Floor SpeechCeremonial2026-04-21

CELEBRATING THE 100TH BIRTHDAY OF REAR ADMIRAL WAYNE E. MEYER

TaxesInfrastructure

Context

On 2026-04-21, Representative Sam Graves (R-MO-6) delivered a floor speech titled "CELEBRATING THE 100TH BIRTHDAY OF REAR ADMIRAL WAYNE E. MEYER" in the House. The speech addressed taxes and also covered infrastructure.

Full Text

CELEBRATING THE 100TH BIRTHDAY OF REAR ADMIRAL WAYNE E. MEYER

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 70 (Tuesday, April 21, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 70 (Tuesday, April 21, 2026)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E350] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] CELEBRATING THE 100TH BIRTHDAY OF REAR ADMIRAL WAYNE E. MEYER ______ HON. SAM GRAVES of california in the house of representatives Tuesday, April 21, 2026 Mr. GRAVES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 100th birthday of Rear Admiral Wayne E. Meyer, United States Navy Retired, who is considered the Father of AEGIS, the greatest maritime Integrated Air and Missile Defense System in the world today. With nearly a hundred ships, this fleet is the longest warship construction program in our Nation's history and is the direct result of Admiral Meyer's singular leadership and pursuit of excellence. Admiral Meyer's life began far from the sea, in Brunswick, Missouri, in 1926, the oldest child of Nettie and Eugene Meyer. During World War II, he enlisted in the Navy at the age of 17 and was immediately sent to the University of Kansas to earn a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering. He eventually earned a graduate degree in electrical engineering, a master's degree in aeronautics and astronautics, as well as numerous other diplomas and certifications. Upon receiving his Navy commission, he spent his early Navy years on extensive sea duty assignments. Over 20 years, he served on seven ships and on fleet staffs, gaining invaluable experience with guided missiles newly being installed in Navy ships. He served in the Special Navy Task Force for Surface Missile Systems, leading the effort to transition the Navy's Air Defense Fleet from analog to digital. He then served as the Chief Engineer at the Navy Surface Missile Systems Engineering Station in Port Hueneme, California. Ordered to Washington in 1970, he was the founding Project Manager for the AEGIS Weapon System Project, a major Research and Development program. In 1977, he became the first AEGIS Shipbuilding Project Manager, tasked to build the cruisers and destroyers that would take the AEGIS Weapon System to sea. All of this came at a time when Soviet cruise missiles and aircraft threatened to make our naval forces, especially aircraft carriers, irrelevant. AEGIS reversed that. His vision, initially designed for Fleet Air Defense in the open ocean, evolved to include operations in the littorals and ballistic missile defense, and was critical to our Navy's recent successes in defeating missile raids in the Red and Eastern Mediterranean Seas. Today, heavily armed, fast, multi-purpose AEGIS ships dominate the oceans as part of the United States' battle force. Rear Admiral Meyer was famous for his zeal, unyielding principles, and unparalleled communication skills. Mantras such as, ``build a little, test a little, learn a lot,'' ``act like you're in charge,'' and ``what's the price of failure?'' are part of the DNA that he instilled into his AEGIS engineering staffs and exist today in the current AEGIS program offices and industry partners. Retiring in 1985, Admiral Meyer stayed involved. He chaired numerous Navy advisory boards, the Ballistic Missile Defense Advisory Committee, and remained a valuable counselor as the ``Father of AEGIS.'' In 2006 the Navy named an AEGIS Destroyer, DDG 108, the USS Wayne E. Meyer in his honor. While Rear Admiral Meyer passed away in 2009, his legacy lives on through the most capable Air and Missile Defense warships that cruise the world's oceans, to include DDG 108, the USS Wayne E. Meyer, a ship named in his honor. I would like to recognize him on the centennial of his birth, for his service to our Nation, and the legacy he left to the United States Navy, the most powerful Navy in the world. Godspeed Rear Admiral Meyer. ____________________

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CELEBRATING THE 100TH BIRTHDAY OF REAR ADMIRAL WAYNE E. MEYER Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 70 (Tuesday, April 21, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 70 (Tuesday, April 21, 2026)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E350] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] CELEBRATING THE 100TH BIRTHDAY OF REAR ADMIRAL WAYNE E. MEYER ______ HON. SAM GRAVES of california in the house of representatives Tuesday, April 21, 2026 Mr. GRAVES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 100th birthday of Rear Admiral Wayne E. Meyer, United States Navy Retired, who is considered the Father of AEGIS, the greatest maritime Integrated Air and Missile Defense System in the world today. With nearly a hundred ships, this fleet is the longest warship construction program in our Nation's history and is the direct result of Admiral Meyer's singular leadership and pursuit of excellence. Admiral Meyer's life began far from the sea, in Brunswick, Missouri, in 1926, the oldest child of Nettie and Eugene Meyer. During World War II, he enlisted in the Navy at the age of 17 and was immediately sent to the University of Kansas to earn a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering. He eventually earned a graduate degree in electrical engineering, a master's degree in aeronautics and astronautics, as well as numerous other diplomas and certifications. Upon receiving his Navy commission, he spent his early Navy years on extensive sea duty assignments. Over 20 years, he served on seven ships and on fleet staffs, gaining invaluable experience with guided missiles newly being installed in Navy ships. He served in the Special Navy Task Force for Surface Missile Systems, leading the effort to transition the Navy's Air Defense Fleet from analog to digital. He then served as the Chief Engineer at the Navy Surface Missile Systems Engineering Station in Port Hueneme, California. Ordered to Washington in 1970, he was the founding Project Manager for the AEGIS Weapon System Project, a major Research and Development program. In 1977, he became the first AEGIS Shipbuilding Project Manager, tasked to build the cruisers and destroyers that would take the AEGIS Weapon System to sea. All of this came at a time when Soviet cruise missiles and aircraft threatened to make our naval forces, especially aircraft carriers, irrelevant. AEGIS reversed that. His vision, initially designed for Fleet Air Defense in the open ocean, evolved to include operations in the littorals and ballistic missile defense, and was critical to our Navy's recent successes in defeating missile raids in the Red and Eastern Mediterranean Seas. Today, heavily armed, fast, multi-purpose AEGIS ships dominate the oceans as part of the United States' battle force. Rear Admiral Meyer was famous for his zeal, unyielding principles, and unparalleled communication skills. Mantras such as, ``build a little, test a little, learn a lot,'' ``act like you're in charge,'' and ``what's the price of failure?'' are part of the DNA that he instilled into his AEGIS engineering staffs and exist today in the current AEGIS program offices and industry partners. Retiring in 1985, Admiral Meyer stayed involved. He chaired numerous Navy advisory boards, the Ballistic Missile Defense Advisory Committee, and remained a valuable counselor as the ``Father of AEGIS.'' In 2006 the Navy named an AEGIS Destroyer, DDG 108, the USS Wayne E. Meyer in his honor. While Rear Admiral Meyer passed away in 2009, his legacy lives on through the most capable Air and Missile Defense warships that cruise the world's oceans, to include DDG 108, the USS Wayne E. Meyer, a ship named in his honor. I would like to recognize him on the centennial of his birth, for his service to our Nation, and the legacy he left to the United States Navy, the most powerful Navy in the world. Godspeed Rear Admiral Meyer. ____________________