[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 118 (Tuesday, July 11, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E657-E658]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




COMMEMORATING THE LIFE OF COMMANDER ALLAN RANDOLPH TOPP, UNITED STATES 
                             NAVY, RETIRED

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DEAN PHILLIPS

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 11, 2023

  Mr. PHILLIPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate a life well 
lived. I'm saddened to announce the passing of an American hero, 
retired U.S. Navy Commander Allan Randolph (``Randy'') Topp. I'm 
honored to help tell his story because I think it's a life that should 
be memorialized in these hallowed halls, and we here in Congress 
sometimes need reminding of what it is to lead a life well lived.
  Born in 1953 in Atlanta, GA, Randy was known for his playful glimmer 
throughout his childhood. He decided to attend Vanderbilt University 
and graduated in 1975 with a double major in Economics and Latin 
American Studies. After graduating, he began a 20-year career as an 
officer in the U.S. Navy piloting P-3 Orions, serving on the USS 
Constellation, and leading Training Squadron Six (VT-6) as its 
Executive Officer and Commanding Officer. He retired from military 
service with the rank of Commander in 1996, but his professional life 
was far from over. Randy continued his career with the Raytheon Company 
in Tucson, AZ, before fully retiring in 2018 to spend more time with 
his family.
  Throughout his career, Randy was a lifetime learner. He continued his 
education beyond the undergraduate level and received not 1, but 3 
masters' degrees: the first, an MBA from the University of New 
Hampshire, the second, an MS in Electrical Engineering, and the third, 
an MS in Systems Technology (Space Systems Operations) from the Naval 
Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA. He is even a named inventor on 
multiple patents from his time with Raytheon.
  What the accolades and accomplishments don't tell us is just how much 
of a positive effect Randy had on those around him. Upon hearing of his 
passing, one of his Navy shipmates commented, ``Randy was . . . a great 
pilot, but also 1 of the fun guys every group needs to keep everything 
in perspective and moving together. I met him again years later while 
with Raytheon, and he was still the same great guy . . . Truly a man to 
be admired; I'm happy to have known him.''
  This same spirit carried through to his time with his grandchildren, 
with whom he was excited to experience life. He introduced them to

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new adventures like horseback riding, whitewater rafting, visiting the 
rodeo, and attending cowboy cookouts. He appreciated the lifestyle of 
Tucson, hosting family and friends to introduce them to the Sonoran 
Desert culture, including enjoying the occasional Sonoran hot dog.
  Fair winds and following seas, Commander Topp. I thank him for his 
service to his family, to his friends and shipmates, and to this 
Nation. We are forever grateful to him for providing an example of what 
it means to live life to the fullest.

                          ____________________