[Senate Document 107-12]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Tributes Delivered in Congress
to
Strom Thurmond
To Commemorate His Service in the
United States Senate
One Hundred Seventh Congress
Second Session
Compiled under the direction
of the
Joint Committee on Printing
CONTENTS
Biography.............................................
v
Proceedings in the Senate:
Tributes by Senators:
Akaka, Daniel K., of Hawaii....................
38
Allard, Wayne, of Colorado.....................
20
Allen, George, of Virginia.....................
25
Biden, Joseph R., Jr., of Delaware.............
73
Bingaman, Jeff, of New Mexico..................
25
Bond, Christopher S., of Missouri..............
16
Bunning, Jim, of Kentucky......................
36
Byrd, Robert C., of West Virginia..............
10
Clinton, Hillary Rodham, of New York...........
39
Cochran, Thad, of Mississippi..................
42
Conrad, Kent, of North Dakota..................
45
Craig, Larry E., of Idaho......................
55
Daschle, Tom, of South Dakota..................
3
Dodd, Christopher J., of Connecticut...........
30
Domenici, Pete V., of New Mexico...............
35
Frist, Bill, of Tennessee......................
42
Gramm, Phil, of Texas..........................
66, 70
Grassley, Charles E., of Iowa..................
33
Hagel, Chuck, of Nebraska......................
47
Hatch, Orrin G., of Utah.......................
33
Helms, Jesse, of North Carolina................
78, 80
Hollings, Ernest F., of South Carolina.........
8
Hutchison, Kay Bailey, of Texas................
17
Inouye, Daniel K., of Hawaii...................
65
Kennedy, Edward M., of Massachusetts...........
40
Kerry, John F., of Massachusetts...............
54
Kyl, Jon, of Arizona...........................
51
Leahy, Patrick J., of Vermont..................
70
Levin, Carl, of Michigan.......................
48
Lieberman, Joseph I., of Connecticut...........
44
Lott, Trent, of Mississippi....................
4
Lugar, Richard G., of Indiana..................
37
McConnell, Mitch, of Kentucky..................
28
Murkowski, Frank H., of Arkansas...............
67
Nickles, Don, of Oklahoma......................
32
Reid, Harry, of Nevada.........................
3, 56
Sarbanes, Paul S., of Maryland.................
50
Smith, Bob, of New Hampshire...................
68
Snowe, Olympia J., of Maine....................
52
Specter, Arlen, of Pennsylvania................
21
Stevens, Ted, of Alaska........................
14
Thompson, Fred, of Tennessee...................
36
Response by Mr. Thurmond...........................
57
BIOGRAPHY
James Strom Thurmond was born December 5, 1902, in
Edgefield, SC. After graduating from Clemson University in
1923, he became a high school teacher and athletic coach.
Soon thereafter he became the county superintendent of
education and then State senator. At night he studied law
under his father, and was admitted to the South Carolina
bar in 1930. He practiced law until 1938 when he became a
circuit judge.
At the age of 21 he joined the U.S. Army Reserve,
becoming a second lieutenant. When World War II was
declared, he was 40 years old. Even though he was beyond
draft age, and, as a judge, held a draft-exempted status,
he volunteered for active duty the day war was declared
against Germany. He served with the Headquarters First
Army in American, European, and Pacific theaters.
On June 6, 1944, Strom Thurmond took part in the D-day
invasion with the 82d Airborne Division by piloting a
glider onto the beaches at Normandy. He was awarded 5
battle stars and 18 decorations, medals, and awards,
including the Legion of Merit with oakleaf cluster, the
Bronze Star Medal for valor, the Purple Heart, the Belgian
Order of the Crown, and the French Croix de Guerre. After
the war he became a major general in the U.S. Army
Reserve.
In 1947 he became Governor of South Carolina. In 1948
Governor Strom Thurmond ran for President as a States
Rights Democrat, carrying 4 States and winning 39
electoral votes.
In 1954 Strom Thurmond was elected to the U.S. Senate as
a write-in candidate. This made him not only the first and
only person in U.S. history elected to the Senate in this
manner, but the only person ever elected to any major
office in the United States in this manner.
Senator Strom Thurmond set a record for the longest
individual speech ever delivered in the Senate--24 hours
and 18 minutes, from August 28 to August 29, 1957.
In 1964 Senator Thurmond switched from the Democratic
Party to the Republican Party, a move that marked the
beginning of the ``southern strategy'' that has reshaped
the Republican Party.
In 1981, when Ronald Reagan became President, Senator
Thurmond was chosen as Senate President pro tempore,
placing him third in the line of succession to the
Presidency.
On March 8, 1996, Senator Thurmond, at the age of 93,
became the oldest person ever to serve in the Senate.
On May 25, 1997, he became the longest-serving Senator
in the history of the Senate, surpassing the record of 41
years and 10 months held by Carl Hayden.
In 1998, Senator Thurmond became the second Senator ever
to cast 15,000 votes.
During his Senate career, he served as chairman and
ranking member of both the Armed Services Committee and
the Judiciary Committee. He was chairman emeritus of the
Veterans' Affairs Committee and a member of the Labor and
Human Resources Committee.
Senator Thurmond has worked tirelessly for the State of
South Carolina and for the Nation in general. South
Carolina has shown its gratitude by honoring the Senator
in many ways. The people of Edgefield County, SC, have
built and erected a life-sized statue of Strom Thurmond on
the Edgefield town square. Things that have been named in
his honor include the Strom Thurmond Lake, Dam and Highway
in Clarks Hill; the Strom Thurmond Mall in Columbia; and
the Strom Thurmond National Guard Armory.
There is a Strom Thurmond High School, Auditorium,
Student Center, and Biomedical Research Center. There are
numerous Strom Thurmond chairs and scholarships. There's
the Strom Thurmond Foundation, which assists in educating
80 to 100 needy, worthy students annually. And he has
endowed 52 scholarships at 45 colleges and universities.
Some of the numerous awards that Senator Thurmond has
received in his 100 years on Earth are the Disabled
American Veterans Outstanding and Unselfish Service Awards
(1964 and 1981); the Medal of the Knesset, Israel (1982);
the Audie Murphy Patriotism Award (1982); the NY Board of
Trade ``Textile Man of the Year'' (1984); and the
Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George Bush,
1992.
Tributes Delivered in Congress
to
Strom Thurmond
To Commemorate His Service in the
United States Senate
Proceedings in the Senate
Tuesday, September 24, 2002
ORDER FOR PRINTING STATEMENTS OF TRIBUTE
Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that
the Members have until Friday, October 4, at 12 noon to
submit statements of tribute to Senator Strom Thurmond and
that the tributes then be printed as a Senate document.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so
ordered.
TRIBUTE TO SENATOR STROM THURMOND
Mr. DASCHLE. Madam President, I join my colleagues today
in this special presentation to acknowledge the
distinguished Senator from South Carolina for his decades
of service in this Senate.
America has changed in many ways in the 48 years since
James Strom Thurmond was first elected to the Senate. But
some things have not changed. Among them are Senator
Thurmond's fierce determination to do what he regards as
the right thing for the people of his beloved South
Carolina.
While Senator Thurmond and I often reach different
conclusions and cast different votes, I admire his
devotion to his State, to our Nation, and to this Senate.
