[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 17]
[Senate]
[Page 24836]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                      RECOGNIZING ROBERT A. ELLERD

 Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, I would like to take a moment to 
recognize Robert A. Ellerd--a great Montanan, a great Marine, and a 
great man.
  This year, Bob will be honored as Marine of the Year by the Gallatin 
Valley Detachment of the Marine Corps League. Every year these Marines 
get together for the Marine Corps Birthday Ball in Bozeman to honor the 
tradition of the Marines as well as recognize one of their own. Bob 
certainly deserves to be the one honored.
  Bob enlisted in the Marines in December 1941, even though he worked 
in an essential industry--meat packing--and could have accepted a 
deferment. After training in San Diego, he left for the South Pacific. 
There he helped guard the Samoa Islands and took part in the fierce 
combat in the Allied efforts to take Guadalcanal and the Marshall and 
Gilbert Islands.
  Later in the war, Bob used his combat experience to train other 
infantry before they headed to the front lines. No doubt his work 
helped save hundreds of lives and contributed to the victory that saved 
the world from tyranny.
  There really are no words that I can say to adequately thank Bob 
Ellerd, but I can express my appreciation from a grateful nation. Bob 
is one reason we now call it the Greatest Generation, and they couldn't 
have a picked a better Marine of the Year. Thank you Bob, and Semper 
Fi.

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