S6238 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE May 8, 1995

or turned into fiery coffins. Those who

were taken POW had to endure their

own planes being shot down or otherwise damaged sufficiently to cause the

crews to bail out. Often crewmates—

close friends—did not make it out of

the burning aircraft. Those lucky

enough to see their parachutes open,

had to then go through a perilous descent amid flak and gunfire from the

ground.

Many crews were then captured by

incensed civilians who had seen their

property destroyed or had loved ones

killed or maimed by Allied bombs.

Those civilians at times would beat,

spit upon, or even try to lynch the captured crews. And in the case of Stalag

Luft IV, once the POW’s had arrived at

the railroad station near the camp,

though exhausted, unfed, and often

wounded, many were forced to run the

2 miles to the camp at the points of

bayonets. Those who dropped behind

were either bayonetted or bitten on the

legs by police dogs. And all that was

just the prelude to their incarceration

where they were underfed, overcrowded, and often maltreated.

In February 1945, the Soviet offensive

was rapidly pushing toward Stalag

Luft IV. The German High Command

determined that it was necessary that

the POW’s be evacuated and moved

into Germany. But by that stage of the

war, German materiel was at a premium, and neither sufficient railcars

nor trucks were available to move prisoners. Therefore the decision was made

to move the Allied prisoners by foot in

a forced road march.

The 86-day march was, by all accounts, savage. Men who for months,

and in some cases years, had been denied proper nutrition, personal hygiene, and medical care, were forced to

do something that would be difficult

for well-nourished, healthy, and appropriately trained infantry soldiers to accomplish. The late Doctor [Major] Leslie Caplan, an American flight surgeon

who was the chief medical officer for

the 2,500-man section C from Stalag

Luft IV, summed up the march up this

year:

It was a march of great hardship * * * (W)e

marched long distances in bitter weather and

on starvation rations. We lived in filth and

slept in open fields or barns. Cothing, medical facilities and sanitary facilities were utterly inadequate. Hundreds of men suffered

from malnutrition, exposure, trench foot, exhaustion, dysentery, tuberculosis, and other

diseases.

A number of American POW’s on the

march did not survive. Others suffered

amputations of limbs or appendages

while many more endured maladies

that remained or will remain with

them for the remainder of their lives.

For nearly 500 miles and over 86 days,

enduring unbelievably inhumane conditions, the men from Stalag Luft IV

walked, limped and, in some cases,

crawled onward until they reached the

end of their march, with their liberation by the American 104th Infantry

Division on April 26, 1945.

Unfortunately, the story of the men

of Stalag Luft IV, replete with tales of

the selfless and often heroic deeds of

prisoners looking after other prisoners

and helping each other to survive

under deplorable conditions, is not well

known. I therefore rise today to bring

their saga of victory over incredible

adversity to the attention of my colleagues. I trust that these comments

will serve as a springboard for a wider

awareness among the American people

of what the prisoners from Stalag Luft

IV—and all prisoner of war camps—endured in the pursuit of freedom.

I especially want to honor three Stalag Luft IV veterans who endured and

survived the march. Cpl. Bob

McVicker, a fellow Virginian from Alexandria, S. Sgt. Ralph Pippens of Alexandria, LA, and Sgt. Arthur

Duchesneau of Daytona Beach, FL,

brought this important piece of history

to my attention and provided me with

in-depth information, to include testimony by Dr. Caplan, articles, personal

diaries and photographs.

Mr. McVicker, Mr. Pippens, and Mr.

Duchesneau, at different points along

the march, were each too impaired to

walk under their own power. Mr.

McVicker suffered frostbite to the extent that Dr. Caplan told him, along

the way, that he would likely lose his

hands and feet—miraculously, he did

not; Mr. Pippens was too weak from

malnutrition to walk on his own during the initial stages of the march; and

Mr. Duchesneau almost became completely incapacitated from dysentery.

By the end of the march, all three men

had lost so much weight that their bodies were mere shells of what they had

been prior to their capture—Mr.

McVicker, for example, at 5 foot, 8

inches, weighed but 80 pounds. Yet they

each survived, mostly because of the

efforts of the other two—American

crewmates compassionately and selflessly helping buddies in need.

Mr. President, I am sure that my colleagues join me in saluting Mr.

McVicker, Mr. Pippens, Mr.

Duchesneau, the late Dr. Caplan, the

other survivors of the Stalag Luft IV

march, and all the brave Americans

who were prisoners of war in World

War II. Their service was twofold: first

as fighting men putting their lives on

the line, each day, in the cause of freedom and then as prisoners of war, stoically enduring incredible hardships

and showing their captors that the

American spirit cannot be broken, no

matter how terrible the conditions. We

owe them a great debt of gratitude and

the memory of their service our undying respect.

FRANKLIN, NH, MARKS ITS

CENTENNIAL

fMr. GREGG. Mr. President, I ask my

Senate colleagues to join me in recognizing the city of Franklin, NH, on

the occasion of its centennial and in

appreciation of the contributions its

citizens have made to our Nation.

