[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 138 (Monday, August 20, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S5717]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO CHARLES DOWD

  Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, this week I have the honor of recognizing 
Charles Dowd of Deer Lodge County, MT for his honorable service in 
uniform at a pivotal time in our Nation's history and as a leader in 
his community.
  In January of 1941, at the age of 17, Charles volunteered for service 
at sea in the U.S. Navy. He completed boot camp in Newport, RI, and 
later communications school in San Diego. In September, as a basically 
trained radio operator, he was transferred to his first permanent duty 
station: Pearl Harbor, HI. Three months later, he would take his place 
in history.
  On Sunday morning, December 7, just after completing a night shift, 
he and his fellow shipmates came under attack by more than 300 enemy 
aircraft. The Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service conducted a successful 
military strike on the heart of the U.S. Pacific Fleet--destroying or 
severely damaging 21 ships and claiming the lives of 2,400 Americans. 
In only a t-shirt and trousers, he sprinted from the barracks to the 
armory, where he climbed to the roof with a .30-06 Springfield rifle 
and began firing at the pilots of low-flying torpedo bombers. He 
suffered burns on his arms and neck from the nearby USS California, 
which was engulfed in flames.
  Following the attacks on Pearl Harbor, Charles volunteered for duty 
in Solomon Islands during the bloody Guadalcanal campaign, where he 
earned the nickname ``Devil Dog Dowd,'' harkening to the marines of 
Belleau Wood in World War One. Once U.S. forces secured the islands, 
Dowd would climb a signal tower on the island of Tulagi and message a 
nearby destroyer that he was willing to exchange duties with any 
willing radioman. The ship's commodore, CAPT Arleigh Burke, accepted 
his request. Burke would later reach the rank of four-star admiral and 
serve as Chief of Naval Operations. In Burke's stateroom, Dowd shared 
his experiences at Pearl Harbor and Tulagi. Burke was so impressed by 
Dowd's fighting spirit, that he assigned Dowd as his flag radioman.
  During the course of his service, Dowd was awarded seven Bronze Star 
medals. After the war, Charles and his wife returned stateside, where 
he worked in masonry and carpentry construction, before completing his 
degree at the University of Florida. After graduation, he spent the 
next 18 years passing on his knowledge of industrial arts and drafting 
to high school students. An avid sportsman with a passion for the 
outdoors, Dowd later relocated to Anaconda, MT. He has been an active 
member of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association, dedicated to 
preserving the memory of the events of World War II and those who paid 
the ultimate sacrifice for their country. Charles continues to speak 
for civic groups and museums around the State.
  It is my privilege to honor the life of this esteemed Montanan, who 
contributed so much to the preservation of freedom and improving the 
lives of others. On behalf of a grateful nation, I want to thank 
Charles, whose courage and selfless dedication to others are a hallmark 
for generations to come.

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