[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 121 (Tuesday, July 15, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E672]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF ROBERT L. ``BOB'' HANLEY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. PETE STAUBER

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 15, 2025

  Mr. STAUBER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary 
life of Seaman Second Class Robert L. ``Bob'' Hanley, the last living 
survivor of the sinking of the USS Houston (CA-30) in the Sunda Strait 
off the coast of Java on February 29, 1942, ending the storied U.S. 
Asiatic Fleet.
  As one of only 368 of the ship's complement of 1,060 to survive this 
sea battle, he showcased American grit, tenacity, and commitment in the 
fight against fascism and tyranny. He endured multiple POW camps, 
``hell ships'' to Singapore and Burma, and slave labor on the infamous 
Thai-Burma Death Railway.
  His nearly four years of as a POW of Japan were marked by starvation, 
torture, and beatings. As a POW medical orderly, he labored without 
medicines and supplies to save the lives of his fellow brutalized POWs. 
He, himself, survived bouts of dysentery, malaria, and pellagra. At 
liberation in August 1945, he was among just 291 remaining USS Houston 
(CA-30) survivors.
  Bob's resilience never wavered, and his service did not end with his 
Navy discharge in 1947. He continued serving his country by enlisting 
in the U.S. Army for 15 years. After his military career, he worked in 
security at 3M for another 15 years, retiring in 1978 due to medical 
issues caused by his wartime imprisonment.
  Throughout his life, Bob's deep faith as a devout member of the 
Catholic Church of Saint Peter in Forest Lake, Minnesota, guided him 
through the darkest times and brightest moments, serving as a 
cornerstone of his strength. On September 12, 2024, Seaman Second Class 
Robert L. Hanley passed away at 102 years old. May he rest in peace.

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