[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 41 (Thursday, March 9, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Page S1741]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO ROBERT K. SCHRATZ

 Mr. HELLER. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize the 100th 
birthday of Robert K. Schratz, a WWII veteran and an incredible family 
man. I am proud to honor him for reaching such an impressive milestone 
in his life, and I want to acknowledge his unwavering courage and 
service to our Nation.
  Mr. Schratz, an avid outdoorsman and Eagle Scout, was born in 
Pittsburgh, PA, on January 25, 1917. As a graduate from Carnegie Tech 
with a degree in civil engineering, Schratz went on to work for the 
Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad as a design engineer. However, after 
the attack on Pearl Harbor, he enlisted into the U.S. Army Air Corps.
  In 1944, Schratz graduated from the Air Corps as a multiengine pilot 
and a second lieutenant. He flew over 168 missions, including the 
Berlin Airlift, and served a 4-year Pentagon assignment. Over several 
years, Schratz was stationed all over the world, including Texas, 
Mississippi, Washington, DC, Alabama, England, Germany, and Japan. 
Schratz was also stationed at Stead Air Force Base in Nevada, a place 
he truly admired and would eventually call home. After retiring from 
the Air Force as a lieutenant colonel, Schratz and his beloved wife, 
Barbara, permanently moved to Reno, NV, where Schratz worked for the 
City of Reno Engineer's office for over a decade.
  As a World War II veteran, Schratz's commitment to his country and 
his dedication to his family and community will be preserved for 
generations to come. As a member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs 
Committee, I recognize that Congress has a responsibility to honor 
these brave individuals, and I remain committed to upholding this 
promise for veterans and servicemembers in Nevada and throughout the 
Nation.
  Additionally, I am pleased to recognize Schratz for passing on his 
legacy of serving our country through several generations. Lieutenant 
Colonel Schratz's son, Robert K. Schratz II, served as a captain in the 
U.S. Marine Corps while his son, Mark Schratz, also served in the U.S. 
Air Force. His grandson, Wayne Cates, served in the U.S. Navy, and his 
great-granddaughter, Hospital Corpsman Third Class Emily Cates, 
currently serves in the U.S. Navy. I truly commend these members of the 
Schratz family and am grateful for their devotion to protecting our 
Nation's freedoms.
  I applaud Robert K. Schratz for his courageous contributions to the 
United States of America and to freedom-loving nations around the 
world. His service to his country and his bravery and dedication to his 
family and community earn him a place among the outstanding men and 
women who have valiantly defended our Nation. Today I am honored to 
commend Mr. Schratz and celebrate an inspiring milestone achieved by 
such an upstanding Nevadan.

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