[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 15494]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




         IN MEMORY OF NICHOLAS ORESKO, MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT

  (Mr. SIRES asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak in memory of Master 
Sergeant Nicholas Oresko, the oldest living Medal of Honor recipient 
and Bayonne, New Jersey, native, who passed away on October 4, 2013, at 
the age of 96.
  In the final stages of World War II, on January 23, 1945, Master 
Sergeant Oresko's unit was pinned down by deadly enemy gunfire as the 
Battle of the Bulge drew to a close.
  As platoon leader with Company C, he made a final, solitary attempt 
to eliminate the German position in nearby bunkers. Master Sergeant 
Oresko charged the hill, weathering enemy fire, to throw a grenade into 
the German bunkers.
  Refusing to withdraw from the battle, despite being wounded and weak 
with blood loss, he continued the assault until he was assured the 
mission was successfully accomplished. His lone assault wiped out two 
machine gun positions and enabled his unit to take the hill with 
minimal casualties.
  The true impact of his unselfish actions can never be measured as it 
extends beyond the lives of the men he saved.
  Master Sergeant Oresko was awarded the Medal of Honor by President 
Harry Truman on October 30, 1945, for his quick thinking, courage, and 
unswerving devotion to his country and fellow soldiers.
  I rise today in memory of Master Sergeant Nicholas Oresko, to honor 
his courage and to ensure that those who will sacrifice their own 
safety for the benefit of the Nation are never forgotten.

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