[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 4]
[House]
[Page 4954]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  HONORING THE LIFE OF LIEUTENANT GENERAL SELMON WILLARD ``JIM'' WELLS

  (Mrs. BIGGERT asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of one of 
America's great military heroes, Lieutenant General Selmon Willard 
Wells, or Jim as he was known to his family.
  General Wells passed away in December at the age of 94 after a 
lifetime of distinguished service to his country. Today, his friends, 
family, and loved ones will gather to celebrate his amazing life in a 
special service near his home in California. Among those will be his 
children, three grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.
  Mr. Speaker, there's no way I could do justice to all the 
achievements of this amazing man in the time I have here.
  Jim first earned his wings in 1941 and went on to log over 12,000 
hours of flying time as a command pilot, with over 700 hours of combat 
time. He flew hundreds of missions during three wars--World War II, 
Korea, and Vietnam--and has been honored with almost every medal 
imaginable.
  After commanding forces all over the world, he culminated his 
military career as an inspector general of the Air Force here in 
Washington.
  Today, I would like to join with my colleagues here in the U.S. House 
of Representatives to express to Jim's family and loved ones our 
heartfelt sympathy on his loss and our sincere gratitude for his 
service to the Nation he loved.
  Mr. Speaker, during his service today, it was the hope of many that 
General Wells would be honored by a military flyover. I am disappointed 
to say that the Air Force was unable to accommodate this wish, but I 
know there's no military airman in America who does not join us in 
honoring the memory of this hero. And if anyone would understand the 
logistical challenges of command, it would be Jim.

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