[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 100 (Monday, June 13, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S2909]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                  REMEMBERING JOSEPH L. MURCHISON, JR.

 Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Mr. President, I rise today with a heavy heart 
to pay tribute to Joseph L. ``Joe'' Murchison, Jr., an extraordinary 
public servant who passed away last year and who would have turned 92 
on June 19, 2022.
  Joe was born in North Carolina in 1930 and enlisted as early as he 
could in the U.S. Army. Determined to commit himself to his Nation, Joe 
eventually joined the all-Black 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion. The 
members of this battalion were called the ``Triple Nickles.''
  In 1947, a year before the Army was desegregated, Major General James 
Gavin oversaw the troopers' transfer into the 3rd Battalion, 505th 
Parachute Infantry Regiment. This was the first step toward integrating 
the 82nd Airborne Division and made the Triple Nickles some of the 
first Black soldiers to train alongside White soldiers.
  Even after this trailblazing shift, the troopers continued to 
consider themselves Triple Nickles. Despite the racial separation of 
most soldiers, the paratroopers gained the respect of many units as a 
result of their special airborne status. As Joe said, ``We knew we had 
something to prove and we had to be better than the best.''
  In 1958, Joe retired from the military as an officer. He followed his 
impressive service by starting several successful businesses across the 
United States and helping to found a newspaper in Greensboro called the 
``Carolina Peacemaker.'' As part of these endeavors, Joe was one of the 
first Black owners of a North Carolina automobile dealership and worked 
with a major car manufacturer to promote an alternative fuel vehicle.
  Joe founded the 555th Parachute Infantry Association, Inc., in 1979. 
The organization enables the paratroopers to stay connected. Throughout 
his three terms as president of the association, Joe saw it grow to 
include over 1,500 members across 26 chapters.
  Throughout his remarkable lifetime, Joe dedicated himself to sharing 
the importance of the Triple Nickles, even visiting the White House. 
While he was alive, Joe was pleased to see Juneteenth--also his 
birthday--be named a Federal holiday by President Biden. He passed away 
on November 11, 2021, Veterans Day.
  My wife Cynthia and I extend our best wishes to his daughter, Joelle, 
along with her 10 siblings, as well as Joe's grandchildren, great-
grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren as they celebrate his 
outstanding life this Sunday. I hope my colleagues will join me in 
recognizing Joseph L. Murchison, Jr.

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