[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 12749]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    SALUTING SERGEANT EDWARD WAGNER

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. TIM MURPHY

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, July 1, 2010

  Mr. TIM MURPHY of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, as Independence Day 
approaches I would like to take a moment to recognize all the men and 
women who have ever fought to defend the unalienable rights of life, 
liberty and the pursuit of happiness espoused by the Founding Fathers. 
Since the time when the Declaration of Independence was read in town 
squares across the 13 colonies in 1776 to today, more than 230 years 
later, our liberties and freedoms have been protected by the members of 
the Armed Forces. Specifically, I want to recognize Sgt. Edward C. 
Wagner, a Korean War veteran and lifelong constituent of mine from 
Greensburg, Pennsylvania who is turning 80 years old on July 6, 2010.
  In June of 1952, Ed went through basic training at Camp Breckenridge, 
Kentucky and was assigned to the 101st Airborne Infantry, ``R'' Company 
in the U.S. Army. Later that year he was deployed to Camp Drake in 
Japan. By Christmas, Ed was serving with the 35th Infantry Division--
Tropic Lighting--Cacti Unit, in North Korea. In 1953 Ed earned the rank 
of Sergeant and continued to faithfully serve in North Korea until his 
return to the United States one year later.
  Back home in Greensburg, Ed went to work for Bettis Atomic Power Lab 
as a Material Evaluation Laboratory Fuel Handler until retiring in 1992 
as a quality insurance weld inspector. Not only a devoted soldier and 
worker, Sgt. Wagner has been a dedicated husband, father, grandfather, 
and great-grandfather to his wife Luella of 59 years, his three 
children, seven grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. When not 
spending time with his family, Ed serves as a member of the Free and 
Accepted Mason Philanthropy Lodge. He also has a passion for restoring 
old antique cars, driving both a 1937 Plymouth and a 1939 Chevy Master 
Deluxe.
  Sgt. Edward C. Wagner is one of many who fought to preserve American 
values while in uniform and continue to ``bear true faith and 
allegiance'' to the Constitution. It was once said, ``This nation will 
remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the 
brave.'' We owe each and every veteran a sincere 'Thank You' for their 
service and I would like to especially thank Sgt. Wagner and wish him a 
very happy and healthy birthday.

                          ____________________