[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 146 (Friday, August 13, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E895]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            RECOGNIZING THE U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY CLASS OF 1970

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                          HON. STENY H. HOYER

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, August 13, 2021

  Mr. HOYER. Madam Speaker, I rise to congratulate the U.S. Naval 
Academy's Class of 1970 on the fiftieth reunion that it celebrated over 
the past year. It has been an honor to support the U.S. Naval Academy 
as the Representative from Maryland's Fifth Congressional District and 
to nominate outstanding candidates for admission each year from our 
communities. With the Academy located in our neighboring district, 
bright and talented students from Fifth District high schools have long 
been drawn to Annapolis for the next step in their education and 
service to country and community. The Naval Academy has a proud history 
of developing excellence in education and shaping the character of its 
past and present graduates, and it continues to train future leaders of 
the Navy and of our country. The Class of 1970 exemplifies the high-
quality standards of the Academy and of the Navy, and I know that many 
of its alumni had been looking forward to celebrating its fiftieth 
reunion in 2020. Because of the pandemic, however, they could not 
gather in person last year; thankfully, they are planning to convene 
this Labor Day weekend.
  The U.S. Naval Academy Class of 1970 began its journey as midshipmen 
in 1966, during the height of the Vietnam War. They stepped up, knowing 
that after graduation many would be sent into combat as Navy and Marine 
Corps officers. That it was such a challenging time for our nation and 
for our military did not deter them; instead, it made them more 
determined to graduate with honor and serve with distinction.
  From their graduation day onward, this class has set a very high 
standard, with impressive accomplishments and careers. Members of this 
class fought valiantly in the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, and other 
conflicts over the past half-century. They served in the air, on land, 
at sea, and beneath the sea. Members of this class have served at the 
very highest level of our military, including twenty-seven flag 
officers--one of whom was Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. 
The class includes six who were appointed as deputy assistant 
secretaries or above in the federal government. Members have served 
their local communities as elected officials, and the class also boasts 
chief executive officers for major corporations, many of which we are 
all very familiar--such as Pepsico, General Motors, and Amgen. The 
class also produced a Member of this House, former Rep. Ronald 
Machtley, and a Member of Congress in the Philippines who later served 
that country as its National Security Advisor. The Class of 1970 also 
produced five Academy Distinguished Graduates, tied for the most from 
any single graduating class.
  The U.S. Naval Academy Class of 1970 exemplifies the Navy ethos of 
``Honor, Courage, and Commitment.'' These values have defined its 
graduates' contributions to our country and their dedication to public 
service. Like many others before and who have followed, they sacrificed 
through long deployments, separation from loved ones, challenging 
trials, and tests that most Americans cannot fathom. Some even 
sacrificed their lives carrying out their missions. I know that new 
generations of midshipmen and future Navy and Marine Corps officers 
will be inspired by the rich heritage of service passed down to them by 
the Class of 1970.
  As the U.S. Naval Academy Class of 1970 gathers to mark fifty-one 
years of service to our nation and to the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, Air 
Force, Army, and Naval Academy, it is with great pride and pleasure 
that I offer my congratulations and my thanks for their contributions 
to the safety and well-being of our country. I hope my colleagues will 
join me in wishing continued fair winds and following seas to the U.S. 
Naval Academy Class of 1970.

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