[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 11]
[House]
[Pages 15457-15458]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  ADOLFO ``HARPO'' CELAYA POST OFFICE

  Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 6304) to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 501 North Main Street in Florence, Arizona, as the 
``Adolfo `Harpo' Celaya Post Office''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 6304

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. ADOLFO ``HARPO'' CELAYA POST OFFICE.

       (a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 501 North Main Street in Florence, 
     Arizona, shall be known and designated as the ``Adolfo 
     `Harpo' Celaya Post Office''.
       (b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation, 
     document, paper, or other record of the United States to the 
     facility referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be 
     a reference to the ``Adolfo `Harpo' Celaya Post Office''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Arizona (Mr. Gosar) and the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands (Ms. 
Plaskett) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona.


                             General Leave

  Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 
5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include 
any extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Arizona?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 6304. The bill designates a 
post office in Florence, Arizona, as the Adolfo ``Harpo'' Celaya Post 
Office.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill honors a great man and an Arizona hero. He has 
served his Nation both in combat and with a lifetime of community 
service. That man is Adolfo ``Harpo'' Celaya.
  The bill being considered here today, H.R. 6304, would designate the 
United States Postal Service facility in Florence, Arizona, as the 
Adolfo ``Harpo'' Celaya Post Office. This is a small gesture to honor a 
man who has given so much to this Nation and to his community.
  By way of background, Harpo Celaya was born in Florence, Arizona, on 
May 16, 1927. He worked numerous jobs, including picking cotton and 
working at the local dairy from the time he was only 8 years old. He 
earned the nickname ``Harpo'' because he had thick black curls that 
reminded his friends of Harpo Marx.
  When he was just 17 years old, he read a recruitment poster that 
boasted ``Join the Navy, see the world'' and he begged his father to 
let him join. He was assigned to the USS Indianapolis, the flagship of 
the 5th Fleet.
  The Indy saw many battles during World War II, and Harpo was there 
with the ship at the battle of Iwo Jima and witnessed the historic 
flag-raising on the island in February of 1945. He was also aboard when 
the Indy went on a secret mission delivering parts for Little Boy, the 
atomic bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima.
  His experiences on the Indy would change his life forever. On the 
night of July 30, 1945, the Indy was on its way back to the Philippines 
after a secret mission delivering the atomic bomb. Harpo and many of 
his mates were sleeping on the deck because it was too hot to sleep in 
their bunks below. Despite the heat, Harpo covered himself with a 
blanket, as had been his habit for many years in trying to ward off 
mosquitoes in the Arizona desert.
  Shortly after midnight, a Japanese submarine hit the Indy with two 
torpedoes. Fire tore through the deck, burning Harpo and his mates. 
Harpo credits his blanket, which was essentially vaporized in the heat, 
for saving him from being burned more severely.
  He was en route to retrieve his lifejacket when he ran into his 
friend, Santos Pena, who told him that the ship was sinking and they 
needed to abandon it immediately. The USS Indianapolis sank within 12 
minutes.
  The two friends separated after jumping into the water, and 3 days 
passed before they found each other again. They continued to endure 
excruciating conditions with their fellow sailors in the choppy open 
seas, most slowly succumbing to dehydration, exposure, and shark 
attacks.
  The survivors of the Indy were eventually rescued after spending 
almost 5 harrowing days in the water. Of the 1,196 men aboard, only 317 
survived. After this incident, Harpo was medically discharged from the 
Navy and awarded the Purple Heart.
  Still only 17 years of age, he went back to high school in his 
hometown of Florence, Arizona, and was recruited to play on the 
Florence Gophers basketball team. Even though none of the players were 
over 6 feet tall, Harpo led his team to the Arizona State Basketball 
Championship and was named captain of the first-string all-state team.
  Harpo continued his winning streak by playing for and eventually 
coaching the basketball team at Palo Verde Community College in Blythe, 
California.
  Harpo went on to become a cowboy for a few years and eventually ran 
his own small business, providing heating and air-conditioning services 
to his new community of San Jose, California.
  Throughout his life, Harpo could often be found coaching or 
refereeing games for local youth. He knew firsthand of the value of 
sports and exercise as a means to keep young boys out of trouble.
  Harpo's walls are adorned by many plaques and awards honoring his 
efforts. He is honored in the Arizona Basketball Hall of Fame at 
Arizona State University, the Florence High School Athletic Hall of 
Fame, and served as grand marshal for the Florence Junior Parade in 
November 2009.
  Harpo Celaya is a true hero, beloved by his hometown of Florence.
  I would like to thank all of the survivors of the USS Indianapolis 
for their sacrifice. Of the 23 survivors still alive today, Harpo is 
the only Native American. We are humbled to honor him today.

[[Page 15458]]

  I would like to thank the town of Florence for their support of this 
bill and for proposing this great honor for Mr. Celaya. Thank you to 
the Oversight and Government Reform Committee for their expertise and 
patience in bringing this bill forward.
  I urge Members to support my bill.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. PLASKETT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise today in strong support of H.R. 6304, to designate the 
facility of the United States Postal Service located at 501 North Main 
Street in Florence, Arizona, as the Adolfo ``Harpo'' Celaya Post 
Office.
  Born in 1927, Mr. Celaya overcame a childhood of poverty, neglect, 
and abuse. At age 17, he joined the Navy and was assigned to the USS 
Indianapolis during World War II. Harpo fought in the battles of Iwo 
Jima and Okinawa and was aboard the USS Indianapolis during its secret 
mission to deliver the ingredients of the atomic bomb Little Boy to the 
island of Tinian.
  As the ship was returning from this mission, it was hit with two 
torpedoes from a Japanese submarine. Despite being badly burned, Harpo 
Celaya jumped from a sinking ship into the water, where he remained for 
5 days until rescuers arrived.
  Of the 1,196 men aboard the ship that day, Harpo was one of only 317 
survivors. He received the Purple Heart and returned to high school in 
his hometown of Florence, Arizona. There, he led the basketball team to 
the Arizona State Basketball Championship and was named captain of the 
all-state team in spite of his combat injuries.
  Harpo Celaya attended Palo Verde Community College and again led the 
basketball team to a championship. He was inducted into the Arizona 
Basketball Hall of Fame in 1972 and the Florence High School Athletic 
Hall of Fame in 2008.
  Outside of basketball, Harpo led a successful career as a cowboy and 
then as a small-business owner, but always made time to mentor local 
youth by coaching or refereeing athletic sports.
  Mr. Speaker, we should pass this bill to honor Harpo Celaya for both 
his valiant military service and his ability to overcome hardship and 
having a lasting positive impact on his community.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I ask that Members pass this bill.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Gosar) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 6304.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this question will be postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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