[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 50 (Thursday, March 21, 2024)]
[House]
[Page H1341]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  HONORING FIRST SERGEANT WAYNE EDELEN

  (Mr. BURCHETT asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BURCHETT. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor First Sergeant Wayne 
Edelen who served in both the Korean and Vietnam wars.
  In 1952, he was deployed to Korea where he spent 8 months in combat 
and earned the Combat Infantryman's Badge. After that, he was sent back 
to the United States for a while, then reenlisted and served in Japan 
for 1 year. Then he was deployed to Korea again for 1 year.
  He then spent 3\1/2\ years in Germany before coming back to the 
United States where he served as the senior instructor of ROTC at the 
University of California, Santa Barbara. After that, he served as a 
drill instructor for new recruits at Fort Polk army base in Louisiana.
  In 1968, he deployed to Vietnam where he participated in combat 
operations and earned his second Combat Infantryman's Badge. He also 
earned the Bronze Star Medal with Valor for heroism in ground combat.
  Wayne left Vietnam in June of 1969 to return to Fort Polk as a drill 
instructor. He retired from the Army in October 1971, with the rank of 
first sergeant.
  He eventually made the wise decision to move to Tennessee and has 
lived in Blount County since 2010. We are so glad to have him in our 
community. I am glad that he is a constituent of mine.
  Mr. Speaker, Sergeant Edelen served and sacrificed for our country 
for many years, and I am pleased to honor him as Tennessee Second 
District's Veteran of the Month.

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