[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 14]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 19730]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING THE 322ND MEDICAL BATTALION OF THE 97TH INFANTRY DIVISION IN 
                                  WWII

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. LINCOLN DAVIS

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, September 7, 2005

  Mr. DAVIS. Mr. Speaker, at a time when we are humbled and saddened by 
the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina along the Gulf Coast, I 
would like to take a few minutes to salute and honor the men of the 
322nd Medical Battalion of the 97th Infantry Division. They served 
during World War II and are meeting in Nashville, Tennessee on 
September 17, 2005 for a reunion.
  After completing training in Texas, Louisiana, and Missouri, the 97th 
Infantry Division was sent to Camp San Luis Obispo, California to 
receive amphibious training in preparation for deployment to the 
Pacific for operations against the Japanese. In the fall of 1944, the 
Division was notified that it would be sent to the Far East in 
December. However, with the high number of American casualties during 
the Battle of the Bulge, the 97th was ordered to the European Theatre 
of Operations for the final assault on Nazi Germany.
  They arrived in Europe in March of 1945 and participated in the 
reduction of the Ruhr pocket. The 97th captured Solingen and Dusseldorf 
as well as other small towns in Germany. Later, the 97th was 
transferred to Patton's 3rd Army where they participated in the 
liberation of Czechoslovakia. The 97th Infantry was credited with 
firing the last official shot in the European Theatre of Operations 
during World War II.
  After the surrender of Germany, the 97th returned to the States and 
in September left for the Pacific where they had been scheduled to take 
part in the invasion of Japan before the Japanese formally surrendered 
on September 2, 1945. The 97th went on to perform occupation duty in 
Japan until its final deactivation in March of 1946.
  These brave young men not only helped to finalize the end of the war 
against Nazi Germany but went on to begin the peace process in Japan. I 
salute them for a ``job well done.''

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