[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 21]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 28786]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


 TO RECOGNIZE THE DEDICATION OF FORT FILLMORE, NEW MEXICO IN HONOR OF 
                     FIRST LIEUTENANT JOHN SALOPEK

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. STEVAN PEARCE

                             of new mexico

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, December 15, 2005

  Mr. PEARCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the dedication of 
Fort Fillmore, New Mexico in honor of First Lieutenant John Salopek, as 
celebrated in the biography by Gerald Carson, ``Big John', or 1Lt John 
Salopek, to whom Fort Fillmore is being dedicated today, was born on 
September 17, 1921 in Croatia. At age eight, he arrived in the United 
States, settling in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

  Salopek received a Reserve Officer's Training Corps (ROTC) commission 
in June 1944. He was assigned to a platoon leader position in 1st 
Platoon, Company G of the infamous 42nd ``Rainbow'' Division, 7th US 
Army. Salopek's unit arrived in Marseille, France in December, 1944. 
The unit fought in the Ardennes-Alsace Campaign near Gambshein, France. 
On January 5, 1944, Salopek's platoon was attacked by German panzers, 
and most were taken prisoner of war (POW) the next day. Salopek was 
taken to a headquarters command post of the elite Waffen-Schutztaffel 
(SS). Later, Salopek was transferred to Hammelburg Offizierlager XIIIB 
(Oflag) POW camp of 1,500 officers, to include the son of Soviet 
Premier Joseph Stalin and the son-in-law of General Patton. On March 
26, 1945, General Patton ordered Task Force Baum to Hammelburg to 
rescue the paws. Only 300 of the 1,500 were rescued, to include 1LT 
Salopek. Two days later, Task Force Baum was captured by Germans. Most 
were either killed or again taken POW. Salopek evaded capture and fled 
to a German farm house near Richenbuch, where he remained until 
American troops liberated the Hammelburg POW camp on April 5, 1945. The 
following year, 1LT Salopek, returned to his family's farm in Mesilla, 
New Mexico.
  Salopek's father left over 300 acres of pecan farms to John in the 
Las Cruces area. Salopek spent the remainder of his life working his 
land.
  LT Salopek was awarded the Silver Star, Bronze, and Purple Heart for 
action in the Ardennes-Alsace Campaign. He died on April 15, 2002.''

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