[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 150 (Wednesday, September 25, 2024)]
[House]
[Page H5808]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      HONORING CAPTAIN PAUL BUCHA

  (Mr. HIMES asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. HIMES. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a true American hero, 
Captain Paul Bucha, a Medal of Honor recipient and a longtime resident 
of Ridgefield, Connecticut.
  Captain Bucha was the son of a World War II veteran, attended West 
Point, and ultimately earned a master's degree from Stanford 
University. He was deployed to Vietnam in 1967 and assumed his first 
command after only 2 months in country.
  In March 1968, Captain Bucha and his men encountered a North 
Vietnamese force more than 10 times the size of their own. Outgunned 
and outmanned, Captain Bucha rallied his troops, commanding a vigorous 
all-night defense that deceived the 1,500 enemy combatants into 
believing that his own force of 89 was much larger.
  He personally eliminated a fortified enemy position and directed the 
medical evacuation of his wounded men, all while coping with his own 
shrapnel wounds.
  President Nixon bestowed the Medal of Honor upon Captain Bucha 2 
years after his courageous actions, citing his ``extraordinary heroism, 
inspirational example, outstanding leadership, and professional 
competence.''
  At the time of his death, he held the distinction of being 
Connecticut's only living Medal of Honor recipient. Captain Paul Bucha 
passed away in July 2024 and is survived by his wife, Cynthia, his four 
children, and his nine grandchildren.
  A true American hero, may he rest in peace.

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