[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 12757]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         HONORING ERNIE PLANTZ

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JOE COURTNEY

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, July 1, 2010

  Mr. COURTNEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a great American 
for a lifetime of service to his country and community. Ernie Plantz of 
Gales Ferry is a World War II veteran with an incredible story and an 
enduring passion for public service. On several occasions, I have had 
the pleasure of seeing firsthand the hard work that Ernie puts in on 
behalf of Connecticut's veterans.
  Ernie is a retired Lieutenant in the United States Navy. He survived 
the sinking of a submarine, the USS Perch, and was taken as a Prisoner 
of War by Japanese forces during World War II. He remained as a 
Prisoner of War for more than 3 years, living through unthinkable 
physical and emotion pain.
  Today he is a proud member of the Groton Submarine Veterans and has 
spent much time teaching the children of eastern Connecticut about the 
history of World War II and sharing his story. It is not unusual to see 
Ernie at the forefront of any event helping or honoring Connecticut 
veterans. He is the recipient of a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star. He 
is also an active member of the Lions Club, and was named a Melvin 
Jones Fellow by Lions International. This is the highest award for 
humanitarian service bestowed by the organization.
  While Ernie is a survivor in the purest sense, what truly prevails 
when you meet him is his love of helping others and giving back. For 
someone that has seen the darkest sides of war, I am inspired by the 
amount of time and energy that he puts in to help his fellow veterans 
and citizens on a daily basis. I ask my colleagues to join me in 
honoring Ernie and thank him for his service to our Nation.

                          ____________________