[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 214 (Thursday, December 18, 2025)]
[House]
[Page H6095]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         HONORING ELIAS SUSSMAN

  (Mr. FINE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. FINE. Mr. Speaker, today I have the extraordinary privilege of 
honoring Elias Sussman, a man whose life spans a century of American 
history and whose service continues to inspire and guide us.
  At 100 years young, Mr. Sussman's story began in Brooklyn, New York, 
where he was born on October 28, 1925. He was inducted into the U.S. 
Army in December 1943. Driven by dedication, he volunteered for jump 
school and rigger training, earning the rank of Technician Fifth Grade 
and becoming a vital part of the Airborne Forces.
  As a Member of the 17th Airborne Division, he saw heavy action, 
fighting in the Battle of the Bulge and participating in Operation 
Varsity, the mass parachute drops into Germany. His heroism reached 
beyond combat.
  After landing, his unit liberated American prisoner-of-war camps. 
Moving to what he thought was a nearby labor camp, he freed Jewish 
survivors suffering from extreme hunger, sharing every ration that he 
had to sustain himself. This act of profound compassion is the true 
hallmark of his service.
  Returning home after the war, he was honorably discharged in April of 
1946. Mr. Sussman's journey from the streets of New York to the front 
lines of freedom is an enduring inspiration to us all. We thank Elias 
Sussman for his sacrifice, his bravery, and his incredible 100 years of 
life.

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