[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 7136-7137]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIBUTE TO CAPTAIN MARVIN WESTBERG

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MIKE COFFMAN

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 11, 2009

  Mr. COFFMAN. Madam Speaker, last Friday, at Ft. Logan National 
Cemetery in Colorado, Captain Marvin Westberg was laid to his rest with 
full honors. He passed away February 18 at the age of 87.
  Captain Westberg attended what is now the University of Northern 
Colorado, in Greeley. He then joined the United States Navy, spending 
22 years on active duty. He served in both WWII and the Korea War. 
After retiring from the United States Navy in 1964, he started a second 
long career with United Airlines.
  I have spoken to Marv on several occasions. Among the best stories he 
told was

[[Page 7137]]

about one instance when he was training a young pilot to fly. Marv 
fired up his trademark pipe in the cockpit and gave the trainee a 
command, to which the trainee replied, ``Can't see sir, too much smoke, 
sir!'' Marv never forgot that the trainee was the elder George Bush. 
Marv also witnessed the surrender of Japan from his ship, anchored next 
to the USS Missouri in Tokyo harbor, on September 2, 1945.
  Madam Speaker, our nation and our liberties are built from the 
service of men and women like Captain Marvin Westberg. He contributed 
his talents and abilities to our national defense, to our nation's 
economy, to our political system, and to the life of his friends and 
neighbors. I just wanted to take a small moment to recognize his 
service, and his career.

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