[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 39 (Tuesday, March 5, 2024)]
[House]
[Page H786]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   RECOGNIZING ROBERT DAVID LAUGHLIN

  (Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize 
Robert David Laughlin of Boalsburg in Centre County, Pennsylvania.
  A lifelong central Pennsylvanian, Robert was born on March 9, 1924, 
in Altoona, and will be celebrating his 100th birthday this coming 
Saturday.
  At 18, he enlisted in the United States Navy and was selected for 
officer training. He received his commission at the U.S. Naval Academy 
under an accelerated program for wartime midshipmen. At that time, he 
was one of the youngest commissioned officers in the fleet.
  He served during World War II in the Pacific region as radar officer 
aboard the USS Pittsburgh and later aboard the USS Pasadena.
  A Penn State graduate, Robert spent his career as a physicist 
studying electro-optical research for early airborne reconnaissance 
platforms and holds several U.S. patents. He later served as science 
adviser to the Governor of Pennsylvania under three administrations.
  Most notably, he helped coordinate the initial State government 
response to the Three Mile Island accident in 1979.
  Today, Robert is actively working on computer repairs, studying 
quantum physics, and spending time with his 8 grandkids and 10 great-
grandchildren.
  Mr. Speaker, I wish Robert a happy birthday.

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