[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 167 (Tuesday, October 9, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1386]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                RECOGNITION OF REV. ALPHONSO WASHINGTON

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. DAVE BRAT

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, October 9, 2018

  Mr. BRAT. Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate the 105th year of life of 
the Reverend Alphonso Washington. Rev. Washington was raised by his 
grandparents in Hume, Virginia. He attended the Mount Morris Primitive 
Baptist Church (later called Mount Morris Baptist Church), where his 
grandfather served as the pastor. He went to school while also working 
odd jobs to help his mother and stepfather. Beyond working on the 
family farm, he also took on plumbing and construction jobs. In 
November 1942, he received a letter from ``your uncle'' . . . Uncle 
Sam, stating Alphonso Washington had been drafted into the U.S. Army. 
He was sent to Fort Meade, MD, for about a week, and then traveled by 
train to the new Air Navigation School in San Marcos, Texas. The U.S. 
Army was still segregated at that time, and while the white barracks 
had been built on the new base, there were no black barracks yet. He 
and his fellow soldiers slept on the train and then in tents until the 
black barracks were completed.
  Since there were no black chaplains, and he had preaching experience, 
Alphonso was assigned to the base Chaplain Corp. It was during this 
timeframe Rev. Washington made a truly risky stand for God. While 
praying for troops that were heading out to war, a new Chaplain 
Officer, Major Dunn, stated: ``I will not swear to you there is a God, 
because I have not seen Him. . . .'' Thinking those troops definitely 
needed their faith strengthened, not reduced, Private First Class 
Washington stood up and challenged the Major regarding God's existence. 
For this, he was charged with insubordination, and ``blackballed'' from 
promotion in lieu of Court Marshall. After the war, Rev. Washington 
remained in the San Marcos area for nearly 60 years with his first 
wife, Rosa Mae.
  When Rev. Washington moved back to Virginia in the early 2000s, he 
returned to Mount Morris Baptist Church and served as an associate 
minister, traveling to preach in local churches, perform marriages, 
funerals, and counseling. He was later appointed to the position of 
Senior Statesman, where he continues to serve through preaching, 
committee appointments, the Sunday School Conference, the Women's 
Auxiliary and Ministers and Deacons Conference. In 2002, he married his 
current wife and former secretary of the church, Carol Whitmore.
  In 2009, he wrote an autobiography called, ``All in God's Time'' and 
has held book signings and been the keynote speaker throughout Fauquier 
and Culpeper Counties. The book contains his memoirs from his early 
days in Hume through his marriage to Carol at the time he wrote the 
book. He has served as an American Legion Chaplain since 1946 and has 
been preaching the Word of God for over 83 years. Rev. Washington and 
his wife Carol currently reside in Culpeper, VA. I'm happy to honor 
Rev. Alphonso Washington on 105 years of life and know he will continue 
to do great things.

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