[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Page 11511]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           TENNESSEE VETERANS

  Mr. ALEXANDER. Mr. President, I recently received an invitation to an 
annual reunion of Tennessee veterans who served together in the 236th 
Combat Engineers Battalion in Burma, India and China during World War 
II. Veterans of the 236th have been getting together every year for 
nearly 50 years, and the story of the reunions of the 236th is almost 
as interesting as those of the action they saw in northern Burma 
fighting the Japanese.
  What began as a picnic at Memphis City Park in 1956 has evolved into 
an annual reunion of surviving members of the 236th, and their 
families, on the second Sunday in July in Nashville. Veterans from the 
236th, who spent one of the most significant periods in history 
together, now sit around and reminisce about the experience that made 
them men, rekindle old friendships, and honor the memories of their 
fallen comrades. Meanwhile, their families swim, shop, and attend 
events together. In recent years however, only a handful of veterans of 
the 236th are still able to attend, so the group has elected their 
children to take over responsibility for holding the reunions, even 
after the last member of the 236th has passed on.
  The 236th was created during World War II, an offspring of the 44th 
Engineer Combat Regiment at Camp McCoy, WI. After practicing maneuvers 
in Tennessee in 1943, the 236th was deployed to the China-Burma-India 
Theater, where they started work on the Ledo Road, a necessary allied 
supply route through harsh jungle terrain at the base of the Himalayan 
Mountains, and on the edge of Japanese-occupied territory.
  Work on the Ledo Road was halted by a Japanese garrison, dug in, in 
the town of Myitkyina, along the path of the road. General Stillwell, 
Chief Commander of the China-Burma-India Theater, had tried to dislodge 
the Japanese from Myitkyina in mid May, 1944, and had succeeded in 
taking a nearby airstrip, but was repelled from the town by 
unexpectedly strong Japanese defenses. With these defenses and a front 
line force already weakened from fatigue, disease and wounds, Stillwell 
called up the 236th to the front lines. Men who had been used to 
driving trucks and operating heavy equipment were suddenly picking up a 
rifle and heading into battle.
  The Japanese had managed to assemble nearly 2,500 soldiers in 
Myitkyina in the final days of May to engage the 236th and another 
battalion of combat engineers, the 209th. The battle for Myitkyina 
raged for 2 months and the engineers, fighting alongside poorly trained 
Chinese soldiers, bore the brunt of the Japanese forces, defending 
against infantry attacks as well as artillery and mortar fire. The 
battle resulted in victory for the allies, but at a heavy price: 56 
killed in action and another 142 wounded from the 236th alone. One of 
these casualties was SGT Fred Coleman, who threw himself on a grenade 
in order to save the lives of his comrades.
  The members of the 236th distinguished themselves in the battle for 
Myitkyina and earned the praise of their commanders. Stillwell himself 
was impressed with the performance of the 236th, many of whom had not 
picked up a rifle since basic training: ``hats off to the engineers!'' 
And both battalions of combat engineers received the Presidential Unit 
Citation for their valiant efforts in battle.
  Tennessee is the Volunteer State and the spirit of Tennessee is 
embodied in the 236th. From the battle of King's Mountain in the 
Revolutionary War, through the Mexican War, the Civil War, and our 
great World Wars, Tennesseans have answered the call. We have honored 
those volunteers, and we have honored them as veterans.
  We should especially honor our Tennessee sons and daughters today 
because so many--thousands--are serving in the war against terrorism--
men and women in active duty, the National Guard, and the reserves.
  This summer, as we celebrate Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day, the 
dedication of the new World War II Memorial and the 60th anniversary of 
D-Day, we should not only remember the actions and sacrifices of the 
great men and women who have come before us, such as those of the 
236th, but what their sacrifices have ensured for us: our freedom.
  The best thing we can do this summer as we pay tribute to our 
veterans and soldiers is this: to try to show as much respect and honor 
to these great volunteers as they have always shown our country.

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