[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 110 (Thursday, June 24, 2021)]
[House]
[Page H3092]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  HONORING THE SACRIFICE OF NEAL TODD

  (Mr. STAUBER asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. STAUBER. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of a true American 
hero. Neal Kenneth Todd of Akeley, Minnesota, enlisted as a Fireman 
First Class in the U.S. Navy and was stationed on the USS Oklahoma in 
Pearl Harbor.
  He tragically lost his life on Sunday, December 7, 1941, when 
Japanese torpedoes caused the ship to capsize.
  Initially, Neal Todd was reported missing in action, and his family 
went almost 3 months without answers before learning of his death. To 
make matters worse, his body was never identified, leaving his family 
without the closure that they deserved.
  After nearly 80 years of unimaginable grief and unanswered questions, 
Neal's remains have finally been identified, beginning the process of 
returning him home to Minnesota.
  On July 10, Neal Todd will be buried with full military honors next 
to his brother and parents. It will be my distinct privilege to join 
his family in Akeley when he returns home.
  Witnessing this American hero laid to rest after decades will be an 
honor, but it will also be a somber reminder that freedom comes at such 
a heavy price.
  Madam Speaker, we can never forget the sacrifices made by heroes like 
Neal Todd. Americans like him are the reason that this Nation is known 
as the land of the free and the home of the brave.
  God bless Neal Todd and God bless his family.

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