[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 46 (Thursday, March 15, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H1614-H1615]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  HONORING THE LIFE OF ANDREW KISTLER

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Marshall). The Chair recognizes the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, today in Franklin, 
Pennsylvania, an American hero will be laid to rest. Mr. Andrew A. 
Kistler, past commander of the Disabled American Veterans, died on 
March 9 in Erie, Pennsylvania. He was 88 years old.
  Andy Kistler was a tireless advocate for disabled veterans not only 
in Pennsylvania, but nationally. A Korean war veteran who was almost 
mortally wounded Christmas week in 1952, he lost both of his legs, a 
finger, and a concussion put him into a deep coma.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to share with you the words of the late 
Korean war medic and journalist Chris Farlekas. He helped save Andy 
Kistler, a 21-year-old baseball player from Franklin who arrived at the 
11th Evacuation Hospital for care. I quote from this letter:
  ``The ward was crammed with casualties, and every helicopter that 
landed outside the tent brought even more. The doctor said Andy was too 
far gone, that he would die.
  ``But something inside me said no.
  ``I still don't completely understand my ferocity in needing Andy to 
live. Maybe it was because I'd seen so much death already in the 4 
months that I'd been in the war, holding frightened, dying young men as 
they talked about home. Andy was my test case with God. If he lived, 
I'd believe. If not, tough.
  ``So for 3 days I sat with Andy, willing him to live.
  ``On Christmas Eve, several of the nurses, doctors, and corpsmen went 
through the 11th Evac, singing Christmas carols. At exactly midnight, 
they came to the shock ward and sang `Silent Night.' It may have 
sounded a little ragged, off-pitch, but to me it was absolutely 
beautiful, angelic.
  ``As I listened, Andy came out of the coma, opened his eyes, grabbed 
my hand, and softly sang, `All is calm, all is bright.' The doctors 
said it was a miracle.''
  Andy and Chris spoke about that glorious moment in the PBS 
documentary, ``Korean War Stories,'' produced in 2002.

[[Page H1615]]

  Andy, a double amputee, went on to be a major force for the American 
veterans as head of the Disabled American Veterans, a nonprofit that 
provides a lifetime of support for veterans and their families. With 
almost 1,300 chapters and more than a million members across the 
country, DAV empowers our Nation's heroes and their families by helping 
to provide the resources they need and ensuring our Nation keeps the 
promises that were made to them.
  Mr. Speaker, Andy said he sometimes found himself humming or singing 
``Silent Night'' in odd moments, ``like when I'm shaving,'' he told 
Chris. I know that as friends and family say good-bye to a true 
American hero today in Franklin, all is calm, all is bright.
  May God bless Andy Kistler, whose service to this Nation will be long 
remembered, and may he rest in peace.

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