[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 5457]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  HONORING PASTOR JOHNNIE ROLAND, SR., WORLD WAR II VETERAN AND CIVIL 
                            RIGHTS ACTIVIST

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 24, 2012

  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize 
the outstanding service of World War II Veteran and Civil Rights 
Activist, Pastor Johnnie Roland Sr., as he celebrates his 90th 
birthday. Born the son of sharecroppers, Pastor Roland was drafted into 
the United States Army on November 28, 1942.
  Johnnie Roland Sr. was born and remains a lifelong resident of 
Coffeeville, Mississippi. He married the late Leida Rounsaville Roland 
and from this union, 14 children were born. His oldest and only son, 
Johnnie Roland Jr., served in the Vietnam War.
  Johnnie Roland served in World War II from 1943 to 1945. Roland and 
three others from Yalobusha County, Mississippi, Tommy Dudley, Walter 
Lee Martin, and Ulysses Kee were inducted into the Army at Camp Shelby, 
Mississippi.
  After about eleven months of ammunition training at Ft. Knox, 
Kentucky, he and the 619th Ordnance Ammunition Company, shipped out of 
New York City and arrived in Liverpool, England. On June 6, 1944, 
Roland boarded a landing craft late in the day and remained anchored in 
the English Channel surrounded by danger on all sides. There he waited 
to land on the Normandy Beach, about 3 days after D-Day.
  For the next several months he advanced through France, Belgium, and 
Germany loading and unloading ammunition on and near the front lines of 
battle. On November 29, 1945, he was honorably discharged from Camp 
Shelby in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Roland was awarded the Nameto 
Medal, Good Conduct Medal, and World War II Victory Medal for his 
superior performance and dedication in the United States Army.
  After his honorable discharge from the United States Army, Roland 
returned to Mississippi. Pastor Roland answered his call to ministry in 
1960, and served as pastor of the Pine Grove Baptist Church from 1962 
until August 2009. Pastor Roland was very active in the Civil Rights 
Movement working with other local advocates to integrate the local 
segregated school systems, marching front line in sometimes very 
hostile situations.
  During the boycott of the local school system, Pastor Roland was one 
of a very few who stood strong by keeping his children out of school 
for one whole year. Eventually, the school systems were integrated and 
he was able to see his children receive a quality education within an 
integrated public school system. Pastor Roland's most recent 
accomplishment is his eight year service on the Coffeeville Board of 
Aldermen.
  According to Pastor Roland, though he has accomplished many things 
within his lifetime, his greatest has been the honor to vote for and 
see America's first African American President, Barack Obama elected 
into office.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Pastor 
Johnnie Roland Sr., a decorated World War II Veteran and Civil Rights 
Activist for his dedication and service to this country and the state 
of Mississippi.

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