinista conflict, he served 
as Regional Security Officer with the Voice of America for Nicaragua, 
Belize and Costa Rica. He retired from the State Department in 1988 and 
then returned as a contract employee. Maj. Baltazar continues to serve 
at the Department of State, where at 95, he is their eldest worker.
  Maj. Baltazar received his BS from Georgetown University in 
Linguistics and MA from the University of Virginia in Education. He 
speaks seven languages, including Russian, Chinese, German, French, 
Spanish, English and Tagalog.
  His military awards and decorations include: Bronze Star, Purple 
Heart, WWII Victory Medal, POW Medal, American Defense Service Medal, 
WWII Theater Campaign (Pacific), The Korean Service Medal, Vietnam 
Service Medal, UN Service Medal, Philippine Presidential Unit Citation, 
Korean Presidential Unit Citation.
  Maj. Baltazar is a devoted husband and father. He has been happily 
married to his wife Margrit for 55 years. They have five children, 
Katherine, Susanne, Thomas, Phillip and Melchior, and are blessed with 
nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
  Few choose to lead a life of service like Jesse M. Baltazar. He is a 
living inspiration to all of us of the character, honor, and commitment 
required to keep our nation free. It is a great honor today to 
recognize him on his 95th birthday, for his dedication and sacrifice to 
our great country.

                          ____________________