In recent years, fulfilling that obligation has seemed at
times to require an extraordinary exercise of will or love
or both.
Someday another Senator will sit in Senator Thurmond's
seat, but it is hard to imagine anyone ever filling his
shoes. He is, as I have said before, an institution within
an institution.
He has been alive for almost half the history of the
United States. Theodore Roosevelt was President when he
was born. He was 17 years old when American women secured
the right to vote. He is one of only a few Americans alive
who received votes from Civil War veterans. He has lived
through the term of 18 of America's 43 Presidents and
served as a Senator under 10 of them.
His long and distinguished career is remarkable for its
many successes, both in and out of the Senate.
In 1996 Senator Thurmond became the oldest person ever
to serve in the Senate.
In 1997 he became the longest-serving Senator.
In 1998 he became one of only three Senators, in
addition to our colleague, Senator Robert Byrd, ever to
cast 15,000 votes in this Senate.
In addition, Senator Thurmond has served as a senator in
the South Carolina State Legislature and as Governor of
that great State. He has been a senior member of both the
Democratic and Republican parties and a Presidential
candidate of a third party. There is not another American,
living or dead, who can make that claim.
He has also served our country in uniform. Senator
Thurmond entered the U.S. Army for the first time in 1924.
Twenty years later, he volunteered for service in World
War II, and on June 6, 1944, at the age of 43, he took
part in the first wave of the D-day invasion, the airdrop
of American troops on Normandy Beach.
I am told that Senator Thurmond wanted to parachute into
Normandy Beach, but another officer who clearly did not
know with whom he was dealing, decided Senator Thurmond
was too old to jump out of an airplane. So Senator
Thurmond piloted a glider instead, landing, with the rest
of his company, behind enemy lines.
Senator Thurmond is today a retired major general in the
Army Reserve, the President pro tempore emeritus of the
Senate, a member of the South Carolina Hall of Fame, and a
recipient of more honors and awards than any of us can
name, including the prestigious Presidential Medal of
Freedom.
Simply said, we will never see another like him.
I join my colleagues this morning in our heartfelt
expression of gratitude to Senator Thurmond for his
decades of service. We wish him, his family, and staff our
very best in his future, whatever life may hold beyond the
107th Congress.
I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Mississippi.
Mr. LOTT. Madam President, today the Senate takes time
to celebrate the life and career of one of its most
outstanding Members who, though always a loyal son of
South Carolina, has become, indeed, a Nation's treasure.
It is not enough to say Senator Strom Thurmond has lived
his life well. It has been an extraordinary life.
Again and again today, we will hear points made about
various accomplishments in his life. Senator Daschle has
already noted many of them, but there is so much that can
be said about this particular Senator that words are
almost inadequate.
As I was thinking about him over the weekend, I thought
about his life and what he has done and what he has seen
and the little acts he does on a human personal basis.
First, when one thinks about it, his is a life that has
included being an educator, a judge, a soldier, yes, a
general, Governor, a Presidential candidate. In fact, when
I was 7 years old, Senator Thurmond was already running
for President and carried my State as well as three
others, I believe. As a U.S. Senator, he has served
admirably as chairman of the Judiciary Committee, chairman
of the Armed Services Committee, and President pro
tempore.
I remember in my first couple of years in the Senate,
Senator Thurmond was managing a bill on the floor. I
believe it was a crime bill. I remember he got right out
in the center aisle and gave a fantastic speech, with
energy, all the enthusiasm one would expect from a much
younger man, but then he was young in spirit, and he made
us all feel good about what we could do as the years went
by.
He has been a philanthropist. He has practiced what he
has preached. The record is replete with scholarships and
examples of generosity from this Senator, what he has done
for others on a financial basis but, more important, at
times, on a very personal basis, and I will talk about
that in a moment.
Obviously, he has achieved the ultimate in life also as
a proud father. Watching him with his sons and daughters
is a marvelous experience for all of us.
He truly has achieved the rank of statesman. Some serve
their country as teachers, jurists, or as State or local
officials, but Senator Thurmond has been all of those and
so much more: A counselor to Presidents, a warrior in the
cause of freedom, not to mention a humanitarian, a staunch
patriot, and a faithful friend. I do not think we will
ever see a life in history such as that of Senator Strom
Thurmond; he has served his country in so many ways.
His public career spans the days of Franklin Roosevelt
and the present President, George W. Bush. Senator
Thurmond knew the veterans of the greatest war. He was
there. He saw it in real time. He knows the soldiers of
our current war on terrorism, and today, as a member of
the Armed Services Committee, he works to make sure they
have what they need to do the job because he understands
the importance of their job in the defense of freedom.
When I was born 60 years ago, Senator Thurmond was
already a judge and well on his way toward a governorship
and his candidacy for President. Yet here we are today as
colleagues in this great institution. I know I am not
alone in feeling humbled by his presence.
In the days to come, the newspapers will emphasize his
extraordinary political career, but the epic that is Strom
Thurmond is far too grand to be summed up as an enduring
politician and to leave it at that. No, we know better.
After all, it is not many of us who have a room in this
Capitol named for us while we are still here to use it.
Another Senator from South Carolina, John C. Calhoun, in
his time was described this way:
As a Senator, he was the model of courtesy. He listened
attentively to each one who spoke, neither reading nor
writing when in his seat.
At one time or another, I believe every Senator in this
Chamber has been touched by Senator Thurmond's courtesy,
and we will honor him if we continue to follow his example
in that regard. Hardly a day goes by when Senator Thurmond
is on the floor, that he does not call me over and offer
support and offer a piece of candy for my beautiful wife.
He reassures me what a beautiful lady she is and what a
credit she is to this Senator from Mississippi.
I wonder sometimes, too, if we all appreciate and even
our pages realize that a great man of history walks among
us every day, but he does it in such a humble way and such
a generous way. How many of us have taken the time to not
only acknowledge these pages who are seeing history in the
making and are working for us to make the institution look
better, but taken the time to bring them to the dining
room for a meal?
I always loved it when I was in the dining room and
Senator Thurmond came with a whole string of pages right
behind him treating them to lunch. It was like a hen with
her biddies behind her, a beautiful sight--a little thing,
but typical of Senator Thurmond.
There are the calls he has made when friends have had
trouble in their family or illnesses or deaths. There are
stories of Senator Thurmond calling people or even going
to the house of one of his former staff members after she
had a baby. Knocking on the door, he came to congratulate
her and to get a look at this newborn baby. Over and over,
that is the kind of man he has been.
So while he has had these great achievements, he has
kept that common touch. In fact, I think the greatest
story about Senator Thurmond is not his list of
achievements but the fact he has never wavered in
defending, protecting, and working for the principles he
believes in and the importance of keeping that human
touch, that personal touch.
Senator Thurmond is a different case in many ways. He
is, of course, of a different generation and he
exemplifies its strengths just as he has worked to leave
behind its shortcomings. During his last Congress with us,
it was sometimes difficult to remember that at the start
of World War II, a mere youngster of 39, he actually
resigned his office as a judge in order to enlist. He was
with the 82d Airborne Division and landed in the Normandy
invasion on D-day.
Half a century ago, Gen. Douglas MacArthur addressed the
Congress and delivered his famous line about old soldiers:
``They never die, they just fade away.''
