[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 7]
[House]
[Pages 10035-10036]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




         TRIBUTE TO FIRE CONTROLMAN 1ST CLASS GARY L. REHM, JR.

  (Mr. JORDAN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. JORDAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of a 
courageous career Navy man, Fire Controlman 1st Class Gary L. Rehm, 
Jr., who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of his fellow 
Americans.
  Gary was born and raised in Elyria, in the Fourth District of Ohio. 
He followed in his grandfather's footsteps, joining the Navy straight 
out of high

[[Page 10036]]

school and serving nearly 20 years, including a deployment to the 
Persian Gulf in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
  Gary was on the USS Fitzgerald when it was struck by a container ship 
off the coast of Japan on June 17. Amid the chaos, Gary jumped into 
action, battling the raging water that flooded one of the ship's 
berthing compartments, risking his own life to bring his shipmates to 
safety.
  The sailors who admire him so much might use words like ``valiant,'' 
``heroic,'' and ``noble'' to describe Gary's actions that day, but the 
words he would probably use to describe himself are found in the Navy's 
motto: ``Not for Self but for Country.''
  Gary is survived by a loving family, including his wife, Erin; his 
sister, Jessica; his niece, Margaret Neal; and his parents, Gary and 
Anita.
  For his profound sacrifice, this Nation owes Gary L. Rehm, Jr., and 
his family a tremendous debt of gratitude. He will be greatly missed, 
but the strength of his character, his selflessness, and the courage he 
demonstrated through his service will live on forever.

                          ____________________