[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 124 (Tuesday, July 24, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1052]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 RECOGNIZING OSS VETERAN HOWARD POLLARI

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. BRADLEY SCOTT SCHNEIDER

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 24, 2018

  Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. Howard 
Pollari, a World War II veteran of the Office of Strategic Services 
(OSS), and a resident of Illinois's Tenth District.
   The OSS was a wartime intelligence agency, and precursor to the 
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), that played an integral part in our 
military and intelligence operations during World War II. Members of 
the service trained, supplied, and fought alongside resistance 
organizations throughout Europe and Asia as they battled against the 
Axis Powers.
   For two and a half years, Mr. Pollari committed his life to the 
service of our country. Beginning in 1944, he participated in five 
``Carpetbagger'' operations as part of the 857th Bomb Squadron of the 
OSS delivering much-needed supplies to resistance fighters and allies 
in Nazi-occupied Norway. These dangerous stealth missions were 
typically flown on moonlit nights and at low level to avoid enemy 
detection.
   Mr. Pollari's role as a flight engineer was vital to the success and 
survival of these missions, as he was responsible for making in-flight 
repairs to the B-24 aircrafts during the airdrop missions.
   Mr. Pollari was one of more than 13,000 individuals employed by the 
OSS at the war's peak. Today, fewer than 100 former OSS members remain 
alive, and for too long their service and sacrifice was not properly 
recognized.
   Earlier this year, Congress awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, 
the highest civilian honor, to those who served in the OSS in 
recognition of their heroic and pioneering service to our country.
   It is my great honor and privilege to recognize Howard Pollari on 
behalf of a grateful nation for his service to our country and allies 
during World War II. I look forward to presenting him and his family 
with a copy of the Congressional Gold Medal in person this August.

                          ____________________