[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 16469-16470]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



            HONORING WILLIAM RAIMER FOR HIS MILITARY SERVICE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. SCOTT McINNIS

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 05, 2001

  Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, many 
of our citizens dedicated their efforts to the success of our military 
forces. William Horace Raimer is the embodiment of service, success, 
and sacrifice and clearly deserves recognition from this body.
  Bill Raimer was stationed on the USS Flying Fish--an SS-229 Gato 
Class submarine that

[[Page 16470]]

was 311 feet long and carried a crew of 67 men led by nine officers--as 
a radioman. On the morning of May 29, 1945, the USS Flying Fish 
submerged and left Guam to an undisclosed location that was later 
revealed to be the Sea of Japan. The Flying Fish was traveling in a 
wolf pack called Hydeman's Hellcats, which were three groups of three 
submarines. The crew was charged with the duty, under the orders of 
Commander Robert D. Risser, of spending two weeks in the Sea destroying 
the remains of the Japanese fleet and any supply ships heading for 
Japan. Their path was laced with mines at various depths and different 
locations. As the submarine floated by mines, crewmembers could hear 
the anchor cables of the mines brush against the outside walls. Under 
attack by depth charges, the USS Flying Fish felt the shakes from the 
explosions, but was not destroyed. However, a companion ship--the USS 
Bonefish--was not so lucky and 85 men were lost at sea.
  The USS Flying Fish was an integral part of the efforts to ensure the 
Japanese fleet did not succeed in World War II. Out of the nearly 300 
submarines in that area at the time, 52 were sunk--a statistic that 
Bill Raimer remembers all too well. After the war, he moved to 
Montrose, Colorado with his brother 56 years ago. Although he was 
awarded numerous ribbons and medals, he is most proud of his 
Submariners Medal that was presented to him by Admiral Chester W. 
Nimitz.
  Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to commend William Raimer on 
his service to this great Nation. His spirit of patriotism added to the 
success of the Allied Forces and ensured their victory in the Pacific 
Ocean. While 3,308 submariners never returned home from the war, 
William Raimer was a survivor and is able to share his story with 
others. I thank Bill for his dedication and extend my best wishes to 
him and his family in the time to come.

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