Founded at a gathering spot of the

Penacook Tribe, where the

Pemigewasset and Winnipesaukee Rivers meet to form the Merrimack River,

Franklin proudly traces its roots deep

into the history of our State and our

Nation. It is here, at the original settlement of Lower Falls, where Franklin’s most famous native son, Daniel

Webster, would commence a career as

lawyer and statesman and, eventually,

go on to establish both an honored

place in this Senate and a prominent

role in the shaping of America.

From this settlement, Capt. Ebenezer

Webster, Daniel’s father, would lead a

company of local men to earn distinction in the Revolutionary War and help

win the independence of a new nation.

Their heroics during the campaign at

Saratoga begins an unbroken line of

Franklin’s sons and daughters serving

our Nation and the cause of liberty

with honor, loyalty, and valor.

Successful in commerce, Franklin

was incorporated as a town in 1828 and

as the city of Franklin in 1895. The historic mill town would give rise to the

engineering ingenuity of Boston John

Clark and the technological innovations of Walter Aiken and make significant economic contributions to our

society. Spurring inventions from the

deceptively simple hacksaw and the

latch needle to the complexity of the

circular knitting machine, Franklin

would again play a pivotal role in the

second industrial revolution, which

propelled us forward as a modern nation.

Today, the city of Franklin continues to exhibit the character and enterprise of its distinguished past. Hardworking, first in citizenship, and steadfast in its sense of community, Franklin continues to show the can-do spirit

that marked its beginnings and first

100 years as a city. Recently, named

one of the 100 best small communities

in America, a base for advanced industry, rich in heritage, and energetic in

shaping its future, Franklin is truly a

‘‘Small City on the Move.’’

Join me to proudly salute Franklin,

NH, the birthplace of Daniel Webster,

and the enterprising spirit that has enriched a community, the State of New

Hampshire, and our Nation.

Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, 50 years

V–E DAY 1995

fago, U.S. forces, along with those of

our valiant and embattled allies, formally ended the victorious struggle to

contain a horrific evil that had spread

across the European continent. For

those Americans who attended the

ceremonies that marked the Nazi surrender, it was a solemn moment, for

the struggle had been long and bloody,

and the price to defend freedom had

come at a very high cost. For the world

there was joy, renewed hope of lasting

peace, and resolve to protect the freedom for which so many had offered up

their lives. Today many of those hopes

which are held deeply in the hearts of
May 8, 1995 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6239

the veterans who served, their families,

and a generation of Americans who

lived through the war, have become a

reality.

For Americans too young to remember the war and those born into this

world in its aftermath, we have a special obligation this day to our parents,

our grandparents, and to our children

and future generations of Americans;

50 years from today most of those who

remember the war will no longer be

with us. It is, therefore, our responsibility to learn about what happened,

and why it happened. We must ask

those who fought in World War II what

it was all about. We must remember

the sufferings and the sacrifice, lest we

become complacent with our freedom

and suffer the consequences. We must

all, every one of us, learn from our own

history. Now, 50 years later, we must

redouble our efforts to understand by

talking to those who were there, those

who remember it.

Americans who lived through this

time and made the sacrifices, have one

last talk. It is now your duty to pass

on to those of us who weren’t on the

battlefields of Europe, or fighting on

the ‘‘homefront’’ what happened during

the war, so that we can learn from your

experiences and pass along to future

generations from the lesson’s of the

power of hatred and the price of protecting freedom for all.

This day I encourage parents and

grandparents to take some time to talk

to your children and grandchildren

about World War II. You heroic veterans, tell them about the terrifying face

of battle. Do not try to protect them

from the brutal images that you have

carried with you for all these years.

Those of you who fought on the homefront, tell them about the hardships of

home, the fears, the rationing; the

friends, loved ones, and neighbors who

never came home. Tell them why it all

happened. Tell them about the price of

acquiescence, isolation, and complacency.

You children and grandchildren, the

future of the world, go to your grandparents and parents, call them on the

phone, and ask them what it was like.

And, take the time to read about it,

and understand that they bought you

the freedom that we now enjoy. Ask

them how they felt when its future was

uncertain. They remember, they will

be glad to tell you. Listen hard, as if

your life depends on it, because it does.

And thank them for what they have

done for you. Your job is never to forget the stories they have to tell you.

Your job is to learn those lessons now

so that your children will never again

be called upon to smite such evil from

the Earth.

This is also a day when all of us

should turn, particularly to those veterans who live among us, and offer to

them our humble and loving thanks.

The great State of Idaho sent thousands of men off to war in Europe.

Many, many of them never again laid

their eyes on the mountains, deserts,

the forest, of Idaho, and lay buried in

foreign graves. The veterans who still

walk among us, might have suffered

the same fate, if God had not chosen

for them a different path. They risked

their young lives for us, and suffered

unimaginable horrors, so that we

might not have to. The people of Idaho,

the Nation, and the world, owe them

everything.