Well, Senator Thurmond decided to do neither. He
resolved to keep working for his country, devoting all of
his experience, all of his wisdom, all of his energy to
that task. We have been blessed and enriched by his
determination. He has been here every day, and I have not
checked the Record, but I think he has been here for every
vote this year, which is typical of the sheer iron will
that has been the example of his great life.
He has seen the defeat of nazism, the collapse of
communism, and the bringing down of the Iron Curtain. He
has been an important part of making all of that possible.
He has worked with Presidents repeatedly to support their
efforts to do what needed to be done for our country.
It has been 213 years since George Washington was
inaugurated as President and the first Congress assembled
to write laws for the new Nation. Senator Thurmond has
seen more than 99 of those years. It re-emphasizes the
fact we are still a young country. This great Republic is
still very young in the annals of history, and this one
man has seen almost half of those years. He is an
institution, a senior statesman, but he is much more than
that. He is a patriot. He loves this country of ours in an
old-fashioned way, a simple and deep way that seemed to
have gone out of style a few decades ago but a way we have
re-learned during this past year.
Our centennial Senator's life is a part of the rich
rolling tapestry that is America's history. This soldier
who fought at Normandy, this cold war warrior who helped
Presidents overcome communism, has lived to witness a new
enemy of freedom strike at us and all that we hold dear.
He saw the tragedy last September that still tears at our
hearts, but he saw, too, the resurgence of what he
cherished most: pride in America, devotion, honor and
sacrifice for America. I do not know of any other Senator
who will earn this title, but it seems to be appropriate
to refer to Senator Thurmond as our centennial Senator. He
could have very easily been an inspiration perhaps for
that great quote that is attributed to Teddy Roosevelt
back in 1910 that sums up, I believe, the greatness of
this Senator.
It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points
out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds
could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who
is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and
sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes
up short again and again, who knows the great enthusiasms,
the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause;
who at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high
achievement and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least
fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never
be with those cold and timid souls who know neither
victory nor defeat.
Senator Thurmond has been in the arena. He has been
dusty and sweaty and, yes, probably even bloody, but he
still stands, the rock from South Carolina, a great
Senator, a great man, a great friend. The Senate will not
quite be the same when we convene next year, but we will
all be better because of the Senator from South Carolina.
Senator Thurmond, you are the best. You are an
institution, but more than that you are a great friend. We
love you and we wish you many more happy days in your next
career.
Mr. THURMOND. Thank you very much.
Mr. LOTT. Madam President, I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from South Carolina.
Mr. HOLLINGS. Madam President, the distinguished
minority leader has noted Strom's comment about the beauty
of his wife Patricia. Strom has also done that to my wife
Peatsy. I think the record ought to be made here that for
Strom Thurmond, all women are beautiful.
Madam President, as the longest-serving junior Senator
in the history of the Senate, it is my distinct honor and
privilege to pay tribute to the longest-serving senior
Senator and the longest-serving Senator in the history of
the Senate. The story is told about a Washington matron at
one of these evening receptions, how she rushed up to a
Spanish Ambassador and allowed: ``Mr. Ambassador, this
bull fighting, the No. 1 sport in your country, I think it
is revolting.''
After a pause, the Ambassador turned to the matron and
said: ``Madam, you are mistaken. Bull fighting is our No.
2 sport; revolting is our No. 1.''
That has been the record of J. Strom Thurmond in the
field of public service. He has definitely been a
revolutionary with respect to public service. At age 29,
he served as the youngest county superintendent of
education in the history of our State; thereupon, being
elected as the youngest State senator from his home
county; thereafter, as the youngest circuit judge
presiding, being elevated there in the year 1938.
Just a few days after December 7, when Germany declared
war first on us before we declared war on Germany, Strom
Thurmond, as a presiding circuit judge, took off those
robes and volunteered for service in World War II. He was
exempt from service under our judiciary rules in the State
of South Carolina, but he didn't hesitate. And as has been
noted here, made the invasion on D-day, June 6, 1944, in
Europe and served in five campaigns with valor and
courage, coming back to retire as a major general in the
U.S. Army.
In 1948 he organized the only really successful third
party movement in this country as a States Rights Party,
and as a candidate for President he carried South
Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana--he carried
four States.
Thereafter, in 1954 he was the first--and I take it the
only--Senator ever elected to the Senate as a write-in
candidate. Then, in 1964, having been a Democrat, he
changed parties. He saw the future of the State of South
Carolina and the South in the Republican Party, and he has
led the move ever since.
There is no question in my mind that he has had the most
distinguished service up here, serving as the chairman of
the Judiciary Committee, chairman of the Armed Services
Committee, chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee,
and the President pro tempore of the Senate. But I think
people back home know Strom best of all for his
constituent service. Whether it is the job found for a
constituent, or helping a family get a relative admitted
to the hospital, or sending a letter to the deceased's
family, or helping when the soldier is brought back home,
or whatever it is, you can count on Strom. I can tell that
to you right now. He has made his fame looking out for the
people of his home State.
It has been noted that Strom was born when Teddy
Roosevelt was President. Elihu Root, who was the Secretary
of State for Teddy Roosevelt, once remarked that:
``Politics is the practical art of self government and
someone must attend to it if we are going to have self
government.'' And he made the cogent observation: ``The
principal ground for reproach against any American citizen
is that he is not a politician. In representative America,
every citizen counts.''
Heaven knows, Strom Thurmond of South Carolina has
counted at every particular turn, during illustrious
service of some 70 years. I think he is the living example
that the best politics is no politics. It is my privilege
to pay tribute to him now. I am sure I am going to have
the opportunity many times hereafter as we both move
along. But it has been a distinct pleasure to serve as his
junior Senator.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from West Virginia.
Mr. BYRD. Madam President, I have listened attentively
to every word that has been spoken today about this
colleague of ours. Those words have been true. I well
remember when I first came to the Senate, I remember Strom
Thurmond's late wife used to sit in the gallery up here
and listen to the debates. She was a beautiful woman. I
remember very well the day she passed away. I remember
coming to the Senate and seeking out Strom Thurmond, and
here he was, sitting in the back row. I walked up to his
desk, and he stood, and I said: ``Strom, I'm so sorry to
hear about your great misfortune.'' And he stood with that
stoic way of his and thanked me and sat down.
I also remember when Erma and I lost our grandson
Michael. It was 20 years ago. I remember the funeral
service, and I remember who was there. I recall who came
to share in the greatest sorrow of my life.
Some of my colleagues were there. Howard Baker was
there, the majority leader. The then-Governor of my State
of West Virginia, Jay Rockefeller, was there. Who else?
Who else? No other Senator with the exception of one--
Strom Thurmond. He came.
I have seen him at funeral homes of others who were the
relatives of Senators and some who were not relatives of
Senators. I have seen Strom Thurmond there.
I shall never forget when Strom met with tragedy in his
life not many years ago when he gave up the prized
possession, a daughter. I went to South Carolina to be
with Strom and to share his sorrow.
Then, just a few days ago, a message came into my
office. Strom had called my wife. She had an operation--an
appendectomy. Who called to express concern for her and to
wish her an early recovery? That man--Strom Thurmond.
'Tis the human touch in this world that counts,
The touch of your hand and mine.
Which means far more to the fainting heart
Than shelter and bread and wine.
