[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 5600-5601]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO MR. DANIEL HACKMEIER

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BART STUPAK

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, March 6, 2007

  Mr. STUPAK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to salute a late American 
hero from my district. Mr. Daniel Hackmeier served our Nation with 
honorable distinction during World War II. Mr. Hackmeier passed in July 
of last year. This week, the City of Houghton, local military 
organizations, and community groups in the Houghton area will come 
together to honor Mr. Hackmeier and pay tribute to his service to our 
country.
  Mr. Hackmeier enlisted in the United States Air Corps (which later 
became the Air Force) in April of 1939. He was first stationed at 
Selfridge Field in Mt. Clemens before being deployed to Nichols Air 
Force Base in the Philipines. While stationed at Clark Field, Mr. 
Hackmeier was promoted to Staff Sergeant Major for the 24th Pursuit 
Group.
  When hostilities with the Japanese began, Mr. Hackmeier became part 
of the 71st Provisional Infantry. On April 9, 1942, when Bataan fell to 
Japanese forces, Mr. Hackmeier was taken prisoner by the Japanese. In 
the custody of the Japanese, Mr. Hackmeier was forced to partake in the 
infamous Bataan Death March, one of the darkest episodes of the war in 
the Pacific. It has been estimated that 600-650 American and 5,000-
10,000 Filipino prisoners of war died during this horrific ordeal. 
After surviving the Bataan Death March, Mr. Hackmeier endured as a 
prisoner of war for three and a half years at the Cabanatuan Prison 
Camp in the Philipines and later in Niigata, Japan.
  According to those who knew him well, while captive, Mr. Hackmeier 
and his fellow prisoners kept up their spirits by singing the American 
folk song ``San Antonio Rose.'' Upon his release from captivity in 
1945, Mr. Hackmeier was transported back to the United States by the 
Air Corps. When asked what airbase he would like to be transported to, 
Mr. Hackmeier replied, ``San Antonio.''
  Upon arriving in San Antonio, Mr. Hackmeier met his own ``San Antonio 
Rose,'' his future wife, Betty. Betty and Daniel were married in 
September of 1948. Over the course of their lives, Betty and Daniel 
would have five children, nine grandchildren and four great-
grandchildren.
  Mr. Hackmeier remained with the U.S. Air Force after World War II and 
he received numerous military decorations. He was awarded the Bronze 
Star for his heroism in the Battle of Bataan. He also received the 
Combat Infantryman's Badge as well as the Presidential Unit Citation 
with two oak clusters and commendation ribbons. In addition, he was 
given several theater and campaign ribbons. In 1960, he received the 
prestigious Airman of the Year Award.
  Mr. Hackmeier became acquainted with Michigan's Upper Peninsula 
(U.P.) while he was in the Air Force as he was assigned to teach ROTC 
at Michigan Technological University (MTU) in Houghton, Michigan. 
There, Mr. Hackmeier came to know and love Houghton and the U.P.
  In 1961, Mr. Hackmeier was promoted to Chief Master Sergeant while 
serving at Maxwell Air Force Base in Texas. He retired later that year, 
having spent thirty years serving our Nation.
  Upon retirement from the Air Force, Mr. Hackmeier returned to the 
Houghton area that he had become so fond of while teaching ROTC. 
Becoming an active member of the community, he joined Copper Country 
Ford dealership, a position he held for twenty-five years. His wife, 
Betty, also became active in the Houghton community, spending twenty-
five years as a Food Supervisor at Michigan Technological University.
  Madam Speaker, like most heroes, Mr. Hackmeier did not seek 
recognition for his valor. When those around him in the community 
referred to him as a hero, this humble man was known to simply respond, 
``The real heroes are the men that died there.''

[[Page 5601]]

  Madam Speaker, inscribed on the monument to the Pacific War Dead, in 
Corregidor, Philippines are the words:

     Sleep my Sons, Your Duty Done . . .
     For Freedom's Light Has Come.
     Sleep in the Silent Depths of the Sea
     Or in Your Bed of Hallowed Sod.
     Until You Hear at Dawn
     The Clear Reveille of God

  While Mr. Hackmeier's final resting place may be Houghton and not the 
Pacific, like his comrades who did not survive Bataan, his duty truly 
has been done. As the people of Houghton, Michigan come together to 
recognize this hero, I would ask the entire U.S. House of 
Representatives to join me in saluting Mr. Hackmeier for his lifetime 
of service and in offering our thoughts and prayers to his wife, Betty, 
and his entire family.

                          ____________________