[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 16]
[Senate]
[Page 22117]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[[Page 22117]]

            KOREAN WAR VETERAN 1ST LT. LEON J. JACQUES, JR.

  Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. Mr. President, I rise today to pay 
tribute to the late 1st Lt. Leon J. Jacques, Jr., of Milford, NH, for 
his heroic services to the United States of America during the Korean 
war.
  Leon was a graduate of Saint Anselm College and the United States 
Military Academy at West Point who also attended the Ground General 
School at Fort Riley, KS and the United States Army Infantry School at 
Fort Benning, GA.
  He was assigned to the 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division 
in Kumamoto, Japan. After the outbreak of war in Korea on June 25, 
1950, Leon was committed to combat in Korea. During the first two weeks 
of combat, more than forty percent of the men fighting were killed, 
wounded, prisoners of war, or missing in action.
  On July 12, 1950, Leon and his men were captured as prisoners of war 
and it was later learned that Leon had been killed by the enemy. He was 
in charge of several soldiers who were harassed by the enemy. Leon 
demanded that they stop and for making this statement, he was killed. 
According to a report received, ``Lt. Jacques' complete disregard for 
his personal safety and valor in response to enemy aggression were in 
the finest tradition of military service and reflected great credit 
upon himself, the 21st Infantry Regiment and the United States Army.''
  Thanks to the generous efforts of Colonel Phil Day US Army (Ret), 
Leon has been honored with ten award medals including: Bronze Star 
Medal with ``v'' device, United Nations Service Medal, Presidential 
Unit Citation and the combat infantryman badge.
  As the son of a World War II Naval aviator who was killed in a war 
related incident and a veteran of the Vietnam war, I empathize with the 
Jacques family. Leon is an American hero whose selfless dedication to 
his State and country has benefitted his fellow citizens with the 
blessings of freedom and liberty. It is truly an honor and a privilege 
to represent his family in the United States Senate.

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