For shelter is gone when the night is o'er
And bread lasts only a day,
But the touch of the hand and the sound of the voice
Sing on in the soul alway.
Strom Thurmond, in a few more weeks, will be the first
sitting U.S. Senator to become a centenarian.
What an amazing record. What an amazing man. In his 100
years on this Earth, he has been a teacher, a coach, an
attorney, a judge, a Governor, a soldier, a college
professor, an author, a lawmaker at both the State and
Federal levels, a delegate at six Democratic National
Conventions and six Republican National Conventions, and a
U.S. Senator who has served 47 years in this Chamber and
cast more than 15,000 votes.
That is more votes than soldiers that Flaminius lost at
the Battle of Lake Trasimeno in the year 217 B.C.
Senator Thurmond was born into the Old South. His
hometown of Edgefield was the home of the cane swinging
Representative Preston Brooks, who gained a place in
history for beating a northern Senator who had insulted
his family and his State. Senator Thurmond's grandfather,
George Washington Thurmond, was with General Lee at
Appomattox when Lee surrendered to Grant. His father,
Judge J. William Thurmond was a lieutenant of the
legendary South Carolina Senator ``Pitchfork'' Ben
Tillman, whom I used to read about before I came to the
arena of politics. A product of the Old South, Senator
Thurmond emerged to become an important leader in the New
South.
Senator Thurmond's amazing life has spanned 20th-century
America. When he was born, the Wright brothers had yet to
make their historic, heavier-than-air manned flight. He
has lived to see man-made vehicles reaching the outer
limits of our universe. What a change in a single
lifetime. Perhaps an even greater, more monumental change
took place right here in the U.S. Senate. When Strom
Thurmond was born, on December 5, 1902, U.S. Senators were
not elected by the people of their States, but selected by
their State legislatures. The Senate had no permanent
office buildings; Senators had no professional staffs.
Boy, what a change Strom Thurmond has lived to see here.
Even more amazing is how his life and career have
mirrored so much of the history of 20th-century America.
In 1928, Strom Thurmond, a Democrat at the time, was
elected to his first political office, superintendent of
schools, Edgefield County, South Carolina--when Calvin
Coolidge was President. Those were the days of
mechanically sliced bread.
In 1932, he was elected to the State senate of South
Carolina--that was the year Franklin Roosevelt was elected
President of the United States.
How well I remember the days when the coal miners of
West Virginia marched--over 100,000 strong. John L. Lewis,
the leader of that great United Mine Workers Organization,
had his picture in every miner's home. Strom Thurmond was
there.
It was Roosevelt's administration that marked the
emergence of the Democratic Party as the majority party. I
remind my colleagues that Senator Thurmond was a Democrat
in those days.
In 1942, Strom Thurmond volunteered for service in World
War II--the war that marked the emergence of the United
States as a superpower. I might point out that Senator
Thurmond could have stayed safely on the sidelines of that
conflict. He was beyond draft age and, as a judge, he held
a draft-exempted status. Yet he volunteered to put himself
in harm's way and heroically served his country.
On June 6, 1944, paratrooper Strom Thurmond took part in
the D-day invasion that began the Allied liberation of
Europe from Nazi tyranny and the defeat of worldwide
fascism.
In 1946, like so many other World War II veterans,
including Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy, Strom
Thurmond returned home to a career in public service.
While Mr. Kennedy and Mr. Nixon were elected to Congress
that year, Mr. Thurmond was elected Governor of his
beloved South Carolina.
In 1948, Governor Strom Thurmond ran for President as a
States Rights Democrat, carrying 4 States and winning 39
electoral votes. This means that President Harry Truman's
great upset victory over Thomas Dewey in the 1948
Presidential election included the defeat of Strom
Thurmond.
In 1954, Strom Thurmond was elected to the Senate as a
write-in candidate. Imagine that. No other Senator was
ever elected as a write-in candidate to this body. This
made him the first and only person in U.S. history elected
to the Senate in this manner. He is the only person ever
elected to any major office in the United States in this
manner.
In 1957, Senator Strom Thurmond set a record for the
longest individual speech ever delivered in the Senate--24
hours and 18 minutes, from August 28 to August 29, 1957.
In 1964, Senator Thurmond switched from the Democratic
Party to the Republican Party--our loss, your gain--a move
that marked the beginning of the ``southern strategy''
that has reshaped the Republican Party.
In 1981, when Ronald Reagan became President, Senator
Thurmond was chosen as Senate President pro tempore,
placing him third in the line of succession to the
Presidency. And in the early days in the history of this
country, it would have been the Vice President and then
Strom Thurmond, because he would then have been second in
line of succession to the Presidency.
On March 8, 1996, Senator Thurmond, at the age of 93, 93
years and 94 days--oh, to be 93 years again--became the
oldest person ever to serve in the Senate.
On May 25, 1997, he became the longest-serving Senator
in the history of the Senate, surpassing the record of 41
years and 10 months held by Carl Hayden.
He is a man with whom I have never had a cross word in
this Senate--never.
On December 31, 1997, Senator Thurmond's colleague,
Senator Ernest Hollings, became the longest-serving junior
Member of the Senate, 31 years and 53 days, surpassing the
``junior'' record of Senator John Stennis.
In 1998, Senator Thurmond became the second Senator ever
to cast 15,000 votes.
As I have said, what an amazing life. What an amazing
career. There is none other like it.
But I am pleased and I am proud to point out that
throughout it all, Senator Thurmond has always remained a
man of his word. He is a devoted father, and a Senator
ready to defend his State, his country, and his values, a
distinguished leader, who is revered in his home State of
South Carolina. The State has built statues in his honor,
named buildings in his honor, named roads and dams and
lakes in his honor.
Foremost, Senator Thurmond has remained a southern
gentleman of the first order: charming, polite,
optimistic, friendly, courteous, and enduring.
May God bless you, Senator Thurmond. May God bless you
always.
This is a man. Whence cometh another?
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Alaska.
Mr. STEVENS. Madam President, I am humbled to be
following my great friend from West Virginia and the
statement he has just made.
When I came to the Senate 34 years ago, this true
southern gentleman was among the first to make me welcome.
I came from a fairly new State. Senator Thurmond had
already served for 14 years as a Senator when I joined the
Senate. He was generous with his time, helping this young
Westerner to become familiar with the traditions of the
Senate, sharing his knowledge of procedures, and some of
the pitfalls, and emphasizing the importance of
maintaining a sense of dignity.
I soon learned that the gracious Strom Thurmond was
extending to me friendship, which is part and parcel of
this man. His courtly manners and his helpfulness were
legendary even then.
Today, all these years after he gave me that first
crushing handshake, he remains the dignified, gallant
gentleman of whom I became a friend in 1968. He continues
to demonstrate the spirit that has given him the courage
to beat the odds, overcome obstacles, and deal with some
of life's toughest challenges.
As he prepares to leave us, after almost a half century
of serving the people of South Carolina and our Nation, I
just want to take a few moments to look back on the
personal relationship I have had with Senator Thurmond.
While we share a bond of serving in the military during
World War II, Senator Thurmond far surpassed any of my
experiences. He landed, as people have already said, on D-
day in Normandy. He served in both the European and
Pacific theaters. And he earned an astounding 18
decorations, including the Legion of Merit and the Bronze
Star for valor.
