[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 9 (Thursday, January 16, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E46-E47]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 HONORING HOWARD KOCH'S 100TH BIRTHDAY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. J. LUIS CORREA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 16, 2025

  Mr. CORREA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Howard Koch, a World War 
II and Korean War veteran who is celebrating his 100th birthday on 
January 19, 2025.
  Raised in Oakland, California, Koch developed a love of skiing and 
rock climbing at a young age--skills that would eventually lead to his 
unique call to service during WWII in the 10th Mountain Division. At 13 
years old, Koch learned to ski at the Donner Summit Sugar Bowl Ski 
Resort, paying for lessons with money he earned from his paper route. 
His dad would drop him at the Southern Pacific train station and, with 
rented skis in hand, he would ride up the mountain by himself. He would 
arrive early in the morning and sleep in the snow until the slopes were 
open for skiing. Koch soon learned to make his own skis and began his 
life as an outdoorsman as a member of the Sierra Club.
  After graduating from high school at 16 years old, Koch attended UC 
Berkley as a geology/mining engineering major. A natural athlete, Koch 
played baseball and was a right guard on the football squad. He still 
remembers winning a game against USC at the Los Angeles Coliseum.
  By the time he turned 18 in 1943, the United States had been at war 
for two years and he knew he would be drafted. The military was 
advertising for volunteers who could ski and rock climb to join a 
division that, at the time, was called the Ski Troops. Eventually 
renamed to the 10th Mountain Division, this group was America's only 
mountain and winter warfare fighting unit.
  Koch knew this Army unit was where he belonged. He was sent to Camp 
Hale in Colorado, high in the Rockies to join an elite group of 
champion skiers, mountain climbers, and European mountaineers for 
training. In what would be its biggest victory, the 10th completed a 
night climb on Riva Ridge to land a surprise attack against German 
troops who were entrenched in the snowy mountains of Italy.
  After climbing Riva Ridge, a famous battle that is documented in the 
film ``Fire On The Mountain,'' Koch was field promoted to 1st 
Lieutenant and went on with his Division to help capture Mount 
Belvedere. Soon after, Koch became ill and was sent to the hospital in 
Livorno, where he stayed for several weeks and then sent back to his 
company near Torbole.
  Before the Nazis surrendered to the 10th Mountain Division 
commanders, the company commander was injured. At the urging of the 
sergeants in Koch's platoon, Lt. Colonel Henry Hampton appointed Koch 
as ``acting company commander.'' He was 20 years old and the youngest 
1st Lieutenant. Koch retained this status through the surrender and was 
then sent with his troops to Slovenia, where he ran a climbing school 
to keep the soldiers fit and to train replacement troops.
  In July 1945, Koch was shipped back stateside to train for amphibious 
landings with the intent of being shipped to North Tokyo Bay to help 
end the war. While heading home, the war drew to a close.

[[Page E47]]

  After being released from the Army in May 1946, Koch joined the Army 
Reserve and returned to UC Berkley to earn an accounting degree. In 
1948, he met and married Averil, who would be his wife of 72 and a half 
years. He was working as a successful businessman when, in August of 
1950, he was called to active duty for the Korean War. Koch trained as 
an infantry officer--but once the Army found out about his accounting 
degree, he was stationed in Japan as a budget and finance officer to 
oversee the numerous military projects in post-war Japan. When his 
discharge came, he declined the offer of being promoted to Major so 
that he could return to his wife.
  Koch always kept in touch with his 10th Mountain Division buddies and 
attended several reunions, including the 50th anniversary re-enactment 
climb up Riva Ridge that included some of the German soldiers he helped 
capture. While he remembers the atrocities of war, Koch cherishes the 
fellowship and camaraderie of his fellow Mountain Soldiers. He will 
still sing the ballads the 10th sang when they were warming themselves 
by a fire or hiking miles in the snow.
  I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing Howard Koch a happy 100th 
birthday, and in thanking him for a century of service to our country 
and our community.

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