[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 21, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E867]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    RECOGNIZING THE SERVICE OF WORLD WAR II VETERAN ALBERT CUMMINGS

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                            HON. TRENT KELLY

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 21, 2017

  Mr. KELLY of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor World 
War II Veteran Albert Cummings who served our great nation from 1944 
until 1946. Mr. Cummings answered the call to defend America and 
distinguished himself during some of the fiercest campaigns in Europe, 
including the D-Day Invasion of Normandy on the northern coast of 
France.
  Mr. Cummings was raised on a farm in Carrolton, Alabama. He was one 
of 13 children. Mr. Cummings left the family farm to fight in World War 
II. He was 18 years old when he trained for the U.S. Army Infantry. Mr. 
Cummings excelled during his military service as a Squad Leader. He 
achieved the rank of Staff Sergeant (SSG).
  Mr. Cummings was wounded as he made his way to Utah Beach during the 
invasion of Normandy. He was shot by a German soldier. Mr. Cummings was 
picked up by a MASH unit and strapped to the top of a field ambulance. 
He spent 17 days in a hospital in France. He was transferred to a 
hospital in England for five months. In January 1945, Mr. Cummings came 
back to the United States on a Liberty ship. Liberty ship was the name 
given to the EC2, the ship designed for emergency construction by the 
U.S. Maritime Commission. While sailing across the Atlantic Ocean, the 
ship split in half. These ships traveled in convoys, so he was able to 
be picked up. Mr. Cummings continued his recovery at the Augusta Army 
Hospital in Georgia. He spent a total of nine months in hospitals in 
Europe and the U.S. After his recovery, Mr. Cummings continued to serve 
our nation guarding Prisoner of War (POW) camps from Mississippi to 
California. He was honorably discharged in January 1946.
  When Mr. Cummings completed his military service, he took a job as a 
Trailways bus driver. In 1949, he met his future wife, Helen, who 
worked at a Columbus restaurant. They were married in 1950. They had 
two children, Cheryl and Tim. Mr. Cummings was later employed as a 
truck driver for Campbell 66 and worked there until he retired. Mr. 
Cummings enjoys spending the majority of his time with his five 
grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
  In July, Mr. Cummings will be honored for his military service by the 
Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4272. He will be honored for serving in 
WWII and for his service as a past Post 4272 Commander, VFW District 
Commander, and VFW State Commander.
  Mr. Cummings has demonstrated what it is to be a patriotic American 
who is willing to fight for the freedoms we all enjoy. He has led a 
life of honor and honesty which is why we call Mr. Cummings and others 
like him ``The Greatest Generation.''

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