Once in a while, as we live our busy

lives with all of the challenges and

trials that accompany them, we get the

chance to stop and think about why we

are able to live in this, the greatest Nation on Earth, in such freedom. Today

is such a day. When envisioning the

drama and pain of that conflict become

difficult to imagine, draw upon those

who lived through it, and learn from

them.

And as we pay solemn tribute to the

memories of the victims, and the survivors, the brave, and the victorious, let

us be mindful of what led to this terrible war and thankful to those who

fought it. Let us not forget the cost of

freedom. And let us pray that God give

us peace.

IN SUPPORT OF OUR NEIGHBORS,

FRIENDS, THE FEDERAL EMfPLOYEES

Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, for the

last two decades, our Federal employees seem to be handy scapegoats for

anything that goes wrong with Government. Whenever anyone on this floor

mentions ‘‘those Federal bureaucrats,’’

the syntax is generally pejorative and

the reference, unflattering. The collective term ‘‘bureaucracy’’ is uttered in

the same tone of revulsion reserved for

former leaders of the ‘‘evil empire.’’

So it was refreshing to read an editorial in last Saturday’s Times-Argus,

which serves our State capital of Montpelier, VT.

The editorial simply reminds us that

many victims of the Oklahoma City

bomb explosion were ‘‘our friends,

neighbors, brothers, and sisters who

work for the Federal Government.’’

It seems to needful reminder in these

times to be a little more respectful of

the effort we get every day from millions of these men and women who

work for us in every capacity, from

guarding our national security to protecting our rights as citizens, from

fighting crime to enforcing public

health and safety standards, from exploring space to cleaning up our air

and water here on Earth.

I ask that this editorial be reprinted

in the CONGRESSIONAL RECORD. I am

not suggesting that criticism of Government operations is off limits. I am

only asking that it be fair. The hundreds of Federal workers in my State

of Vermont, are among the most dedicated and hard working men and

women, in public or private life, in our

country. Let us stop careless impugning of their professional integrity.

There being no objection, the editorial was ordered to be printed in the

RECORD, as follows:

[From the Times Argus, May 6, 1995]

NEIGHBORS, FRIENDS

One of the results of the bombing attack

on the federal building in Oklahoma City has

been to put a human face on the entity

known as the ‘‘federal government.’’

The people whose job it was to hand out

Social Security checks, to enforce the laws

about drugs and firearms, or to recruit people for the military were the neighbors,

friends, brothers, sisters of the people of

Oklahoma City.

In Vermont the federal government consists of Forest Service rangers and office

workers, agriculture specialists, the Marine

recruiter, the Social Security workers, the

court personnel and others who live every

day among us. These are our neighbors,

friends, brothers, sisters.

And yet to hear the more virulent strains

of attack emanating from anti-government

extremists, these people are an exotic combination of Nazi, Communist and Genghis

Khan.

A Colorado talk show host, responding to a

caller who thought it was a good idea to

shoot members of Congress, advocated

‘‘armed revolution.’’

A talk show host in Arizona suggested that

Sarah Brady, the gun control advocate and

wife of President Reagan’s former press secretary, ought to be ‘‘put down’’ the way a

veterinarian puts down a lame horse.

And, of course, the advice of Watergate

burglar G. Gordon Liddy to shoot for the

head when confronted by federal agents has

become a famous example of the

antigovernment rhetoric that has become so

common.

Imagine for a moment that it was the Rev.

Jesse Jackson or Ralph Nader or Patricia

Ireland who was advising people to shoot

government workers. Would conservatives

hesitate for a moment in pointing out that

such violent language may be less than conducive to the good of the public weal? Yet

when President Clinton made the rather tentative suggestion that this language was

really not so helpful, media incidiarists

whined that they were being unfairly attacked.

Back in the 1960s anti-war dissenters,

black power advocates, and other dissatisfied

souls said a lot of stupid things that embarrassed even those who opposed the war or

supported the civil rights struggle. Talk

then of armed revolution was a naive delusion that was taken all too seriously by a

few people, who sometimes ended up getting

innocent people killed.

A lot of stupid things are being said again

about our friends, neighbors, brothers, sisters who work for the federal government. In

the West, there are soreheads with a grievance about the way the federal government

manages public lands who are preventing

federal workers from doing their jobs.

Everybody ought to remember that federal

lands in the West do not belong only to the

people who live there. They belong to all of

us. We have people working for us to manage

our lands. And people who don’t like the way

they are being managed have a democratic

process to avail themselves of to change

things.

It wasn’t true in the 1960s, and it isn’t true

now: Our government is not a dictatorship,

and armed revolution is not justifiable. The

government in Oklahoma, in Boise or in

Montpelier consists of our friends, neighbors,

brothers and sisters, who, like the rest of us,

are not always right about everything they

do. But that’s the great thing about democracy: We have peaceful methods for making