When my first wife Ann died in a plane crash that I
survived, Strom's helping hand was there, ready to assist
always. The counsel and support he offered were born from
the experience of his own tragedy 8 years earlier, when he
lost his wife Jean. While he understood the importance of
dealing with my grief, he lobbied me to find a new partner
in life, as he had done.
When Catherine and I were married, Strom made sure she
had a great welcome as the Senate's newest spouse. And
when our Lily--now a senior at Stanford, who visited the
Senate from time to time when she was a toddler--returns
to these halls, she always makes sure to see Uncle Strom.
As a matter of fact, there is not a day goes by that Strom
does not ask me: How is Lily? And last night, Madam
President, Lily sent me an e-mail. I would like to read
from it. I quote:
When I think about some of my earliest memories, I
always come back to images in my head of entering the big
white Capitol to see you and your friends. Because, of
course, I didn't know anything about the important roles
of the people I knew or the grandness of the Capitol. What
I really remember is going to see friends like ``Uncle
Strom'' and running in circles around the patterns of the
tiles by the entrance to the floor. I can't think of how
many times I saw Strom's familiar face and ran to give him
a big hug, hearing his voice calling, ``Lily, look how big
you've grown,'' or, ``Miss Lily, you're such a pretty
girl!'' Seeing Uncle Strom was always a highlight of my
trips to the Capitol, and once I got to know Julie, being
with her also made some long nights of political
gatherings much more fun! Julie, like her father, is such
a generous, caring, and warm person, and I feel lucky to
have gotten to know her, Nancy, and Uncle Strom.
Madam President, Lily had a great many birthday parties
here in the Senate. At that time, I was the whip, the
assistant leader, and Uncle Strom was always at the top of
her guest list, which she prepared herself.
I think we can all testify to Strom's sweet tooth. He
never saw a birthday cake or a scoop of ice cream he
didn't like.
I will leave it to others, who will also pay tribute to
Strom today, to tell of his many accomplishments. They
will note he has many titles in his 100 years: From
teacher to coach to superintendent of education; from
second lieutenant to general; from attorney at law to
judge; and from Governor to Senator. Those titles were all
earned through dedication and hard work, and they are
hallmarks of his distinguished career. I respect those
titles. But there is one that is more important to me than
all the others, and that is the title I used first:
friend. We are all the richer for having Strom Thurmond in
our midst. To be able to count him as a friend is the
greatest privilege of all.
So I am here today, Senator Thurmond, to say thank you
for your dedication, your patriotism, your generosity of
spirit, but, most of all, on a very personal basis, for
your friendship.
Thank you, Strom.
Thank you, Madam President.
Mr. BOND. Madam President, there are some times even in
the Senate when enough words cannot be said. Senator
Thurmond has probably made more history than many of us
will ever see. He has experienced more history than most
of us will ever know. Every Member of the Senate would be
proud to tell our grandchildren that ``I served with Strom
Thurmond.'' Because the senior Senator from South Carolina
has been such a force in politics for over 50 years, I
would like to tell my grandchildren that I served with
Strom Thurmond.
He always did his duty and he spent the better part of a
century shaping the greatest Nation on Earth.
There isn't a history teacher alive who wouldn't like to
bring their class to Senator Thurmond's office to see a
portrait of history laid out on his walls. One would think
that to live and perform at the ripe young age of 99, one
would be wise to pace oneself. Instead, Senator Thurmond
has put in a professional marathon, but at the pace of a
100-yard dash. He is the Lance Armstrong and Cal Ripken of
public service with over 15,000 votes. Alternatively, I
would rather say that Cal Ripken is the iron man Strom
Thurmond of major league baseball.
In his book, ``Great Political Wit,'' our former
colleague Bob Dole described Senator Thurmond's 90th
birthday. At that festive event,
Senator Thurmond noted that, ``all evening, people had
been coming up to him to express the hope that they would
be present for his 100th birthday. To which Senator
Thurmond replied, ``if you eat right and exercise
regularly, I don't see any reason why you shouldn't be
around to see it.''
In terms of ethics and duty, he remains old fashioned.
He believes that the real ``woman's place'' is sitting
next to him testing his charm, and his grip.
If there is a more extraordinary resume in a Congress
full of honor and achievement, I cannot imagine. In his
career, he has responded to the titles of teacher, coach,
lieutenant, counselor, superintendent, judge, general,
Governor, Senator and President pro tempore.
When Ted Williams set down his bat to go defend his
country during World War II, Judge Thurmond set down his
gavel, at age 40, to join the 82d Airborne that landed on
Normandy Beach. Before he returned to the bench he had
battled his way across France, Belgium, Holland,
Luxembourg, Czechoslovakia, and Germany, and finished in
the Philippines.
Few in the history of this country have dedicated so
much energy on behalf of the country they loved. And
through it all, it seemed that the senior Senator had
energy in reserve.
I had my staff dig up the Senator's first floor
statement which occurred on January 28, 1955. He spoke
directly after Senators Long and Humphrey. He was speaking
eloquently but directly and succinctly on the need to meet
the threat of communism head on. This was in relation to
an authorization of force to protect Formosa, requested by
President Eisenhower. Let me read his final paragraph:
Our earnest prayer is for peace. If war should come, it
would not be the result of any aggressive act on the part
of the United States. But war might come as a result of
any display of weakness, of disunity, or of hesitation. I
shall cast my vote on the side of firmness, for unity and
for decision.
As near as I can tell, his approach to and commitment to
the security of free people has not deviated since that
first floor statement.
We are all grateful for the distinguished tenure of
Senator Thurmond; grateful to the people of his State for
sending him here, and grateful to his family for sharing
him. His retirement is well-deserved and I hope he now has
more surplus time to build up his pushups and pullups so
he can return to fighting shape again.
Additionally, after 36 years in the Senate, some of us
are getting tired of calling Chairman Hollings ``junior.''
It is my high honor and privilege to humbly thank our
still young-of-heart Strom and wish him a busy retirement.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Corzine). The Senator from
Texas.
Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, after hearing the remarks
of the Senator from Alaska, I have to say I am very sorry
that my children, Bailey and Houston, will not have the
chance to have birthday parties with Strom Thurmond since
he will be leaving this year. I know it was a rich part of
Lily Stevens' heritage and probably why she is a student
at Stanford today. She had such an upbringing and she
learned a lot throughout her early life.
It is a privilege to be able to add to the accolades to
Senator Strom Thurmond. So much has been said already
today, but it is fitting that the first retiring Senator
in this cycle who receives floor tributes is Senator Strom
Thurmond. There is no one like him. There never has been,
and there never will be.
On December 5, Strom Thurmond will celebrate his 100th
birthday. To give you some perspective, Strom Thurmond was
born the same year as Thomas Dewey, Charles Lindbergh, and
the Nation of Cuba, which gained its independence from
Spain. Strom was 14 when Lenin overthrew Czar Nicholas in
Russia. Strom was 15 when a young, left-handed pitcher
named Babe Ruth led the Red Sox to their last World Series
victory. Strom was 17 when women earned the right to vote,
and now he has served with 24 of the 31 women to ever hold
a seat in the Senate.
