[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 56 (Monday, April 9, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E406]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   IN RECOGNITION OF BRADFORD HOLMES

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. WILLIAM R. KEATING

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, April 9, 2018

  Mr. KEATING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Bradford 
Holmes as he receives a Prisoner-Of-War medal for his service and 
sacrifice during World War II.
  Bradford was born on September 29, 1925 and now resides in Onset, MA. 
Growing up he worked for a cranberry company. At the age of eighteen, 
Bradford was drafted into the United States Army, following the 
footsteps of his older brother.
  Bradford started at Fort Devens in Massachusetts and then trained at 
several bases across the country, eventually ending up in Camp 
Atterbury in Indiana, where he joined the 106th division. He was later 
shipped overseas to England to receive more training. Bradford then 
headed through Belgium to the front lines as a part of the 423rd 
Regiment.
  Moving through wood lines and digging fox holes through the frozen 
ground, they made their way to the front, but they were surrounded and 
Bradford was captured during the Battle of the Bulge on December 17, 
1944. They walked for several days through snow, sleeping by the side 
of the road at night. They spent the holidays locked in train cars and 
his train was attacked by the Allies, not realizing that POWs were on 
board.
  Bradford was taken to the German POW Camp, Stalag IV-B, where he 
volunteered to go on a work detail to escape the horrible conditions of 
the camp. Bradford was sent to start working in a furniture factory. 
Here he looked forward to air raids because they caused factory workers 
to flee and gave him an opportunity to run and find food. Later he and 
other POWs were forced to cut down and haul out trees in the mountains. 
Even with three men on each side of the tree, this was incredibly 
difficult and dangerous. They lost many men as a result. As air raids 
increased, they were forced to walk fifteen miles to the border of 
Czechoslovakia. Finally, they were abandoned by their captors as the 
Red Army advanced and the POWs followed German civilians to allied 
territory.
  After returning to the United States, Bradford got married and 
started a family of his own.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor Bradford Holmes for his service and 
dedication to his country. I ask that my colleagues join me in thanking 
him for his work and in wishing him the best in his future endeavors.

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