[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 212 (Tuesday, December 15, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S7499]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO WARREN AND JANE ALLEN

 Mrs. SHAHEEN. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize Warren 
and Jane Allen of Spofford, NH. The couple served our country with 
distinction during World War II, and the life they built together is 
emblematic of the many who came home from war, raised a family, and 
helped to build the America we know today.
  Warren, or ``Bill'' as he is known to close friends, was born on 
March 14, 1923, in Calhoun, GA. He joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 
1942. When asked years later why he decided to enlist, he replied that 
he saw a movie about the Marines and liked the look of their dress 
blues. His service brought him across the country, from boot camp at 
Parris Island in South Carolina to ``tower school'' in Fort Worth, TX, 
and eventually to a posting at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point in 
Havelock, NC. An air traffic controller, Bill remembers having to stand 
on orange crates to direct aircraft traffic at MCAS Cherry Point. The 
control tower had not been built yet.
  Jane Post was born on April 26, 1923, in Spofford, NH. She enlisted 
in the recently formed U.S. Marine Corps Women Reserves in June of 
1943. She trained at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina and attended 
control tower school in Atlanta, GA. Following her training, she 
arrived at MCAS Cherry Point and was assigned to the air station's 
clearance center. It was her responsibility to keep track of all 
arriving and departing aircraft at the station. It was at Cherry Point 
that Jane's path crossed Bill's in 1943.
  By November of that year, Bill had risen to a supervisor position at 
air station. One day, a plane carrying a U.S. Marine Corps general was 
descending and given clearance to land. Suddenly, a fighter pilot 
radioed that his plane was losing air pressure and requested permission 
for an emergency landing. The control tower instructed the fighter 
pilot to circle the air station and allow the general's plane to land 
first. Upon hearing this, Bill sprinted up the stairs of the control 
tower and demanded to know who gave those instructions. It was Jane 
Post.
  Though he disagreed with her judgement on which plane should have 
landed first that day, Bill struck up a relationship with that control 
tower operator. They were married 5 months later on April 20, 1944, and 
have been inseparable ever since.
  Bill continued to serve in the U.S. Marine Corps until 1946. He 
reenlisted in 1947 and kept his rank of technical sergeant. In 1952, he 
was honorably discharged from the Reserves. Jane served in the Women 
Reserves until January 12, 1945. She was honorably discharged upon the 
news that she and Bill were expecting their first child.
  The Allens eventually settled in Spofford, NH, a small community in 
the western part of the State. Bill went on to work at a number of 
local banks after a short stint as the owner of the local Tuttle's 
Store. He retired as president of the Savings Bank of Walpole in 1993. 
As their children grew up, Jane returned to school and obtained a 
bachelor's degree in home economics from nearby Keene State College.
  They also applied the leadership qualities that they refined in the 
Marine Corps to a variety of community endeavors. Bill served as town 
moderator and a longtime member of the local budget committee. He was 
also a captain at the Spofford Volunteer Fire Department. Jane worked 
to establish the Chesterfield Historical Society and was a driving 
force in raising funds for a new library in town. Bill and Jane were 
both fixtures at Keene State College basketball games, Bill as an 
official scorekeeper and Jane as a dedicated fan.
  Last year, they celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary among 
family and the many friends they have made in their journey from Cherry 
Point to the Granite State.
  On behalf of the people of New Hampshire, I ask my colleagues and all 
Americans to join me in thanking Bill and Jane Allen for their service 
in World War II and the many contributions they have made to their 
community in the years since. We wish them all the best in the years 
ahead.

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