[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 20] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages 27179-27180] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]IN HONOR OF THE 54TH COAST ARMY ARTILLERY REGIMENT ______ HON. SAM FARR of california in the house of representatives Friday, November 6, 2009 Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the soldiers who served during World War II in the United States Army's 54th Coast Artillery Regiment. The 54th was an all-black regiment that shared the mission of guarding California's Central Coast from enemy attack. It was the U.S. Army's only all-black, heavy artillery unit during World War II. The 54th was part of the network of forces that protected the entrance to San Francisco Harbor and the Golden Gate Bridge and the millions of tons of cargo and munitions coming [[Page 27180]] out of the port. This network included coastal fortifications, underwater minefields, antiaircraft guns, radars, searchlights, patrol aircraft, and observation posts up and down the coast of California. Several such posts were located in my District, including one near the lighthouse in the city of Santa Cruz. No enemy was ever seen, and in 1944 the Army began to phase out its California coast watch. Batteries of the 54th were deployed to other battlefronts, including Peru. After the fall of Germany in 1945, the 54th was restructured and sent to the Philippines to prepare to invade Japan, but Japan surrendered before that happened. Armed initially with old guns and wearing uniforms left over from World War I, the men of the 54th served with pride and dedication. Two members of the Santa Cruz unit still live on the Central Coast. Russell R. Dawson returned to Santa Cruz after his discharge in 1946 and became the first black postal worker in that city, a job he held for 33 years. William Edward Jackson Sr., who lives in nearby Menlo Park, is a past president of that city's chapter of the NAACP. On this Veteran's Day these two men will represent the 54th Coast Artillery Regiment at the dedication of a memorial plaque erected on the site of their former post at Lighthouse Field. This project was spearheaded by the Santa Cruz Women's Club who, after Dawson spoke to their group about his experiences, decided to memorialize this special piece of Santa Cruz and American history. Madam Speaker, I know the whole House joins me in thanking the 54th Coast Army Artillery Regiment for their honorable and dedicated service to our nation.