[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 15]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 21323]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                         TRIBUTE TO JOSEPH GOLD

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. STEVEN R. ROTHMAN

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 13, 1999

  Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Joseph 
Gold. Thought to have been the oldest living Marine in the country, 
Joseph Gold passed away at the age of 107 on Wednesday, August 25, 
1999, in Tenafly, New Jersey.
  In so many respects, Joseph Gold was a genuine American hero. A 
native of Cleveland, Ohio, he enlisted in the Marines at the onset of 
World War I and served as a distinguished member of the American 
Expeditionary Force. As part of one of the first Marine contingents to 
fight in Europe, Mr. Gold fought in the historic battle of Belleau 
Woods. It was at this battle in 1918 that he and his American comrades 
fought through a dense forest and ultimately captured terrain from well 
entrenched German forces.
  Only about 2 months ago, on July 8, 1999, the French Government, in 
commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the end of World War I, 
awarded Mr. Gold the French Legion of Honor. This prestigious award, 
granted to Mr. Gold, was a well deserved tribute to a true American 
patriot.
  I want to express my condolences to the Gold family on the passing of 
their father, grandfather and great-grandfather. I also want to express 
my admiration to the Gooney Bird detachment of the U.S. Marine Corps 
League who arranged to have an honor guard ceremony at Mr. Gold's 
funeral.
  Joseph Gold was an extraordinary person, whose legacy to our Nation 
is a story of selfless sacrifice and a story that all Americans would 
do well to remember.

                          ____________________