On November 3, 1954, Strom became the only Senator ever
to be elected as a write-in candidate. He is the oldest
sitting and the longest-serving Senator in U.S. history. I
doubt his record will be broken in the near future--maybe
never.
During my own tenure in the Senate, a mere 9 years by
comparison, I have been touched by Strom Thurmond's
presence. South Carolina and Texas hold a rich heritage
together. Strom often reminds me that William Barret
Travis, a Texas hero who commanded the forces at the
Alamo, hailed from Strom's home county in South Carolina.
Another South Carolinian who made his way to the wild
west of Texas was Thomas Jefferson Rusk. Thomas Rusk was
the first Senator from Texas to hold my seat. He was one
of the heroes of the Battle of San Jacinto which liberated
the Republic of Texas. Senator Rusk's family was living in
a rented home in South Carolina when he was born. The
home, which belonged to John C. Calhoun, would later
become the site of Strom's alma mater, Clemson University.
An even more important connection is our States'
contributions to the Nation's Armed Forces. I have been
proud to stand side by side with Strom in supporting our
men and women in uniform and ensuring that they have every
available resource to do the job we ask them to do.
In his almost 50 years in the Senate, Strom Thurmond has
accomplished a great deal. But his greatest legacy is his
enduring support for those who serve in uniform. I was
privileged to work with Strom when he was chairman of the
Armed Services Committee. He focused on a host of
important issues, such as military health care and quality
of life for service members and their families. In 1998,
we named the defense authorization bill the Strom Thurmond
Defense Authorization Bill in recognition of his lifelong
commitment to the defense of our Nation.
When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, Strom was a 40-
year-old circuit judge who would have been forgiven most
certainly if he had decided to spend the duration of the
war guarding the home front. Not Strom. Even though he was
exempt from the draft, he volunteered for combat and went
on to become a highly decorated officer.
At the age of 42, LTC Strom Thurmond became the oldest
man to help take the beach of Normandy on D-day. His
unpowered glider was shot down behind enemy lines, and he
survived by taking shelter in an apple orchard.
Given the casualties on that dreadful day on Normandy's
beach, Strom Thurmond probably considered a long and
fruitful life to be measured in days, not decades.
Soldiers who survived the horrific days at Normandy or
Guadalcanal or Iwo Jima often say that every day
thereafter is a free day.
Fifty years later, in defiance of every insurance
actuary who ever used a calculator, or more aptly a slide
rule, Strom Thurmond skipped the 50th anniversary
celebration of that brief but memorable flight. I remember
because I was here at the 50th anniversary of Normandy.
There was a huge celebration of the Members of Congress
who had participated in that particular part of our war
effort. But there was one Senator missing from that 50th
anniversary at Normandy. It was Strom Thurmond. Strom
Thurmond, who was 92 at the time, missed the 50th
anniversary because that was the weekend of his son's
graduation from high school. Think about it.
Strom has always known what matters. He has always
focused on what is important. He continues to do that
today.
He continued to serve after the war in the Reserves,
rising to the rank of major general. His whole life has
been a tradition of service. From World War II to the
Governor's mansion and ultimately to the halls of the
Senate, he has always made public service his top
priority.
In the final scene of the movie ``Saving Private Ryan,''
the movie's namesake returns 50 years after that battle to
the grave at Normandy of the captain who gave his life to
save Private Ryan. In one of the movie's most touching
scenes, Ryan tells the long-dead captain that he has tried
to honor his sacrifice by living a good life. That scene
captures the essence of what we as a Nation owe to those
who have fought for our country and our freedom: to honor
their sacrifice by trying to lead a good life and by doing
everything we can to keep our country free and at peace.
Strom has truly honored his comrades who fell that
dreadful day and all those who have worn the uniform
since. He has been good, as he has also been great. He has
led the Senate to keep our military strong through the
generations.
For those of us who have served with Strom in the
Senate, he has been the senior Senator from South Carolina
during our entire careers, including of course, Fritz
Hollings. Fritz must be the oldest, longest-serving junior
Senator in the history of the Senate. That will surely
change.
And that change is going to take some getting used to.
Having Strom Thurmond gone will make this a different
place for all of us, particularly the Senate pages. Strom
Thurmond has always been particularly attentive and sweet
to the Senate pages, probably throughout his career. I
have seen it time and time again where he has taken the
pages for lunch or for ice cream to talk to them so that
they can ask him questions. I truly believe if you ever
took a poll of the Senate pages, their favorite Senator
would always be Strom Thurmond.
He is a legend. He is an institution. More important,
Strom Thurmond is the heart and soul of the Senate. We
honor him today.
Mr. ALLARD. Mr. President, I rise today to honor my good
friend and colleague, Strom Thurmond. I am proud to be his
colleague and friend. What a great American. After my
election to the Senate, he was there to greet me.
When we think about institutions, we think about
established organizations that are dedicated to public
service and advancement of science or culture.
Institutions are created not by single people, but rather
by the collective group that shares ideals and values
which are inherent to their cause. But while institutions
are defined by the ideas that created them in the first
place, it is individuals that truly identify the
institution.
Just as John Glenn personifies the achievements of NASA,
just as Martin Luther King, Jr., embodies the civil rights
movement, just as Albert Einstein represents the science
of physics, the U.S. Senate is symbolized by Senator Strom
Thurmond. Today we honor the gentleman who has spent
nearly half his life in the Senate, a man who people
cannot help but mention whenever the Senate is brought up
in conversation.
While his accomplishments in this body merit enough
attention, what took place before his foray into national
politics is just as noteworthy. From graduation at Clemson
University, to becoming a State senator in South Carolina
followed by confirmation as circuit judge, Senator
Thurmond dedicated his life to public service. After
signing an age waiver so that he could parachute onto the
beaches of Normandy, Strom continued service in the U.S.
Army as a reservist to eventually gain the rank of major
general after 36 years in the military. Somehow he even
found time to run for Governor of South Carolina and serve
for 6 years.
We have ceremonies for men who were veterans in World
War II and were involved in the D-day invasion in France.
We have ceremonies for former Governors who are elected
and serve their States with distinction. We even hold
ceremonies for those fortunate enough to serve in the
armed services for 36 years. And today we hold a day of
celebration for a man who accomplished not one but all of
these feats, and then was elected as a write-in candidate
on his way to serving in the U.S. Congress longer than any
other human being. Yet many of his past accomplishments
are overlooked because of his remarkable service in his
nearly 50 years in the Senate. It is a testimony to his
nature and the impact he has had on American politics that
we sometimes fail to mention the first part of his life.
As we honor Strom Thurmond today, I would like to thank
him personally for not only his dedication to serving the
people of South Carolina, but also for his leadership in
the Senate and for being a friend. It has been a privilege
to serve on the Armed Services Committee with Mr.
Thurmond, and we all know about his hard work and
commitment to our military that he has displayed over the
years. Thank you also, Senator Thurmond, for your
dedication to this institution that we serve in today, an
institution that will bear your mark for years. But more
important, thank you for your service to the United
States; you certainly are a centenarian for the ages.
Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, I have sought recognition to
join in paying tribute to Senator Strom Thurmond. Senator
Thurmond will celebrate his 100th birthday on December 5
and has the most remarkable record of longevity in the
Senate of any Senator in history.
