[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 196 (Friday, December 1, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1640-E1641]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       RECOGNIZING THE LIFE AND SERVICE OF MAJOR CAESAR CIVITELLA

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. CHARLIE CRIST

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, December 1, 2017

  Mr. CRIST. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the life and 
service of Major Caesar Civitella of St. Petersburg, Florida.
  With his passing on October 25, 2017, America lost a man who was 
emblematic of what it means to be a true patriot. Both in defense of 
his homeland, and when called to protect the homes of our allies, Major 
Civitella was always ready to answer the call to service. His heroic 
combat achievements on battlefields across the globe, coupled with his 
many contributions to our intelligence services, leave a legacy that 
Florida's 13th Congressional District is proud to uphold.

[[Page E1641]]

  After joining the United States Army in February of 1943, Major 
Civitella was quickly selected to serve the Office of Strategic 
Services. He and his group members were then inserted into Northern 
Africa to support the Allied invasion of France. After capturing nearly 
4,000 enemies in France, Major Civitella's team was deployed to Italy 
and participated in 21 air operations as ``Bundle Kickers,'' dropping 
leaflets over civilian populations. By 1945, the Army deployed Major 
Civitella to the Swiss Alps, and tasked him with reporting German 
activity, in an effort to capture Benito Mussolini.
  In 1946, Major Civitella was discharged from the Army, but quickly 
reenlisted as a Counterintelligence non-commissioned officer in 1947. 
By 1952, the Army recruited then 2nd Lieutenant Caesar Civitella into 
the newly-created Special Forces division. There, he pioneered the 
creation of training aids, doctrine, and lesson plans for the United 
States Army Psychological Warfare Center, and was one of the original 
instructors of air operations and guerilla warfare. After assignments 
with both the 77th Special Forces Group and the 10th Special Forces 
Group, Major Civitella returned to the Special Warfare Center and was 
assigned to work in the Combat Development Office. Beginning in 1961, 
Major Civitella served three tours in Vietnam, working on enhanced 
insertion and extraction systems like Scuba, Halo, and the Fulton 
``Skyhook.''
  A day after retiring from the Army on August 31, 1964, Major 
Civitella joined the ranks of the Central Intelligence Agency. He 
worked there until August 31, 1983, fulfilling the roles of Senior 
Province Officer in Vietnam, Plan's Branch liaison to the Pentagon, and 
the Interagency Representative to the United States Readiness Command. 
In addition, Major Civitella coordinated intelligence, training, and 
interagency operations for the Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force at 
MacDill Airforce Base in Tampa.
  Because of his service and expertise in unconventional warfare, Major 
Civitella received numerous accolades throughout his life including the 
United States Bronze Star Medal, the Intelligence Medal of Merit, the 
Bull Simmons Award for a lifetime of Special Operations Forces 
Achievements, and the prestigious French Legion of Honor, the highest 
decoration offered by the French government, and an award typically 
reserved for French nationals.
  Mr. Speaker, please join me once again in commemorating Major Caesar 
Civitella's life; thanking him for his many contributions to the Armed 
Forces and intelligence community. He leaves behind a bold legacy of 
true and selfless patriotism that helped make our country a beacon of 
light in a dangerous world.

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