[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 12755]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   CAPTAIN THOMAS HARPER HONORED WITH FRENCH CROSS OF MILITARY VALOR

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. CLIFF STEARNS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, August 1, 2011

  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Ocala's own Army 
National Guard Captain Thomas Harper of the 20th Special Forces Group 
(Airborne).
  Captain Harper and the 2nd Battalion, 20th Special Forces unit 
successfully provided security assistance for the French Foreign Legion 
in the Uzbeen Valley of Afghanistan.
  He was among those soldiers separated from their unit by a mortar 
blast causing shrapnel to injure four of the five American soldiers and 
exposed to enemy fire.
  Despite their injuries, Captain Harper and his comrades moved the 
severely injured to safety and repelled the attack for more than an 
hour until air support and medic helicopters arrived.
  Captain Harper was among five National Guards and one active duty 
Special Forces soldiers honored with the French Croix de la Valeur 
Militaire (French Cross of Military Valor), an honor rarely bestowed on 
any soldier, especially those who are not French.
  I join his family, Dr. Wayne Harper, Debbie Harper and sisters 
Chrissy and Lauren in sharing great pride in the accomplishments of 
this great American. For their bravery, I rise today Mr. Speaker to 
honor Captain Thomas Harper and his comrades for their service, and for 
the unwavering dedication shown to their country.

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