[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Page 6224]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



    HONORING THOSE LOST IN THE JOINT TASK FORCE FOR FULL ACCOUNTING 
                            HELICOPTER CRASH

  Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. Mr. President, in early April, April 6 to 
be exact, the Senate recessed. The following day, April 7, a Saturday, 
a helicopter, in the fog, crashed into the side of a mountain in 
Vietnam. In that crash, seven American military personnel were killed 
as were nine Vietnamese. It is a grim yet a vivid reminder of the fact 
that every day American servicemen throughout the world are serving 
their country in harm's way. Even though the Nation is not at war, we 
sometimes forget these men and women put their lives on the line for 
us.
  I want to share with the Senate what these men were doing. These men 
were searching for the remains of American missing personnel, MIAs from 
the Vietnam war. These young men volunteered for this job and put their 
lives on the line to find answers for the families of those who are 
missing.
  In a statement issued April 7 by the National Alliance of Families 
expressing their sympathy to the families, the National Alliance of 
Families said:

       We extend our sincere condolences to the families of these 
     service members and hope they will be comforted by the fact 
     that their loved ones will always be remembered for their 
     commitment to finding our loved ones.

  I just came back about 45 minutes ago from a memorial service at Fort 
Myer for those seven Americans and their nine Vietnamese counterparts. 
To sit there with some of the families of those missing was difficult. 
But, again, it is a reminder of what these men and women in uniform do, 
all across the world. I honor them today in the Senate by letting the 
American people know who they are. These are not anonymous people; 
these are real people with, now, real grieving widows, real grieving 
mothers and fathers.
  The members on board were members of the Army, the Air Force, and the 
Navy. To be specific, there were three members of the U.S. Army, three 
members of the U.S. Air Force, and one Navy personnel. They were black, 
they were Hispanic, they were Caucasian--they were Americans. They were 
American military. They were: Army LTC Rennie Melville Cory, Jr., of 
Oklahoma City, OK; LTC George D. Martin III of Hopkins, SC; and SFC 
Tommy James Murphy of Georgia--hometown not available; they were Air 
Force MAJ Charles E. Lewis of Las Cruces, NM; MSG Steven L. Moser of 
San Diego, CA; and TSgt Robert M. Flynn of Huntsville, AL; they were 
Navy CPO Pedro Juan Gonzalez of Buckeye, AZ--real people, real 
Americans.
  I used to teach high school, and oftentimes I would be amazed at the 
heroes some of our young people sought out--many in the athletic world, 
some in the world of entertainment, some whom I might not have picked 
as heroes. But if you are looking for heroes to admire, here they are, 
seven of them, who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty to search 
for the remains of American men and women missing from the Vietnam war. 
What an honor to serve your country in that capacity.
  At least five times that I can recall, I as a Member of either the 
Congress or the Senate had the opportunity to visit Vietnam--indeed, 
fly on maybe the same helicopter, but certainly similar helicopters 
with Vietnamese pilots. We flew all over Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, 
flying these missions, trying to find answers for POWs and MIAs. These 
wonderful people who make these sacrifices--long days, weeks away from 
their families, on the ground, sifting through dirt, trying to find 
remains, looking at wreckage, digging into the files and the archives--
whatever it takes, they are out there doing it day in and day out with 
very few accolades.
  I honor them today by simply saying thank you. Thank you for caring 
enough to search for your colleagues and comrades in arms who are 
missing. Thank you for serving your country. Thank you for making the 
ultimate sacrifice doing it. I also thank the families, those who 
survive, who will now endure this pain.
  It is special with me because I have also endured it. When I was 3 
years old my father, who served in World War II, died in the service of 
his country in a military aircraft accident. My mother, as a widow, 
raised me and my brother for all those years.
  These are heroes. These were members of what is called the Joint Task 
Force--Full Accounting. I ask all of us, my colleagues in the Senate 
and the American people who are listening, tonight, when you put your 
head down, you might just remember these men in your prayers and say 
thank you from a grateful nation for your service.
  Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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