[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 147 (Wednesday, September 5, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1210]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




IN RECOGNITION OF MAJOR DONALD EMERSON SHAY, JR. AND MRS. SARA FRANCES 
                                  SHAY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ROBERT J. WITTMAN

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, September 5, 2018

  Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the service 
of both United States Air Force Major Donald Emerson ``Don'' Shay, Jr., 
of the 14th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, and his mother, Mrs. Sara 
Frances Shay. This October marks forty-eight years since Maj. Shay went 
missing over southern Laos in the service of his country. After her son 
was reported as MIA, Mrs. Shay dedicated herself to reunite all those 
missing in Southeast Asia with their families for forty-five years.
  Before his service in the United States Air Force, Don was raised in 
Linthicum, Maryland, and graduated the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1967. 
On October 8, 1970, then Captain Shay and Cpt. William A. Ott were shot 
down during a reconnaissance mission over Laos in an RF4C Phantom. 
Their plane was not located and both men were listed Missing in Action. 
Upon the release of 591 American prisoners of war in 1973, neither 
Cpts. Shay nor Ott were among those coming home. Cpt. Shay was promoted 
to the rank of Major after he was reported MIA; he is among eighteen 
members of the USAFA class of 1967 who lost their lives in or are still 
MIA from Vietnam.
  Following the report that Don was missing, Mrs. Shay began 
volunteering her time and efforts towards locating her son. Soon, her 
dedication grew to all service members who were MIA/POW in Vietnam. She 
went on to serve on the board of the National League of Families of 
American Prisoners Missing in Southeast Asia, the board of the 
Linthicum Veteran's Memorial, and has worked with countless families 
and veterans of the war in the intervening decades. For her tireless 
work, she has been recognized by Presidents Nixon, Ford, Reagan, George 
H.W. Bush, and Obama. Mrs. Shay will be celebrating her 100th birthday 
this December.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask you to join me in thanking Major Donald Emerson 
Shay, Jr., and Mrs. Sara Frances Shay for their incredible sacrifices, 
devotion, and service to our nation; words cannot express our 
gratitude.

                          ____________________