[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Page 7498]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              REMEMBERING LIEUTENANT COLONEL LEO THORSNESS

  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I come to the floor today deeply saddened 
by the passing of my dear friend and fellow POW, Lt. Col. Leo 
Thorsness. One of the greatest honors of my life was serving with Leo, 
a man whose service exemplified selfless duty and devotion to others. 
Leo earned the Medal of Honor for his heroism in a daring combat 
mission in North Vietnam in 1967 when he flew directly into hostile 
territory on dangerously low fuel in an attempt to rescue his comrades 
who had been downed in an attack. Just 2 weeks after that courageous 
mission, Leo's aircraft was shot down, and he was taken captive by 
North Vietnamese soldiers. Leo would spend the next 6 years imprisoned, 
including a full year in solitary confinement, and endure unspeakable 
pain and suffering because of his steadfast adherence to our code of 
conduct. However, Leo never let this experience break his spirit and 
inspired the rest of us with his patriotism, perseverance, and hope 
that we would someday be free.
  After returning home, Leo continued to live a selfless life of 
service, as a volunteer, State senator, and public speaker, with a 
simple message: ``Do what's right--help others.'' I am forever grateful 
for Leo's generosity, friendship, and example and, along with Cindy, 
send my heartfelt condolences to Leo's wife, Gaylee, and their entire 
family as we bid farewell to a genuine American hero.

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