[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 162 (Tuesday, October 11, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1037-E1038]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       HONORING WWII VETERAN HARRY NIBLOCK ON HIS 100TH BIRTHDAY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ELISSA SLOTKIN

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 11, 2022

  Ms. SLOTKIN. Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor Mr. Harry Niblock 
of Okemos, Michigan on the occasion of his 100th birthday. Mr. Niblock 
is among the bravest of men our great nation has ever known--those who 
led the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in June of 1944. It 
is with profound gratitude for his service to our nation, and in 
celebration of his long and fruitful life, that I recognize him today.
  Before he was a war hero, Harry was a Michigander, the second of five 
children born to Raymond and Pearl Niblock on October 9, 1922. He 
graduated from Howell High School in 1940 and married Margaret Fay 
three years later, after he had been drafted into the Army and was 
stationed at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Niblock trained as a tank driver, and 
was sent to Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania, where he joined the 3rd 
Armored Division. His unit was sent to Warminster, England for 
additional training, and thanks to his outstanding leadership and 
skills, Harry was made the driver for the captain of his company. And 
when the call came in the summer of 1944 to waterproof the tanks and 
prepare for invasion, he was ready.
  Nearly 80 years later, Harry still recalls the harrowing details of 
the day he arrived on Omaha Beach in Normandy, France, and immediately 
began pushing through the German

[[Page E1038]]

lines to Paris. Along the way, Harry's tank motor died and he had to 
wait, alone, for an airdropped replacement from a C47 before continuing 
on to join his outfit. From Paris they turned north toward Belgium, 
encountering sporadic gunfire along the way, as German troops were 
making a desperate attempt to return home. A few days later Harry and 
his crew were among the very first American troops to cross into 
Germany, a day forever etched in his memory. Harry spent two months 
camped near the city of Stolberg before the fateful day a sniper attack 
killed his captain and his radioman, right before a bazooka took out 
the majority of the unit. With severed nerves in his arms and legs, and 
shrapnel in much of his body, Harry was eventually flown to a hospital 
in England, where he was awarded the Purple Heart for his bravery.
  By February of 1945, Harry was able to return home to continue his 
recovery, and he laid eyes for the first time on two miraculous sights: 
first the Statue of Liberty as he sailed into harbor, followed a few 
days later by his baby girl, Barbara, who awaited his arrival in his 
wife's arms. Harry continued his healing in a Battle Creek hospital and 
eventually returned to Howell with his family, where they settled and 
added another daughter, Susan. Harry worked for several local 
companies, including Howell Motors, Parker Industries, and his own 
homebuilding company. After his beloved wife passed away in 2011, and 
Harry retired from work, he and his eldest daughter moved to Okemos, 
where Harry is a proud member of the Disabled American Veterans. In 
addition to his devoted daughters, Harry is beloved by his 8 
grandchildren, 17 great grandchildren, and 12 great, great 
grandchildren.
  In his 100 years, Harry Niblock has not just lived through our 
history--he is our history. As he celebrates this remarkable milestone 
birthday, it is my great honor to inscribe his life of service to our 
nation and to his family in the official record of the House of 
Representatives so that generations to come will know of his heroism, 
bravery, and heart.

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