HONORING REMARKABLE HEROISM OF 1ST MARINE DIVISION

On 2025-04-09, Representative Tim Burchett (R-TN-2) delivered a floor speech titled "HONORING REMARKABLE HEROISM OF 1ST MARINE DIVISION" in the House.

HONORING REMARKABLE HEROISM OF 1ST MARINE DIVISION

Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 64 (Wednesday, April 9, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 64 (Wednesday, April 9, 2025)] [House] [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. ____________________