[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 44 (Monday, March 10, 2025)]
[House]
[Page H1045]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    HONORING THE 100th BIRTHDAY OF A TRUE AMERICAN HERO, LIEUTENANT 
                     COMMANDER JOHN PAUL SURPRENANT

  (Mr. HARIDOPOLOS asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. HARIDOPOLOS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a true American 
hero, Lieutenant Commander John Paul Surprenant, a retired officer in 
the United States Navy, as we celebrate his upcoming 100th birthday and 
service to our country.
  Paul joined the Navy as a seaman recruit in 1943. He rose through the 
ranks to become a lieutenant commander over a distinguished 30-year 
career. He served on 13 Navy vessels, including the USS Tirante during 
World War II, where his crew was awarded the Presidential Unit 
Citation. He is the last surviving member of that crew.
  Beyond his wartime service, his greatest legacy is his family: his 
wife, Louise, a fellow Navy veteran, and their five children, two of 
whom served in uniform.
  Now retired in my hometown of Melbourne, Florida, Paul remains a 
proud patriot whose century of life has been dedicated to the service 
of our country and his family.
  Madam Speaker, today, I honor Lieutenant Commander Surprenant. The 
Nation salutes him.

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