[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 177 (Tuesday, December 8, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1733]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                          HONORING BERT DODDS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. TODD C. YOUNG

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 8, 2015

  Mr. YOUNG of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, today we honor Bert Dodds for his 
service to the United States Navy and to his country.
  A Hospital Corpsman, Dodds was a medical professional attached to the 
1st Platoon, 2nd Combined Action Group, 3rd Marine Amphibious Force, 
1st Marine Division in Vietnam from November 1967 through November 
1968. During his tour of duty in Vietnam, Dodds provided medical 
expertise to Vietnamese orphans and various local villages. On November 
4, 1967, while on patrol with his detachment, a booby trap exploded on 
a nearby rice paddy dike and injured Dodds' leg and head.
  In spite of his injuries, Dodds continued to treat the Marines in his 
detachment until a medical evacuation was arranged. Dodds' heroism 
earned him, among other awards, a Purple Heart, a Navy Commendation, a 
Meritorious Unit Citation, and a Combat Action Ribbon.
  Dodds' drive for selfless service continued beyond his tenure in the 
Navy. After his homecoming, Dodds lectured at the Officer Candidate 
School in Quantico, Virginia and served as a medical corpsman during a 
massive peace march in Washington, DC, in which hundreds of thousands 
of demonstrators converged on the Capitol to protest the Vietnam War.
  Today, Dodds' heart for his community is reflected by his 
volunteerism. He visited local grade schools on Veterans Day to teach 
the children about proper flag etiquette. In conjunction with the 
Marine Corps League, he has visited numerous veterans in a VA hospital 
and local nursing homes.
  He is an active member of the Marine Corps League Morgan County 
Detachment #1367 and was elected Commandant in April 2015. Earlier this 
year, Dodds organized a celebration of the 70th anniversary of the 
Battle of Iwo Jima at the American Legion in Martinsville.
  It is a privilege to award Bert Dodds with Congressional 
Commendation, and ensure his story is preserved for future generations.

                          ____________________