[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 16]
[House]
[Page 22429]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                       TRIBUTE TO BENNY H. POTTER

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Watson) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Speaker, Veterans Day, a few days ago, 
was very significant to someone in my district. I want to pay tribute 
to Benny H. Potter, a resident of the West Adams community in Los 
Angeles. He lived there for a decade, and was a veteran of the Second 
World War. He passed away recently. He was greatly loved and respected 
by all in the community who knew him.
  Mr. Benny, or Uncle Benny as he was affectionately called, was born 
on August 21, 1919, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. His family migrated to 
Los Angeles in 1925. During World War II, he was assigned to the 10th 
Cavalry Division, which sent him to North Africa to serve under General 
George Patton. He later served in Italy and Germany and had the honor 
of marching in the V-E Day Parade in Paris, France.
  Mr. Potter served his country with distinction. His family recently 
received a letter of commendation from the President of the United 
States for his distinguished service. He received four decorations for 
his service: The American Campaign Medal, the European-African-Middle 
Eastern Campaign Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, and the Victory Medal.
  At Mr. Potter's memorial service, four generations of relatives 
spoke. Two generations still live in the West Adams area. Numerous 
friends and neighbors saluted him with songs and words of praise, and I 
promised to give him the flag in his memory that I received after I 
served as Ambassador to Micronesia because he so well represented our 
country and our family abroad.
  At 81 years of age, Benny Potter was still the neighborhood gardener 
and handyman. He would bring magazines to elderly neighbors and was 
always ready with uplifting stories or sage advice for everyday 
problems. Mr. Potter was also the hub of an informal neighborhood news 
network. One neighbor described him by saying simply: ``He was the 
best. He was CNN, the Sports Channel, the Weather Bureau, and he was my 
friend.''
  On this Veterans Day past, I think we should look back on all the 
contributions of our veterans, as we will be looking forward on those 
who have fought in this most recent war in Afghanistan. Veterans like 
Benny Potter risked their lives to protect our country and their 
communities. But once back home, his contributions continued.
  Benny H. Potter, a man who never met a stranger, leaves a legacy of 
which we all may be proud, and he made us so much better. He serves as 
a shining example of the spirit which drove our veterans to serve their 
communities in both war and peace and the spirit with which many of our 
young men and women will be coming back from fighting in a country so 
far away that they really did not know where it was on the map. This is 
a tribute to that kind of spirit that honors our country and makes us 
the greatest country in the world.

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