[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 24 (Wednesday, February 5, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E93-E94]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CONGRATULATING ROBERT KEMP, SR. ON HIS 100TH BIRTHDAY
______
HON. LLOYD SMUCKER
of pennsylvania
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, February 5, 2025
Mr. SMUCKER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Robert Kemp,
Sr. on his 100th birthday and thank him for his service defending this
Nation during World War II.
A veteran of the United States Navy, Kemp enlisted at 17 years old,
against his parents' wishes and barely meeting the weight requirement.
He served from 1942 until the end of the war in 1945. During his time
in the Navy, Mr. Kemp fought in multiple theatres including the North
Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Pacific. Kemp served as a quartermaster,
assisting with the ships' navigation as well as the vessel's steering.
He first served in the North Atlantic, protecting supply convoys to the
United
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Kingdom. He then saw action in the Mediterranean, where his ship
assisted in the invasion of Sicily. His final mission of the war was in
the Pacific, part of a flotilla that participated in the invasion of
the Philippines as well as the Battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. After
the announcement of the Japanese surrender, his ship sailed into Tokyo
Harbor to celebrate the end of the war.
Upon his return home, he settled in Baltimore, Maryland with his
wife. However, he had the opportunity to travel the world as a radio
technician for the Westinghouse Corporation. He spent time in Germany,
Nigeria, and Iran before returning to Baltimore with his family. In his
later years, Mi Kemp relocated to Delta, Pennsylvania where he lives
with his son, Robert Kemp, Jr.
It is critical for us to recognize the bravery and sacrifice of
members of the Greatest Generation that have helped us preserve the
Nation that we so dearly love. Thanks to heroes like Mr. Kemp, that
remind us to live life to the fullest and to serve others.
It is with great pride that I congratulate Mr. Kemp on a happy 100th
birthday, and I sincerely thank him for his service to his country.
____________________