I was disappointed when Strom decided not to run for re-
election last year, but I can understand his views on the
subject. He really has been a paragon of agility and
sturdiness, taking steps two at a time coming up to the
Senate Chamber--until very recently. Strom continues to
have a very firm handshake and he continues to have an
agile mind and he continues to make all the votes. So that
is one of the reasons why I questioned his decision not to
run for re-election. I had watched Senator Thurmond over
the years, and when I was elected to the Senate in 1980, I
looked forward to meeting him. But I did not have to await
my arrival in the Senate to have my first contact with
Senator Thurmond because one day late in November, I was
sitting in my den and the phone rang. There was a deep
southern voice: ``I would like to speak to Senator
Specter.''
I said, ``This is he.''
He said, ``This is Senator Thurmond.''
I said, ``What a great pleasure to hear from you,
Senator Thurmond.''
He said, ``I called to ask if you would be willing to
support me for President pro tempore.''
I said, ``Senator, I thought the position of President
pro tempore was automatically the senior member of the
party in power, and I know that is you, sir.''
He said: ``That is true, but I do not like to take
anything for granted.''
I said, ``Senator Thurmond, you may be assured I will
support you for President pro tempore.'' And I did.
I would like another chance to do that. Maybe we will
have a chance to support him for President pro tempore
after the November elections.
When I joined the Senate, I selected the Judiciary
Committee, which is right in line with my own training and
interests. Senator Thurmond, of course, was the chairman
of the Judiciary Committee. Regrettably, when there were
efforts to form a quorum, members were usually very late.
I made it a point to arrive on time. When I did that the
third time in a row--the chairman has to arrive on time--
Senator Thurmond asked what I was doing there on time.
Then he thanked me, congratulated me, and said I might
even start a precedent.
In 1982 when there were two Pennsylvanians up for
confirmation, Judge Mansman and Judge Caldwell, I was
there to present them to the committee. Senator Thurmond
was presiding as chairman. He asked them a question. He
said to them, ``If confirmed, do you promise to be
courteous?'' I thought to myself: Why would he ask the
question, If you are confirmed, do you promise to be
courteous? Not surprisingly, both nominees said yes.
Then Senator Thurmond said, ``Because the more power a
person has, the more courteous a person should be.'' I
have not heard a more profound statement in my 22 years in
the Senate. Not that there is a whole lot of competition
for profound statements around here.
When Senator Thurmond does not appear at Judiciary
Committee hearings, I ask the question. I have had many
nominees comment to me after a number of years how they
thought that was a very significant question. If any judge
is listening now, that is the hallmark of a judge. Judges
have a lot of reasons to be out of sorts with lawyers who
are not prepared, or witnesses who are unresponsive, but
there is enormous power in that black robe with a lifetime
appointment, and Senator Thurmond had his finger right on
it.
There are a lot of vignettes I could tell, but Senator
Allen has come to the floor, so I will limit myself to a
couple more.
When Senator Howard Baker was the majority leader, we
used to have all-night sessions, a very stark contrast
from now when we hardly have day sessions. One evening we
had a finance bill before us. It was 1982. It was 11:45
p.m. The floor was crowded with Senators. Nobody had any
appointments left at 11:45 p.m. Senator Baker stood behind
that podium and said: Amendments, like mushrooms, grow
overnight, so we are going to stay and finish the bill. I
have consulted with the chairman--Senator Dole of the
Finance Committee--and we worked through the night. There
were maybe three, four roll call votes, a lot of
amendments taken, a lot of amendments dropped. We walked
out at 6:30 in the morning into the sunshine with a
complete complex finance bill.
If we did that tonight, we would finish homeland
security by morning. In any event, that is one of the
occasions I went down to the restaurant, which was kept
open. I made it a point to find Senator Thurmond's table
and have a bowl of soup and to hear great stories about
Senator Thurmond's career in Washington, DC. He talked
about Lyndon Johnson as a Senator, and that young fellow,
John Kennedy, who came to the Senate, about the heroes and
the legends of the Senate, because he has seen them all.
One story he told, which I thought was especially
interesting, was about the inaugural parade on January 20,
1949. Senator Thurmond had run for President and had
carried four States and almost threw the election into the
House of Representatives. In the parade, after President
Truman was elected and Vice President Alben Barkley was
elected, Strom came down with his wife riding in an open-
top car, probably dressed in a cutaway. I am not sure
about that. Maybe I will ask Strom to yield for a question
here. When he passed the reviewing stand, he stood up and
tipped his hat. Vice President Alben Barkley started to
raise his hand and, as Strom told the story, Truman
grabbed his hand and pulled it down and said, ``Don't you
wave to that S.O.B.'' I might be more explicit but
somebody might want to have it stricken from the Record as
being an inappropriate statement.
One more short story. In a Judiciary Committee hearing
on one occasion, Strom did not want to see a quorum
reached because he did not want legislation to be passed
out of the committee. So he stood right outside the
Judiciary Committee door over in 226. He wanted to be
right there poised to go into the room in the event there
was a quorum so he could obstruct whatever it was he did
not want to happen.
Ralph Yarborough, a Senator from Texas, came up and
grabbed hold of Strom and tried to pull him into the
hearing room. Strom--I do not know exactly what the
wrestling maneuver was, but Yarborough ended up on the
floor in a Strom Thurmond scissor. Strom did finally agree
to release Senator Yarborough with Yarborough's promise he
would not go into the hearing room.
As the story goes, Yarborough went into the hearing
room. Strom should never have released him. He probably
would still be there if Strom had not been so generous.
Senator Thurmond has been an example in many ways as his
political philosophy has advanced. He is a great advocate
for African-Americans, constituents--the wall of his
office ought to be memorialized and left intact. He has so
many plaques and commemorative memorabilia.
It has enabled me to tell a story on the stump which has
been somewhat useful both from a political and humorous
point of view, and that is, when running for re-election,
I say: If I am re-elected in 2004 when I am next up and
decide to run again 6 years later in 2010, and decide to
try again 6 years after that in 2016, and run again in
2022, and then run again in 2028, at that point, I will be
younger than Senator Strom Thurmond is today.
People are always amazed at the thought of running in
2028. So they think it is not too bad to run in the year
2004 for a fifth term. They are always very much impressed
by Senator Strom Thurmond.
So, Strom, I join my colleagues in saluting you for a
fabulous career and wish you 100 more years of continued
good health.
I yield the floor.
Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, 3 score and 10 years ago
our colleague, Strom Thurmond, first won elective office
when he was chosen to serve in the South Carolina House of
Representatives. He has been a figure of influence in--and
on behalf of--his home State ever since.
The longest-serving Senator in the history of this body,
he will be retiring at the end of this Congress, and today
we have the opportunity to recount our own experiences
with this American legend.
Senator Thurmond had been in the Senate 26 years when I
arrived in 1983, a brand-new member of the Armed Services
Committee. He never treated me as the neophyte, just-
learning-the-ropes newcomer that I was. From the start, I
was his colleague, and he was mine. His long history of
work on national defense is based on his love of this
country and his own experiences on the battlefield.
Somebody thought he was too old to be a paratrooper for
the Normandy landing. It is part of his extraordinary
resume that he got an age exemption, and took part in the
D-day invasion.
There is no one quite like him. I have appreciated his
friendship from my first day here, and, with my
colleagues, will feel a great pang of loss when the new
Congress opens in January and he will not take his seat as
a Senator from South Carolina.
