[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 190 (Tuesday, November 21, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1595]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               HONORING FIRST LIEUTENANT JOHN H. LIEKHUS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. J. LUIS CORREA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 21, 2017

  Mr. CORREA. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take some time today to 
honor the memory of First Lieutenant John H. Liekhus of Anaheim, for 
his immense dedication to serving our country.
  A member of Anaheim High's 1934 graduating class, First Lt. Liekhus 
was a flyer with the 323rd Bombardment Squadron, the 91st Bombardment 
Group and Eighth Air Force. On November 2, 1944, First Lt. Liekhus and 
his crew were on a bombing mission to Merseburg, Germany when their 
plane was hit by a flak. When he realized his plane was going down, 
First Lt. Liekhus ordered his nine-member crew to bail. Three survived 
and became prisoners of war, the navigator died, and First Lt. Liekhus 
and the others were declared missing in action. It was his great 
nephew, Dr. Michael Cushing, who led the search for answers about his 
great uncle's plane crash. First Lt. Liekhus was 29 years old at the 
time of his death, but his body was not recovered to be returned home 
until 73 years after his death. Dr. Cushing, and First Lt. Liekhus' 
last living sister, Trudy, were finally able to receive answers.
  First Lt. John H. Liekhus embodied the selflessness and courage of 
servicemembers. He paid the ultimate price by putting the lives of his 
crew before his own, and his efforts towards the mission to bomb 
Merseburg oil refineries were instrumental in ending Hitler's reign.
  Mr. Speaker, First Lt. Liekhus is an example to us all of us of the 
incredible sacrifice of our servicemembers. I am honored to recognize 
First Lt. Liekhus for going above and beyond for American freedom and 
thank him for his service.