[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 113 (Monday, June 30, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E636]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               REMEMBERING ROBERT ``BOB'' LECHTRECK, SR.

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. VINCE FONG

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, June 30, 2025

  Mr. FONG. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary life 
and legacy of Robert ``Bob'' Lechtreck, Sr., a decorated Navy veteran 
of World War II and the fifth Fire Chief of Kern County. Bob passed 
away recently, just months after celebrating his 100th birthday. His 
remarkable life reflects a century of service and deep devotion to both 
his country and his community.
  Born on April 2, 1925, Bob Lechtreck joined the U.S. Navy at the age 
of 17. He served in the Pacific Theater during World War II and saw 
combat in some of the most pivotal battles of the war, including the 
Battle of Okinawa. Just three days before his death, we marked the 80th 
anniversary of that battle, which serves as a reminder of the high cost 
of freedom and the courage of those like Bob who helped secure it. His 
ship later guarded Tokyo Bay during the signing of Japan's formal 
surrender, helping to usher in the end of the war.
  In 1948, Bob returned home and joined the Kern County Fire 
Department. Over the course of a 30-year career, he rose through the 
ranks to become the department's fifth fire chief. Having worked 
alongside Kern County's very first fire chief, Harold Boway, he was a 
bridge between generations and remains the only known person to have 
driven the department's first fire engine, a 1929 Moreland, on active 
calls.
  In his later years, Bob remained an active and honored member of the 
community. He was part of the very first Kern County Honor Flight to 
Washington, D.C., where he visited the World War II Memorial and the 
U.S. Capitol in recognition of his service. On his 100th birthday, he 
was celebrated by friends, neighbors, veterans, and members of the Kern 
County Fire Department, who gave their former chief a ceremonial ride 
in a working fire engine--a fitting tribute for a life of courage and 
leadership.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the life of 
Bob Lechtreck, Sr., who was a patriot and a pillar of Kern County. His 
memory will endure in the hearts of those he inspired and the 
institutions he helped build.

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