[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 53 (Monday, March 27, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E389]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  HONORING CAPTAIN HUMBERT ROQUE ``ROCKY'' VERSACE ON THE OCCASION OF 
                      NATIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. DONALD S. BEYER, JR.

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 27, 2017

  Mr. BEYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on the occasion of National 
Medal of Honor Day to recognize the heroism ``above and beyond the call 
of duty'' of Captain Humbert Roque ``Rocky'' Versace, USMA Class of 
1959. Captain Versace, who was captured by the Viet Cong with two other 
U.S. soldiers on 29 October 1963, endured nearly 23 months of inhuman 
treatment at the hands of his communist captors. That included denial 
of medical treatment (for the 3 bullet wounds he sustained during his 
capture), insufficient daily food ration, indoctrination attempts, 
beatings and confinement to a cramped bamboo cage.
   Portions of his Medal of Honor citation read: ``[H]e demonstrated 
exceptional leadership and resolute adherence to the tenants of the 
Code of Conduct from the time he entered into a prisoner of war status 
. . . he attempted the first of four escape attempts by dragging 
himself on his hands and knees out of the camp through dense swamp and 
forbidding vegetation to freedom . . . Captain Versace scorned the 
enemy's exhaustive interrogation and indoctrination efforts, and 
inspired his fellow prisoners to resist to the best of their ability. 
When he used his Vietnamese language skills to protest improper 
treatment of the American prisoners by the guards, he was put into leg 
irons and gagged to keep his protestations out of earshot of the other 
American prisoners in the camp . . .''
   The Viet Cong murdered Captain Versace on 26 September 1965. After 
more than 51 years, Captain Versace is the only U.S. Soldier who 
received the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War to remain Missing in 
Action.

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