[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 2]
[House]
[Page 1598]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      HONORING ROBERT H. SHUMAKER AND THE VIETNAM PRISONERS OF WAR

  (Mr. DOLD asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. DOLD. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to address this body because in 
1965 on this day, my uncle Robert Harper Shumaker was shot down over 
North Vietnam. He was the second pilot shot down and spent 8 years and 
1 day in captivity. Tomorrow we celebrate the release of the POWs in 
Vietnam, a day that many will remember, one of the bright spots of the 
Vietnam war, when so many of our servicemen were released. Those 8 
years in captivity, while we can never regain those years, we can never 
thank the heroes for what they have done quite fully. But we can 
remember and we can thank them for all that they have done. Those that 
wear the uniform today, we thank you for your service.
  I am honored today to be among my new colleagues, the gentleman from 
Texas, Sam Johnson, who has served in this House ably for a long number 
of years. He actually served with my uncle and was next door in 
solitary confinement for over 3 years. So today, while we remember 
those who were shot down in 1965, my uncle Robert Harper Shumaker, 
tomorrow we recognize all those who were released.

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