[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Pages 12564-12565]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 243--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE THAT JOSEPH 
 LEON GEORGE SHOULD BE HONORED FOR HEROISM AT PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII, ON 
                            DECEMBER 7, 1941

  Mr. FLAKE (for himself, Mr. Gardner, Mr. Lee, Mr. Cotton, Mrs. 
McCaskill, and Mr. Bennet) submitted the following resolution; which 
was referred to the Committee on Armed Services:

                              S. Res. 243

       Whereas, on December 7, 1941, Boatswain's Mate Second Class 
     Joseph Leon George was 26 years old;
       Whereas Boatswain's Mate Second Class George was a 
     crewmember aboard the U.S.S. Vestal (AR-4), a repair ship, on 
     that day;
       Whereas the U.S.S. Vestal was moored next to the U.S.S. 
     Arizona (BB-39);
       Whereas the Japanese began the attack on Pearl Harbor, 
     Hawaii, at 7:48 a.m.;
       Whereas 6 sailors on the U.S.S. Arizona, Seaman First Class 
     Harold Kuhn, Seaman First Class Russell Lott, Gunner's Mate 
     Third Class Earl Riner, Boatswain's Mate Second Class Alvin 
     Dvork, Seaman First Class Donald Stratton, and Fire 
     Controlman Third Class Lauren Bruner, were trapped in the 
     control tower main mast after a massive explosion on the 
     ship;
       Whereas those 6 sailors suffered severe burns;
       Whereas those wounded sailors searched for a way to escape 
     the ship;
       Whereas Boatswain's Mate Second Class George saw the 6 
     wounded sailors on the U.S.S. Arizona from the U.S.S. Vestal 
     and threw a heaving line and a heavy line;
       Whereas all 6 sailors climbed, nearly 40 feet in the air, 
     hand over hand across the heavy line 70 feet to safety 
     onboard the U.S.S. Vestal;
       Whereas 2 sailors died shortly after from their injuries, 
     but the remaining 4 survived;
       Whereas Boatswain's Mate Second Class George was commended 
     for his actions, but he was never given a medal for his role 
     in the rescue of the 6 sailors;
       Whereas the 2 surviving sailors rescued from the U.S.S. 
     Arizona, Donald Stratton and Lauren Bruner, seek to honor 
     Boatswain's Mate Second Class George;
       Whereas U.S.S. Arizona survivor Donald Stratton stated, 
     ``Joe George was never awarded anything for his bravery. He 
     is no longer with us, but I believe in his memory, should be 
     awarded the Navy Cross.''; and
       Whereas U.S.S. Arizona survivor Lauren Bruner stated, ``The 
     six of us would not have survived except for his courage, in 
     spite of being at high risk himself. He fully deserves high 
     commendations for his actions. I feel he should be recognized 
     for this courage and presented the Navy Cross.'': Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) honors the heroism of Boatswain's Mate Second Class 
     Joseph Leon George in saving the lives of 6 sailors on 
     December 7, 1941; and
       (2) believes the United States Navy, in light of new 
     information, should consider revisiting decorating and 
     honoring the heroism of Boatswain's Mate Second Class Joseph 
     Leon George in saving the lives of 6 sailors on December 7, 
     1941.

  Mr. FLAKE. Mr. President, recently, I was fortunate enough to have 
the opportunity to host several veterans who survived the sinking of 
the USS Arizona in the attack on Pearl Harbor.
  I would like to briefly share an incredible story they told me about 
a true American hero named Joe George.
  On December 7, 1941, Joe was a 26-year-old Boatswain's Mate Second 
Class aboard the repair ship USS Vestal in Pearl Harbor, HI, moored 
alongside the USS Arizona.
  At 7:48 a.m., many sailors, including Joe, had finished their 
breakfast when the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service attacked Pearl 
Harbor. As we know, the Arizona suffered a direct hit by a Japanese 
bomb that detonated in the ship's powder magazine. The resulting 
explosion sank the ship and claimed the lives of 1,177 servicemembers.
  During the unimaginable chaos and carnage, Joe George displayed 
stunning composure and courage. Joe spotted six sailors trapped in the 
control tower of the sinking Arizona. These men were severely burned, 
and they were searching for a way to safety. The six wounded sailors 
were Seaman First Class Harold Kuhn, Seaman First Class Russell Lott, 
Gunner's Mate Third Class Earl Riner, Boatswain's Mate Second Class 
Alvin Dvorak, Seaman First Class Donald Stratton, and Fire Controlman 
Third Class Lauren Bruner.
  Upon seeing the men, Joe threw a heaving line between the Vestal and 
the Arizona to rescue the wounded sailors from the sinking ship. 
Suspended 40 feet in the air, the six sailors climbed 70 feet hand over 
hand across the rope to safety onboard the Vestal. These sailors did 
all this while enduring injuries so severe that two would succumb to 
their wounds in the weeks following the attack.
  As they struggled across the heavy line, Joe George remained close 
by, all the while encouraging the men to push on.
  The four sailors who survived their injuries each returned to serve 
with honor during World War II and then went on to live long lives.
  I spoke with two of them, and hearing about the injuries they had and 
that they still were able to return to service in the Second World War 
was amazing.
  Joe George's legacy of heroism will remain alive forever in the 
children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren of the four sailors 
who survived the infamous day, thanks to Joe George.
  Joe George was never awarded a medal for his role in the rescue of 
the six sailors, although his commanding officer commended his 
courageous actions. When I met with one of the Arizona survivors who 
was rescued by Joe, he told me, ``Joe George was never awarded anything 
for his bravery. He is no longer with us, but I believe in his memory 
he should be awarded the Navy Cross.''
  Lauren Bruner was another survivor whom Joe saved. He said to me:


[[Page 12565]]

       The six of us would not have survived except for his 
     courage, in spite of being at high risk himself. He fully 
     deserves high commendations for his actions. I feel he should 
     be recognized for this courage and presented the Navy Cross.

  In his own words, during an interview in 1978, Joe said: ``I'll tell 
you, the only thing I could tell you about that day . . . my conscience 
was my guide.''
  Well, his conscience was that of a hero. We need more people like Joe 
George in this world. That is why I am committed to honoring Joe and 
why I rise today with the honor and privilege to submit a resolution 
honoring Joseph Leon George.
  Joe passed away in 1996, and it is long overdue that the Senate, the 
U.S. Navy, and a grateful nation honor the heroism of Boatswain's Mate 
Second Class Joseph Leon George.
  God bless Joe George, whose immense and astounding composure serves 
as an example of the men and women in uniform who follow in his wake. 
Let us never forget his heroism and sacrifice.
  I would like to also thank my colleagues Senators Gardner, Lee, 
Cotton, McCaskill, and Bennet for joining me on this resolution. I look 
forward to working with them on its swift adoption.

                          ____________________