[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 61 (Monday, April 16, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E465]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





         HONORING SERGEANT FIRST CLASS (RETIRED) ROY F. TACHIAS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BEN RAY LUJAN

                             of new mexico

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, April 16, 2018

  Mr. BEN RAY LUJAN of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor 
and pay tribute to a great New Mexican and a true American hero, 
Sergeant First Class (ret.) Roy Tachias of Albuquerque, New Mexico. On 
this day, we also honor the entire Tachias family for their continued 
military service in support of the country they love.
   To truly comprehend the significant service and sacrifice of 
Sergeant Tachias to our nation, it is important to understand his 
humble beginnings. Roy Tachias was born on January 25, 1932, in 
Cabezon, New Mexico. The village of Cabezon is located at the base of 
Cabezon Peak in a remote part of northwestern New Mexico, surrounded by 
tall mesas and bordering the Navajo Nation Reservation. It was a small 
village of nearly 200 people, very isolated from modern society. Most 
of the homes had dirt floors, and no one in the village had water, gas, 
or electricity. Roy fondly recalls memories of his early years when his 
mother would bake bread and make soap with his help and the help of his 
seven brothers and sisters. Each day, the family would haul back water 
from the local arroyos--arroyos which they shared with the local 
cattle. Laundry was a three-day process and the whole village would 
hang their clothes outside to air dry. The villagers were either 
farmers or cattle ranchers, and all lived off the fruits of their daily 
labor.
   When Roy was in elementary school, the Tachias family moved to the 
city of Bernalillo. At age 16, Roy and a few of his friends hitchhiked 
to Albuquerque and enlisted in the United States Army. In 1949, at the 
age 17, Private Roy Tachias received his first military orders, was 
posted to Japan, and eventually became a member of the 21st Regiment of 
the 24th Infantry Division. That unit evolved into the infamous Task 
Force Smith, the first combat group of American fighting forces 
deployed to face the North Korean Army following their incursion into 
South Korea. During this effort, 40 percent of his unit was lost and 
many more were wounded. In the next few years, Task Force Smith members 
would go on to fight with distinction against both the North Korean and 
Chinese Armies. Sergeant Tachias describes the rough conditions, 
recalling times that his unit marched on without food and supplies, and 
even used old rags wrapped around their feet when their boots wore out.
   In July of 1950, Task Force Smith was ordered to fight a delaying 
action until reinforcements arrived. Their mission was to join forces 
with the South Korean Army. At that time, the North Korean army had 
surged over the border and was headed toward the southern coast, 
leaving death and destruction behind them.
   American soldiers met an estimated 6,000 North Korean troops near 
Osan, slowed down the enemy advance, and delayed their progress until 
they halted it altogether. Sergeant Tachias recalls the many times he 
leaned heavily on his faith to get him through. He says he prayed every 
day and night and believed that God walked beside him and protected 
him.
   After extensive fighting, the American forces pushed the North 
Korean Army to the border of China. For five days and five nights 
straight, both armies fought an exhausting engagement. It was on one of 
those nights when Sergeant Tachias was ordered to be the sole 
individual to man a forward listening post in enemy territory, 5,000 
yards from his unit on the front line. That night, in the darkness, Roy 
began to hear and feel a rumbling sound and witnessed the Chinese Army 
approaching him in waves.
   Instinctively, Sergeant Tachias began to shout, shoot, and throw 
hand grenades at the waves of Chinese descending upon him. His efforts 
threw the enemy unit into disarray and successfully stopped the attack. 
He later said, ``I confused them, I guess.'' By the time morning came, 
Sergeant Tachias had killed 33 enemy soldiers singlehandedly and taken 
a man prisoner. He was awarded the Silver Star for conspicuous 
gallantry and heroism. The Stars and Stripes wrote an article and 
called him the ``One Man Army'' for his heroic efforts. Sergeant 
Tachias was wounded five times during his time on the Korean Peninsula. 
He also received the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star with Valor.
   After his service with the U.S. Army in Korea ended, Roy Tachias 
married the former Ramoncita Angelina Gonzales and settled in 
California, where he worked for Lockheed Aircraft. He eventually 
returned to the Army and served two tours in Vietnam, where he earned 
another Bronze Star. His leadership as a non-commissioned officer 
throughout his 20-year military career was second to none. In 1976, he 
retired from the military and returned to his home state of New Mexico, 
a man forever changed by the memories of those who fought alongside 
him, the battles he survived, and a lifetime spent in service to his 
country.
   Sergeant Tachias and his wife, Ramoncita, traveled the world in 
service to our nation and they established a beautiful family with four 
children: Kathleen, Michael, Jeanette, and Brian. A soldier cannot 
perform at his best without the love and support of his family--
especially without the support of a dedicated spouse, who, at times, 
must bear the burden of being both mother and father. So we also would 
like to commend Ramoncita Tachias for the many years of loving service 
and dedication she has shown to her family and to our nation. Roy and 
Ramoncita celebrate 65 years of marriage this year, so please join me 
in congratulating them on this milestone as well.
   The Tachias family is known for their patriotism and their support 
for our Armed Services in their local communities. Due to his example, 
both sons followed in their father's footsteps and are also combat 
veterans. Sergeant Tachias' oldest son, Michael, is a retired 
Lieutenant Colonel with over thirty years of service in the U.S. Army. 
After retirement, Col. Michael Tachias established the Cabezon Wounded 
Warrior Haven in Cabezon, New Mexico to provide a refuge for wounded 
warriors and their families.
   Sergeant Tachias' younger son, Brian, retired as a full Colonel. 
Because his father's life was so greatly impacted by his military 
service in Korea, his son, Colonel Brian Tachias, wanted to serve there 
as well. As a young Infantry officer, he was stationed with the 506th 
Infantry Regiment on the Korean Demilitarized Zone some 38 years after 
his father. Colonel Tachias then continued his service as an Army 
Aviator and he recently retired with 29 years of active duty service.
   The legacy does not end there. Sergeant Tachias' grandsons, Joe 
Garcia, Jr., Brian Tachias, Jr., and Nicholas Tachias, also stepped up 
to answer a new generation's call to service.
   It is with great pride and deep respect that we today recognize the 
service of this outstanding individual. New Mexico is humbled to honor 
Sergeant Tachias' contributions to this nation, contributions that 
began on that Korean peninsula in 1950 and have had generational 
effects that continue onto a new page of history that is yet to be 
written. With a third generation of Tachias soldiers guarding America's 
freedom, we can have confidence that our nation's future is in good 
hands.

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