[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 210 (Friday, December 12, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1196]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   HONORING THE LIFE AND SERVICE OF TOM HIMSTREET, U.S. NAVY, RETIRED

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. RICHARD McCORMICK

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, December 12, 2025

  Mr. McCORMICK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and 
service of my brother in arms, Tom ``Zippy'' Himstreet. Growing up in 
an Air Force family instilled Tom with the values that guided him 
towards military service. Upon graduating from Sunset High School in 
Beaverton, Oregon, Tom attended Oregon State University, where he was a 
midshipman in the Naval ROTC Beaver Battalion and participated on the 
Navy Drill Team and as Midshipman Battalion Commander. Upon graduating 
in 1991, he commissioned as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy. In October 
1994, Tom earned his gold wings and was designated as a Naval Aviator, 
operating the S-3 Viking. He served during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 
2003 flying combat missions from the USS Kitty Hawk and logging 
thousands of hours of flight time.
  Tom was a leader, mentor, and instructor for younger pilots, who 
consistently relied on his experience and steadfast guidance. In 2014, 
Tom retired from the Navy at the rank of Commander after 23 years of 
honorable service. My prayers are with the Himstreet family as they go 
through this difficult time. Tom was an incredible man and a loving 
father to his sons, Leo and Max. Service requires sacrifice, and 
military families pay that price in the time we spend away from our 
families, while defending our great Nation. May God watch over Leo, 
Max, and their mother Kim, who stood by Tom throughout his career.