[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 16]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 22883]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIBUTE TO W. STUART SYMINGTON III

                                 ______
                                 

                     HON. C.A. DUTCH RUPPERSBERGER

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 26, 2008

  Mr. RUPPERSBERGER. Madam Speaker, I rise before you today to honor 
the memory of W. Stuart Symington III, the Nation's first Secretary of 
the Air Force.
  W. Stuart Symington was born in 1901 in Massachusetts. After 
graduating from Baltimore City College in 1918, Symington enlisted in 
the Army as a private and at age 17 became one of the Army's youngest 
second lieutenants. After World War I, Symington entered Yale 
University and graduated in 1923.
  In 1938, after several years in the iron and electric manufacturing 
businesses, Symington accepted the presidency of Emerson Electric 
Company. During World War II, Symington transformed Emerson Electric 
into the world's largest builder of airplane gun turrets.
  Symington resigned from Emerson Electric in 1945 to join the 
administration of President Harry S. Truman. When the Office of the 
Secretary of the Air Force was first created in 1947, Symington became 
the first Secretary of the Air Force. During his tenure, Symington 
worked hard to give the new United States Air Force (which had 
previously been part of the Army) respect, championing the United 
States Air Force Academy, and the success of the Berlin Airlift.
  He served as Secretary of the Air Force from September 18, 1947 to 
April 24, 1950, after which Symington ran for and served four 
consecutive terms as a Senator from Missouri.
   Madam Speaker, I ask that you join with me today to honor the memory 
of W. Stuart Symington, III. It is with great pride that I congratulate 
a fellow Baltimore City College graduate on his significant 
contributions to the United States Air Force and the Nation.

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