[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 65 (Thursday, April 15, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1973-S1974]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                      Remembering Douglas Burtell

  Mr. CRAMER. Madam President, 12 days ago, on April 3, we brought sad 
news of the passing of Douglas Burtell, of Bowman, ND, the last known 
World War II veteran residing in my State from the legendary 164th 
Infantry Regiment of the North Dakota National Guard. Tomorrow would 
have been his 97th birthday, April 16. I join in remembering and 
honoring him and the generation of heroes he represents to our State 
and to our Nation.
  Douglas Burtell joined the National Guard in Fargo at the age of 16. 
In February of 1942, 2 months after the attack on Pearl Harbor, this 
Casselton native was among the 1,723 young men to mobilize in the 164th 
Infantry Regiment. Ten months later, the regiment sailed into history 
as the first U.S. Army unit to offensively engage the enemy in the 
Pacific when they landed at Guadalcanal on October 13, 1942. There they 
reinforced the 1st Marine Division and spent more than 600 days in the 
combat zone until August 1945.

[[Page S1974]]

  His talent for illustration was noticed at the national regiment 
headquarters, where he was trained in intelligence and reconnaissance. 
There he interpreted aerial photography, analyzed captured materials, 
and drew maps based on patrol reconnaissance reports. His service 
included combat on the Philippine Islands, Bougainville, and 
Guadalcanal, and he received the Purple Heart after being wounded in 
action.
  Returning to North Dakota after the war, Mr. Burtell earned his high 
school GED, attended art school in Minneapolis, and spent much of his 
life in lumber, millwork, and camper sales in Fargo. He spent his last 
years living near his daughter in Bowman, ND.
  Often attending reunions of the 164th Regiment Infantry Association, 
he was present at its final gathering in October 2017. He helped 
relatives of other veterans with research about the war experiences of 
their loved ones
  And he painted throughout his life, generously sharing his work with 
friends. Mr. Burtell's artwork helped tell the everyday stories of the 
soldiers as they fought their way through the South Pacific. His 
illustrations are a lasting testament to the heroic contributions of 
the 164th Infantry Regiment to World War II. He was honored in March 
when North Dakota Adjutant General, Major General Al Dohrmann announced 
one of his sketches would be featured on a new recognition coin. Other 
artwork is etched in granite on the 164th Infantry Regiment Memorial 
located at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery near Mandan, which is now 
Mr. Burtell's final resting place.
  Madam President, on behalf of all Dakotans and a grateful nation, I 
offer my deepest condolences to Douglas Burtell's family and friends, 
including his daughter and son-in-law, Barb and Steve Conley, his two 
granddaughters, and five great-grandchildren.
  Today, with most of our World War II veterans now gone, Mr. Burtell's 
artwork preserves the faces of so many brave North Dakotans and 
exemplifies their patriotism and dedication.
  The 164th Infantry Regiment's motto in French, ``Je Suis Pret,'' ``I 
Am Ready,'' inspires today's North Dakota National Guard motto of 
``Always Ready, Always There.'' God bless the memory of Douglas Burtell 
and the brave soldiers of World War II who were always ready.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Texas