[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 15972]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO KEITH PFRIMMER

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. TOM LATHAM

                                of iowa

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 16, 2010

  Mr. LATHAM. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize Keith Pfrimmer, a Navy 
veteran from Boone County, Iowa, and to express my appreciation for his 
dedication and commitment to his country.
  The Boone News Republican is currently running a series of articles 
that honors one Boone County veteran every Tuesday from Memorial Day to 
Veterans Day. Keith Pfrimmer was recognized on Tuesday, August 10. 
Below is the article in its entirety:

                 Boone County Veterans: Keith Pfrimmer

                        (By Alexander Hutchins)

       Keith Pfrimmer, 79, served as a radar technician on the USS 
     Frontier from July 1951 to July 1955. Over the course of four 
     years, he would travel to Japan, the seas of Asia, the West 
     Coast and Japan.
       The Frontier was a destroyer tender, providing support to 
     the 7th fleet. Pfrimmer was assigned to the ship and sailed 
     with it after it had been recommissioned. He served in O 
     Division, or the Operations Division.
       ``When we were under way I'd stand radar watches, which 
     helped a great deal in the maneuvers of the ship,'' Pfrimmer 
     said. ``The ship didn't see any action. It wasn't that kind 
     of ship.''
       Pfrimmer's brother had served in the Navy in World War II, 
     and had helped Pfrimmer decide on the Navy as his service. 
     The ship carried a two-star admiral and would occasionally 
     dock chained up to Destroyers in the fleet to service and 
     resupply them.
       ``It [the ship] wasn't in a danger zone, other than we were 
     in Korean waters,'' Pfrimmer said.
       ``If we went into dry dock, we had to completely unload all 
     ammo and that type of thing. When we'd come out of dry dock, 
     we'd go to the same place and reload ammo. The ammo was 
     mostly for supplies; we wouldn't use it,'' Pfrimmer said.
       During the first cruise to Japan that Pfrimmer served, the 
     Frontier had to veer out to sea to avoid a typhoon. The 
     anchor had to he severed in the storm and the ship returned 
     to California and the state of Washington for repairs.
       ``We were in Korean waters when we went to Kobe, Japan,'' 
     Pfrimmer said.
       The Frontier serviced 146 ships on its third cruise and 
     held an open house to the public in 1954 back in the U.S. 
     Servicing ships and providing repairs for Destroyers that 
     sailed in Korean waters during the war was the most common 
     task on board.
       Pfrimmer said his experiences in the Navy made him more 
     punctual and gave him a better sense of responsibility.
       ``I chose the Navy and I got to do just what I wanted to do 
     when I joined. I got to see a lot of places,'' Pfrimmer said. 
     ``It was a good experience, though I was away from home.'' He 
     said he also appreciates the benefits he gets through the VA.
       ``I've got a lot of respect for the Navy,'' Pfrimmer said. 
     ``I think the technology is a lot different now. I bet I 
     wouldn't even recognize radar today.''
       He is still interested in the Navy and researches naval 
     history.

  I commend Keith Pfrimmer for his many years of loyalty and service to 
our great nation. It is an immense honor to represent him in the United 
States Congress, and I wish him all the best in his future endeavors.

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