[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 4749-4750]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




RECOGNIZING THE SERVICE OF THE U.S. ARMY AIR FORCE 2ND LIEUTENANT JOHN 
                             DONALD MUMFORD

                                  _____
                                 

                           HON. CHARLIE CRIST

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 23, 2017

  Mr. CRIST. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a fallen hero who made 
the ultimate

[[Page 4750]]

sacrifice for his country. Lost on the battlefields of Europe during 
World War II, the remains of Army Air Force 2nd Lieutenant. John Donald 
Mumford have finally returned home to St. Petersburg, Florida.
  On June 6, 1944, the same morning U.S. forces stormed the beaches at 
Normandy, 2nd Lt. Mumford bravely led a squadron of B-17 Flying 
Fortress bombers on a successful air raid over Germany. Returning to 
base, his plane was attacked by 10 Nazi warplanes, sent crashing into 
Ukrainian farmland. A mortally wounded 2nd Lt. Mumford was last 
reported seen by Romanian villagers in 1944, 73 years ago.
  Cold War tensions prevented the timely recovery of 2nd Lt. Mumford's 
body. But the historical office at the Department of Defense never gave 
up. They began anew the search for 2nd Lt. Mumford's remains, and from 
2007 to 2016, the POW/MIA Accounting Agency investigated the alleged 
crash site, ultimately finding proof of a downed WWII-era U.S. 
aircraft. With help from Ukrainian Armed Forces and local farmers, they 
uncovered the remains of 2nd Lt. Mumford.
  Mr. Speaker, the United States of America never leaves a fallen 
soldier behind. When brothers Ronald and Lynn Woolums stood on the 
Tampa International Airport tarmac last week to accept the remains of 
their uncle, 2nd Lt. John Donald Mumford, it represented a proud 
tradition that defines who we are as a people.
  I want to express my gratitude for the Defense Department's 
investigation team who made this day possible. 2nd Lt. Mumford is an 
American hero, and his family should beam with pride at his sacrifice. 
And what an amazing story to pass along from generation to generation--
we honor our men and women in uniform by never forgetting.
  Mr. Speaker, we salute Army Air Forces 2nd Lieutenant John Donald 
Mumford, and all the men and women who have given their lives 
protecting the freedoms we so dearly cherish. God bless our troops, and 
God bless America.

                          ____________________