[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 172 (Thursday, December 1, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1558]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 RECOGNIZING MR. WILLIAM ``BILL'' HALD

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                           HON. DOUG LaMALFA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, December 1, 2016

  Mr. LaMALFA. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize Mr. William 
``Bill'' Hald of Grass Valley, California, an artist and a veteran from 
the North State.
   Bill served in the United States Navy from 1967 through 1973. After 
graduating 2nd in his class, he served as a computer fire control 
missile technician aboard the USS Ramsey, a Brooke-class destroyer 
escort for the USS Hancock aircraft carrier in the Western Pacific. Mr. 
Hald was one of the six crewmembers required to use the Ramsey's Tartar 
Missile System--but during his first tour he was the sole technician 
able to use the system's analog computer, resulting in long days and 
nights. Throughout his tour in the Western Pacific, the USS Ramsey 
earned 5 Battle Stars in addition to a number of citations and campaign 
ribbons. After his service, Bill returned to the North State and began 
to sculpt, sometimes using patriotic symbols, such as the bald eagle.
   Bill's wife Camille placed one of his sculptures, We The People, up 
for the 2016 National Veterans Administration Creative Arts 
Competition. This annual competition focuses on the use of the creative 
arts to assist in rehabilitative treatment for enrolled Veterans 
recovering from, and coping with physical and emotional disabilities. 
The competition has 51 categories, including sculptures. We The People 
quickly gained recognition, placing first in local and regional 
competitions. On October 16, 2016, at the National Veterans Creative 
Arts Festival in Jackson, Mississippi, We The People won first place in 
the sculpture category.
   We The People portrays a bald eagle perched atop four books: the 
Holy Bible, on top, followed by three books labelled Legislative, 
Executive and Judicial to represent the first three Articles of the 
Constitution of the United States. The right talon of the eagle is 
placed on the Holy Bible, while it stands ``on the wall,'' over the 
Constitution in a protective stance. In total, Bill spent over a year 
crafting the 100 pound pure bronze sculpture in his garage. There are 
5,000 accurately handcrafted feathers on the piece. I am deeply 
grateful to Bill for his service in the United States Navy, but also 
for the incredible devotion and patriotism that he has shown to his 
country after his service ended.

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