[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 116 (Thursday, July 11, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E904-E905]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           HONORING SERGEANT FIRST CLASS ELDEN CHARLES JUSTUS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JARED HUFFMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 11, 2019

  Mr. HUFFMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Sergeant 
First Class

[[Page E905]]

Elden Charles Justus who died in the line of duty during the Korean War 
on December 6, 1950, and is being laid to rest today.
  Elden Justus was born in Grady, New Mexico, to Elmer and Lois Justus. 
The family settled in Arcata, California, where Elden graduated high 
school in 1945. On October 29, 1945 he enlisted in the United States 
Army and joined the 33rd Field Artillery Unit in Darmstadt, Germany. He 
met his wife in Germany, Ruth Boensel, and had two children, Jack and 
Lois.
  The family relocated to Camp Carson in Colorado in January of 1950, 
and by September of 1950, Sergeant Justus departed for Japan and then 
to Korea. He served in the Headquarters Battery, 57th Field Artillery, 
7th Infantry Division. He died in what is now North Korea on December 
6, 1950, while assisting American and Korean soldiers out of an enemy 
attack. He was considered Missing in Action (MIA) until his remains 
were found in 2004 in a communal grave.
  The Department of the Army POW/MIA Accounting Agency performed 
multiple tests and after 15 years of verification work, Sergeant 
Justus's surviving family members, his children Jack and Lois, were 
notified that their father's remains were found and identified in April 
2019.
  Sergeant Justus will posthumously be awarded the Purple Heart, Army 
Good Conduct Medal, World War II Victory Medal, National Defense 
Service Medal, Korean Service Medal with two Bronze Service Stars, 
Presidential Unit Citation-Navy, United Nations Service Medal, Republic 
of Korea-Korean War Service Medal, and the Republic of Korea-
Presidential Unit Citation.
  Madam Speaker, until Sergeant Justus's remains were recovered in 
2004, he was one of over 7,000 Korean War service members who remain 
unaccounted. Sergeant Justus made the brave and honorable decision to 
help his fellow soldiers to safety when he gave his life for this 
nation. Therefore, please join me in recognizing SFC Elden Justus as he 
finally returns home and is laid to rest.

                          ____________________