[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 3]
[House]
[Page 3292]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          THE ``H.L. HUNLEY''

  (Mr. BROWN of South Carolina asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BROWN of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, this year marks the 140th 
anniversary of the final voyage of the H.L. Hunley. On February 17, 
1864, the Hunley embarked on a dangerous mission when Lieutenant George 
Dixon led his crew to do what no other submarine had ever done before, 
successfully sink another ship in combat. That night in Charleston 
Harbor, the Hunley rammed her spar torpedo into the hull of the USS 
Housatonic. The ship sunk shortly thereafter, forever securing the 
Hunley's place in history.
  The crew, however, never returned and vanished into the harbor. The 
location of the crew and ship remained a mystery for over 130 years 
until 1995 when the submarine was found. It was placed under the care 
of the Warren Lasch Conservation Center in North Charleston in my 
district. Through the efforts of the Hunley Commission and the Friends 
of the Hunley, the vessel will be preserved for generations to come. 
All eight crew members' bodies have been recovered and will receive a 
military burial on April 17, 2004, at Magnolia Cemetery in Charleston. 
I welcome all Americans to take the opportunity to marvel at this 
archeological wonder.

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