[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 9 (Thursday, January 13, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E34]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   HONORING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PASSING OF VICE ADMIRAL PAUL 
                         FREDERICK FOSTER, USN

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. RON ESTES

                               of kansas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 13, 2022

  Mr. ESTES. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the 50th anniversary 
of the passing of Vice Admiral Paul Frederick Foster, USN. Over his 
distinguished 23-year career in the United States Navy, Vice Admiral 
Foster became the first naval officer to be awarded the Navy Cross, the 
Distinguished Service Medal, and our Nation's highest military 
distinction, the Medal of Honor.
  Born in Wichita, Kansas, the son of a Congregationalist minister, he 
spent his early years traveling the west with his father, living in 
Kansas, Utah, Oklahoma, and Idaho before his appointment to the United 
States Naval Academy. At the academy, he reached the rank of cadet 
commander and served as commander of the Midshipmen Battalion. Upon 
graduation in 1911, he was assigned to various postings in the 
Caribbean Sea. In 1914, then-Ensign Foster took part in the Battle of 
Veracruz during the United States' intervention against Mexican 
dictator Victoriano Huerta. At the head of his company, he led his 
sailors ashore during the fighting on April 21 and 22, 1914. He was 
awarded the Medal of Honor for his leadership, heroism, and courage 
under enemy fire. His commendation cites that ``Ens. Foster was eminent 
and conspicuous in his conduct, leading his men with skill and 
courage''.
  Upon his return to the United States in 1915, Vice Admiral Foster 
became one of the first American naval officers to undergo submarine 
instruction. He served as executive officer on the experimental 
submarine G-4 and participated in maneuvers along the Eastern Seaboard. 
When the United States joined the Allies in World War I, Vice Admiral 
Foster was sent to England and served on U.S. Submarine L-2. In 1918, 
he was awarded the Navy Distinguished Service Medal for his part in 
sinking one of the three enemy submarines sunk during the war.
  After World War I, he returned to peacetime duty back in the United 
States. In 1924, during a training accident on the USS Trenton, with 
total disregard for his safety, Vice Admiral Foster entered a burning 
gun turret and extinguished the fire both inside the turret and on the 
clothing of the crew members, saving their lives. For this act of 
valor, he was decorated with the Navy Cross. He retired from active 
duty in 1929 but remained a member of the Navy Reserve.
  Vice Admiral Foster was recalled to active duty in 1941 following the 
attack on Pearl Harbor. President Franklin D. Roosevelt directly tasked 
him to conduct special naval inspections worldwide during the Second 
World War. As Assistant Inspector General of the Navy, Vice Admiral 
Foster examined bases across the globe, overseeing operations and 
ensuring the security, effectiveness, and safety of U.S. naval 
operations in North America, Europe, and the Pacific. He received the 
Legion of Merit and Navy Commendation Medal for his essential service. 
He retired from the Navy fully in October 1946 with the rank of vice 
admiral.
  The end of his military service did not mark the end of his career in 
public service. In 1954, Vice Admiral Foster was appointed by President 
Dwight D. Eisenhower to be the assistant general manager for 
international activities at the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) and 
later general manager of the commission, advancing the United States' 
peaceful pursuit of atomic power. Finally, in 1959, President 
Eisenhower appointed him permanent U.S. representative to the 
International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, furthering U.S. 
leadership in managing the peacetime development of atomic science and 
technology through the ``Atoms for Peace'' initiative. During his 
service in Vienna, he had the opportunity to meet with several world 
leaders, including Pope John XXIII. After retiring in 1961, Vice 
Admiral Foster settled in Virginia Beach. He passed away on Jan. 30, 
1972, at the age of 82. In a tribute to his years of service, the 
Spruance-class destroyer USS Paul F. Foster was named in his honor in 
1976. A true American hero, Vice Admiral Foster's legacy lives on 
through his family, friends, and commitment to service to his country. 
I hope the rest of my colleagues will join me in honoring his memory on 
the 50th anniversary of his passing on Jan. 30, 2022.

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