[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 171 (Tuesday, October 29, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1365]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       IN HONOR OF ARMY SPECIALIST JOHN W. ODIERNO OF FARMINGDALE

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                           HON. LEE M. ZELDIN

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 29, 2019

  Mr. ZELDIN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Army Specialist 4th 
Class John W. Odierno of Farmingdale, New York. Even at a young age, 
Specialist Odierno was compelled to defend others, protecting his 
family, friends and even his little brother in the school yard. 
However, when Specialist Odierno was drafted during the Vietnam War, 
his call to defend others transitioned from the schoolyard to the 
battlefield.
  On March 21 , 1967, while serving as squad leader during a search and 
destroy mission in the central highlands of Kon Tum Province, 
Specialist Odierno and his company were met with intense machine gun 
and rifle fire from an entrenched North Vietnamese battalion. 
Specialist Odierno and his company found themselves trapped and 
outnumbered.
  Despite being wounded, Specialist Odierno defended his position for 
twenty minutes, allowing his fellow soldiers to reload their weapons. 
While this action saved the lives of many soldiers, it cost Specialist 
Odierno his own.
  At only twenty years old; Specialist Odierno made the ultimate 
sacrifice in defense of his fellow soldiers and our great nation, but 
his spirit and grit did not fall on the battlefield that day. The men 
who witnessed his heroic actions continue to tell the story of 
selflessness and bravery, including Lieutenant Toby Alvaro, who 
believes Specialist Odierno should not only have received the Silver 
Star, but the Medal of Honor for his actions.
  Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Specialist 
Odierno's service and sacrifice, ensuring that when a servicemember 
falls in defense of our great country, our entire nation stands in 
honor.

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