[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 176 (Wednesday, October 6, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S6940]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                     REMEMBERING DANIEL W. CROWLEY

 Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Mr. President, I rise today with a heavy heart 
to pay tribute to Daniel W. Crowley, a remarkable patriot, war hero, 
role model, and public servant. Dan passed away on September 16, 2021, 
at the age of 99.
  Dan was born in 1922 and raised in Greenwich, CT. He lived through 
the Great Depression and enlisted in October 1940 in the U.S. Army Air 
Corps. In March 1941, he was sent to the Philippines and assigned to 
Nichols Field, which was destroyed by Japanese forces the day after the 
attack on Pearl Harbor.
  In the following months, Dan fought with the U.S. Army's Provisional 
Air Corps Infantry Regiment to fend off three amphibious Japanese 
landings on the Bataan Peninsula. On April 9, 1942, the peninsula was 
surrendered, and Dan swam to Corregidor Island through shark-infested 
waters. Upon arrival, he became part of the 4th Marines, where they 
fought valiantly to maintain the shore, until the fortress fell on May 
6, 1942.
  In 1944, following several brutal work details in the Philippines, 
Dan was sent to Japan on a hell ship. In the many months that followed, 
Dan mined copper as a slave laborer. Surviving the harsh, demanding 
conditions, he was finally liberated on September 4, 1945.
  After, in 1958, Dan joined Northwestern Mutual insurance. His acumen 
and quick wits earned him fast recognition as one of the company's top 
producers, and he even became a member of their million dollar club.
  Dan has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to preserving the 
memory of his fellow soldiers. In 2013, he played a key role in 
renaming a bridge in Simsbury, CT, the ``Bataan Corregidor Memorial 
Bridge'' in their honor. I had the privilege of meeting Dan at the 
dedication for this bridge, and I can attest firsthand to what a 
remarkable model of public service he is.
  The next year, Dan returned to Japan as part of the fifth Japanese-
American POW Friendship Program. Furukawa executives refused to meet 
with him, but he was given the opportunity to visit one of the mines 
where he had previously worked. Later, in 2016, Dan attended the 
Veterans' Day breakfast hosted by President Obama at the White House.
  I have been fortunate to visit with Dan on a number of occasions 
since our initial meeting. My office and I assisted him with obtaining 
a prisoner of war registration for his license plate in recognition of 
his extraordinary service to our country. I also had the honor of 
speaking with Dan and meeting his wife, Kelley, this year. On January 
4, 2021, I attended a ceremony at Bradley Air National Guard Base, 
where Dan was promoted to sergeant and received an honorary Combat 
Infantryman Badge and the Prisoner of War Medal. It was a poignant and 
powerful moment.
  My wife, Cynthia, and I extend our deepest sympathies to Dan's family 
during this difficult time. May their many wonderful memories of Dan 
provide them solace and comfort in the days ahead.

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