[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 6]
[House]
[Pages 8702-8703]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                             D-DAY TRIBUTE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Arkansas (Mr. Hill) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the bravery and 
courage of so many men who sacrificed everything on D-day. At 5:52 in 
the morning on June 6, 1944, in a position about 4,000 yards from Omaha 
Beach, one of the oldest ships in the U.S. Navy, a World War I 
battleship, the USS Arkansas, opened fire on German positions at Omaha 
Beach in support of more than 30,000 American soldiers tasked with 
securing the beachhead. The countless heroes who stormed the beaches of 
Normandy on that fateful day 73 years ago will never be forgotten.
  I had the honor of visiting this hallowed ground over Memorial Day, 
and while I was paying tribute to the brave soldiers who made the 
ultimate sacrifice at the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, an 
older Frenchman by the name of Mr. Vauclair approached me simply 
wanting to honor his liberators. He said that he just wanted to thank 
an American. He was 10 years old when D-day occurred, and he will never 
forget how the United States of America came to his and so many others' 
aid in the liberation of Europe from the Nazi menace.
  Mr. Vauclair's love for America and our GIs speaks volumes about the 
goodwill and exceptional character of our great Nation. It is a 
privilege to offer my sincere tribute to the brave men who laid down 
their lives in the defense of those French and American shared 
convictions of liberty, equality, and fraternity.


           Recognizing Staff Sergeant Robert Dale Van Fossen

  Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in recognition of one of 
Arkansas' finest, Staff Sergeant Robert Dale Van Fossen of Greenbrier, 
Arkansas. On November 22, 1952, a Douglas C-124A Globemaster II took 
off from McChord Air Base in Tacoma, Washington, headed for Elmendorf 
Air Force Base near Anchorage. Staff Sergeant Robert Dale Van Fossen, 
along with 51 others, was onboard. And near Middleton Island, in the 
Gulf of Alaska, the plane disappeared.
  Eight days after the plane's disappearance, part of the wreckage was 
located some 50 miles east of Anchorage. Unfortunately, a week into the 
search, the recovery team had to call off the effort due to weather 
conditions. The families of the victims were notified they would not 
have any remains to bury.
  Finally, in March 2016, after 64 years and extensive recovery 
efforts, Staff Sergeant Van Fossen's remains were confirmed found and 
returned to his home in Heber Springs, Arkansas.
  I would like to extend my deepest condolences to the family of Staff 
Sergeant Van Fossen and hope that they are now able to find peace that 
he is finally home and in his final resting place.


                        Conway Bikeshare Program

  Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, last month we recognized National Bike Month 
and the many bicycling benefits that we have as citizens. I rise today 
to recognize the city of Conway, Arkansas, for its installation of 
their successful public bikesharing program and to emphasize its 
leading example of advocacy for an active lifestyle.
  As a long-time biker, I am pleased to see the city work to provide an 
alternative and convenient source of transportation for residents of 
Conway to help relieve congestion and promote a healthier city.
  As a former board member of the Bicycle Advocacy of Central Arkansas, 
I am glad to see Conway's bikesharing program as one more step on the 
path towards fulfilling the mayor's vision of a vibrant, healthy, and 
bike friendly city.


              Recognizing Richie Arnold on His Retirement

  Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in recognition of a great 
Arkansan, a long-time Conway resident, and one of the pillars of the 
Conway Corporation, Mr. Richie Arnold. Mr. Arnold is retiring from his 
post as CEO after 39 years with the company. He hails from Harrison and 
is a University of Arkansas graduate with a degree in accounting. He 
joined Conway Corporation as a manager of data processing before 
becoming manager of finance and accounting and then ultimately the 
chief executive officer in 1998.
  During his tenure at Conway Corporation, he always worked to keep the 
company ahead of the curve and was responsible for transitioning the 
utility to full computerization. Mr. Arnold was instrumental in 
assisting Conway Corporation in leading a path to diversifying services 
by adding new services for the citizens, such as digital cable, 
internet, telephone, security services, and water.
  Mr. Arnold recently earned a national recognition after being listed 
in the ``Regional 50'' in Cablefax magazine. My congratulations and 
best wishes for Mr. Arnold's future endeavors.


           In Honor of the 100th Birthday of Mr. Herman Higgs

  Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Mr. Herman Higgs, a 
World War II veteran who celebrated his 100th birthday last month. Born 
in Calhoun County, Arkansas, Herman was drafted into the Army and 
served the entire span of World War II, including as a POW in the last 
year. He was a platoon sergeant of a transportation convoy that was 
captured in December 1944 during the Battle of the Bulge.
  In the spring of 1945, Patton's army arrived, and Herman was freed, 
along with other American GIs and the Jewish prisoners who had survived 
the atrocities of the Third Reich. He was granted an honorable 
discharge a few months later and returned to Calhoun County, where he 
served 29 years as a police officer and 24 years as a U.S. marshal.
  The city of North Little Rock, Arkansas, dedicated May 13 as Herman 
Higgs Day. Herman's example is one that all Americans and Arkansans can 
admire, and I would like to extend my

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congratulations to Herman for his life of service and this remarkable 
milestone of a centennial birthday.

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