[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 8]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 10715]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




         TRIBUTE TO JOHN GARRETT, JR.--A TRUE AMERICAN PATRIOT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DONALD M. PAYNE

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 19, 2005

  Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of my uncle, 
John Garrett, Jr. and I ask my colleagues here in the U.S. House of 
Representatives to join me in paying tribute to this outstanding 
American patriot.
  John Garrett, Jr. was a Staff Sergeant and platoon leader of the 
229th Port Company attached to the 1st Engineer Specialist Brigade of 
the 1st Army and on June 6th, 1944, his contingent of 75 men was 
responsible for transporting ammunition to the landing Allied Forces.
  He was extremely proud of his service in the Army during WWII; 
however, he was disheartened that the role of African American soldiers 
who helped lead our country to victory was not accurately depicted in 
history. Their names were not mentioned, their achievements were not 
celebrated, and their sacrifices were not honored. He considered it his 
mission to correct the historical omissions of the role of African 
American soldiers, and he developed a comprehensive collection of 
historical information, including visual displays and artifacts that he 
used during lectures to community groups and to the many schools where 
he was invited to speak.
  He would speak about the contributions of African Americans in battle 
that history did not record. He told about the Tuskegee Airmen, the Red 
Ball Express, and the lesser-known Fighting 369th--a group of African 
Americans, largely from New York City, who valiantly chose to fight for 
a country that gave them only minimal civil rights and would not even 
allow them to carry arms or participate in battle. But this band of 
patriots would not be deterred, and eventually fought as Americans for 
our ally, the French. They were so fierce in battle, in fact, that the 
enemy called them ``The Hell-Fighters,'' and they would later come to 
be known as The Harlem Hell-Fighters.
  He was tenacious in his attempts to have the recognition due African 
American soldiers afforded them, and was the catalyst for the movement 
that eventually led President Clinton to recognize those soldiers; as a 
result, a number of African American soldiers who had been overlooked 
for the Purple Heart were later awarded that medal in recognition of 
their service in WWII. Purple Hearts were not the only awards withheld 
from African American soldiers. President Eisenhower, when presenting 
Letters of Commendation, chose to send Letters to white soldiers only. 
My Uncle John was directly responsible for President Clinton's decision 
to award Letters of Commendation to those African American soldiers who 
participated in the D-Day Invasion and whose service had gone 
unmentioned and unrecognized for decades.
  One of my uncle's most treasured experiences, capping off his life's 
work, was visiting Washington last Memorial Day weekend for the 
official dedication of the long-awaited World War II Memorial. As a 
veteran of the war, he and his wonderful wife Ruth, who were married 
over 60 years, were able to view the moving ceremony from special seats 
and also mingled with the crowds, enjoying great camaraderie with other 
World War II veterans gathered together for this historic occasion.
  John Garrett, Jr. lived life to the fullest. When he and his wife 
attended my Annual Congressional Ball in March, they danced the night 
away, outlasting most of the others on the dance floor. He also made a 
point of traveling to Washington every fall to participate in the 
Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference.
  Mr. Speaker, let us honor John Garrett, Jr. for his patriotism and 
his service to our country. He was tireless in his fight to ensure that 
all our soldiers received the honor that was due them. He was a role 
model for our community, enlightening thousands of school children with 
the true story of the role African Americans played in our Nation's 
history, and instilling in them pride for the legacy of their 
ancestors. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his wife, Ruth, his 
son Kenny and his granddaughter, Cindy.

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