[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 82 (Thursday, May 14, 2026)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E449]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   HONORING THE LIFE AND SERVICE OF CAPTAIN JOSE A. FERNANDEZ-PAOLI, 
                       UNITED STATES ARMY (RET.)

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. PABLO JOSE HERNANDEZ

                             of puerto rico

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 14, 2026

  Mr. HERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with deep respect and 
reverence to honor the life and extraordinary service of Captain Jose 
A. Fernandez-Paoli, United States Army (Ret.), a distinguished son of 
Puerto Rico, a Bronze Star recipient, and a Vietnam War veteran whose 
name will be forever enshrined at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the 
National Mall in Washington, DC.
  Born in Puerto Rico in 1940, Jose Fernandez-Paoli embodied the values 
that have long defined our Island: devotion to family, commitment to 
education, and an unshakeable sense of duty. He earned his bachelor's 
degree from the University of Notre Dame in 1961, and his law degree 
from the University of Puerto Rico School of Law in 1964, before 
answering the call to serve in uniform.
  Commissioned as a Captain in the United States Army, Captain 
Fernandez-Paoli served as an Intelligence and Security Officer and was 
appointed Chief of the Interrogation Section of the 541st Military 
Intelligence Detachment, operating as part of the 11th Armored Cavalry 
Regiment. From September 1966 through February 1967, he was deployed to 
Xuan Loc, where he displayed extraordinary judgment, courage, and 
devotion alongside his fellow soldiers.
  In recognition of his bravery and meritorious service in military 
operations against a hostile force, Captain Fernandez-Paoli was awarded 
the Bronze Star Medal by the President of the United States, a 
permanent testament to his selfless sacrifice and unwavering commitment 
to the ideals of liberty and democracy.
  Upon his return to Puerto Rico, Captain Fernandez-Paoli channeled the 
discipline of his military service into a distinguished legal career 
spanning nearly six decades. He served as Senior Counsel at Delgado and 
Fernandez, LLC, Vice President of the Board of Trustees of Sacred Heart 
University, member of the Puerto Rico Board of Bar Examiners, and 
General Counsel to the Associated General Contractors of America, 
Puerto Rico Chapter. In every courtroom, he carried the same honor with 
which he had served his country.
  Puerto Rico lost one of its finest sons on June 16, 2024. Captain 
Fernandez-Paoli passed from this world, leaving behind an enduring 
legacy of service, integrity, and devotion to his Nation, to the island 
that formed him, and to the pursuit of justice.
  June 20, 2026, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund will honor Captain 
Fernandez-Paoli by inscribing his name in the ``In Memory'' plaque 
adjacent to The Wall on the National Mall, a solemn recognition for 
veterans whose deaths are linked to the lasting wounds of that war. He 
will be among 768 veterans honored at this year's ceremony. It is a 
moment of recognition long deserved.
  Mr. Speaker, since 1917, generation after generation of Puerto Ricans 
have answered the call of duty with full patriotic devotion, defending 
a democracy that has not always fully extended its promise to them. 
Captain Fernandez-Paoli was one of those patriots. He carried the flag 
of the United States through the jungles of Vietnam, earned one of the 
highest military honors, returned home, and spent his life and his 
profession in service to his community.
  Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the people of Puerto Rico, I extend the 
eternal gratitude and enduring pride of our island for the life and 
legacy of Captain Jose A. Fernandez-Paoli. May his memory be a blessing 
to his family. May the Nation he served with such distinction, honor 
the full measure of what Puerto Rico has always given to this great 
country.

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