[Page H1554]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           HONORING REMARKABLE HEROISM OF 1ST MARINE DIVISION

  (Mr. BURCHETT asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BURCHETT. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the remarkable heroism of 
the 1st Marine Division of the United States Marine Corps and their 
actions during the Battle of Okinawa. One of those heroes was my 
father, who was a corporal, who is pictured here beside me.
  April 1st marks the 80th anniversary of the start of the brutal 
Battle of Okinawa which began on Easter Sunday in the Pacific. The 
battle was the final and critical push to free Asia from the grip of 
evil.
  The 1st Marine Division was tasked with clearing the northern half of 
Okinawa, accomplishing this mission swiftly. When reassigned to take 
the other half of the island, they faced fierce resistance from the 
Japanese, fighting in key locations like Sugarloaf Hill and Shuri 
Castle. At the base of Shuri Castle right there is where my dad is 
pictured.
  While my father was fortunate enough to survive and return home to a 
grateful nation, his division endured unimaginable losses with 1,655 
men killed in action. Their sacrifice is a solemn reminder of the 
bravery, sacrifice, and unbreakable spirit not only of the Marine Corps 
but of the Greatest Generation. We just don't know the sacrifices they 
made, Mr. Speaker.

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