I think all of us recall those lines from ``Hamlet''
when we think about our friend and his remarkable life.
``He was a man, take him for all in all/I ensure shall not
look upon his like again.''
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Virginia.
Mr. ALLEN. Mr. President, I join my colleagues in
saluting the senior Senator from South Carolina, Mr.
Thurmond, as he prepares to celebrate his 100th birthday.
James Strom Thurmond is not just a man who is loved by the
people of South Carolina, who elected him to a remarkable
eight terms to the Senate, but he is a man who is
respected and admired by this body and institution in
which he serves.
Others who have spoken, who are much more senior to me,
have recounted his distinguished careers, stories, the
elections, the changes in our country over the years, and
also the positive changes in Senator Thurmond as he has
moved forward with America and the times, in making sure
that all Americans have opportunities in education in
order to compete and succeed in life.
I find it interesting that he was the first person in
1954 to ever be elected to a national office by a write-in
vote. The people of South Carolina elected Strom Thurmond
to the Senate by a write-in vote. At that time, I was not
paying too much attention to politics since I was only 2
years old when he won that election.
There are a lot of stories to tell and a lot of
impressions have been made in the short time I have been
in the Senate. I knew I had come to a very special place
when the first meeting of the Republican Senate caucus was
singing ``Happy Birthday'' for Senator Thurmond's 98th
birthday, and I was thinking of all the stories of Strom
Thurmond, this living legend. That day we also had a very
rancorous debate on different positions, the policy
chairman, the Senate Republican chair. There were people
giving nominating speeches and seconding speeches, and it
was tough to choose among friends, but we finally decided
who the policy chair was and the Republican Senate chair.
There were all of these contests and seconding speeches.
At the end, Leader Lott said: We also have to elect the
Senate President pro tempore and, of course, that is going
to be Strom Thurmond. There were no nominating speeches
and no seconding speeches. Everyone rose and said ``aye.''
Strom then stood up, and this was the extent of Strom's
speech: Thank you all. You are darn smart people. And that
is how Strom was easily elected.
There are so many memories of Strom Thurmond in the
Allen family. I remember my mother always talking about
dancing with Strom Thurmond. Whenever we bring up the
Senate, she says, `I danced with Strom Thurmond.'' She
says it every time I bring up the Senate, and this was
back in the 1970s. I know there are a lot of ladies'
hearts that have fluttered over the years with the
wonderful privilege of dancing with Strom Thurmond.
My wife's family, the Brown family, is from South
Carolina. Of course, he is revered as a hero in South
Carolina, as he is all across the country but especially
in South Carolina. Any time any of that family in South
Carolina had a wedding, a birthday or a birth, Strom
Thurmond was there congratulating them on that wonderful
event.
I also have the privilege of being assigned to an office
in the Russell building that is in the same hallway as
Strom Thurmond. I see Strom as he makes it to every vote.
I see him on the elevator as we go to the trolley to get
to the Chamber. He is always smiling. He is always
cheerful. He is always in a good mood.
This year we all were blessed with those good South
Carolina peaches to make sure we are all getting a good
healthy diet. I was commenting about the great peaches and
I said, ``Most of my staff took those peaches,'' and Strom
said, ``Well, get that boy another bag of those South
Carolina peaches.'' So our family was able to enjoy those
wonderful peaches.
Last year, we had the national D-day memorial in Bedford
County, VA, which had the highest per capita loss of life
in the D-day invasion. It was a wonderful event. The
President was there. The Ambassador from France was there.
It was a wonderful ceremony. Strom Thurmond was there.
Strom Thurmond was one of those brave soldiers who
obviously stormed those beaches and fortunately survived
the Normandy invasion on D-day. I will say the President
received a slightly bigger cheer, but every single person
who was there, those thousands and thousands of people
loved seeing Strom Thurmond, a true American hero, in
Bedford for that celebration and dedication of the
national D-day memorial.
The point is, Strom Thurmond is an inspiration to many
of us for many different reasons. While we all aspire to
achieve such longevity, we admire Strom Thurmond for a
life lived fully and in the advancement of public service.
As Senator Thurmond reaches his centenarian status later
this year, on behalf of all the good people of Virginia, I
offer my best wishes to him, his family, and his
constituents.
There will never be another Strom Thurmond.
Nevertheless, I hope and pray God will continue to bless
America with people who have Strom Thurmond's cheerfulness
and devotion, and I surely hope we are blessed with people
of his character.
It is great to be a Senator from Virginia, but it is
truly an honor to serve with Senator Thurmond. I shall
always and forever cherish the memories of your smiling,
twinkling eyes which reveal your happy heart. You have
been a great soldier, a great Senator, and a great leader.
I thank God for blessing us with people of your character.
I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Kentucky.
Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, what is perhaps more
amazing than Strom Thurmond's record length of service in
the Senate is how he made it here in the first place.
Strom Thurmond was the first and only American ever
elected to the Senate as a write-in candidate. The
dizzying prospect of waging a write-in campaign strikes
fear into any aspiring or incumbent politician. After all,
getting voters to the polls is one thing. Getting voters
to go the extra mile and write in a name not listed on the
ballot is a wholly different beast.
So once one knows that in 1954 Strom was able to inspire
a majority of South Carolina voters to write him into the
Senate, and into the history books, it makes perfect sense
why he also ended up as our Nation's longest-serving
Senator.
Today, of course, it is Strom's record-setting tenure
that has captivated American political and popular
culture. Turn the page of any magazine or the dial of any
radio and, eventually, you will find Americans holding up
Strom as the benchmark to near immortality.
For years, Senator Thurmond has attributed his age-
defying achievements to ``diet, exercise, and an
optimistic attitude.'' Well, I dug a little deeper reading
old clips on the advice he has given to friends and
colleagues so I could try and piece together a more
specific and exhaustive answer.
After sleuthing around a bit, here is the ``simple''
formula I can pass along: Begin your mornings with 20
minutes of calisthenics, 50 pushups, 10 minutes of
weightlifting, and 20 minutes on an exercise bike. Oh, and
swim a half mile twice a week; eat half of a banana, four
prunes, a handful of grapes, blueberries, peaches, egg
whites, a glass of orange juice, and a glass of prune
juice. Inherit good genes. Abstain from fried or fatty
foods. But eat lots of chicken, fish, and all kinds of
seafood. Abstain from caffeine; abstain from sugars;
abstain from smoking.
But beneath all the rubble surrounding ``Strom's
secrets,'' one ingredient stands out above all others. In
an editorial celebrating the Senator's 99th birthday, the
Rock Hill Herald revealed Strom's secret to longevity as
``his determination to serve South Carolina as long as
he's able.''
I believe that this sentiment more than the prune juice
or the pushups best explains Strom's record-setting
service to South Carolina, from a small-town school
superintendent among the peach groves of tiny Edgefield,
SC, to almost a half a century in the Senate.
Mr. President, as I said, the year Senator Thurmond came
to this body on a write-in--a most astonishing thing
because no other Senator in American history has ever been
elected to the Senate by a write-in--I was playing little
league baseball in Augusta, GA, across the Savannah River
from Senator Thurmond's hometown of Aiken. I confess I was
not following politics all that carefully at age 12, but I
do remember my parents talking about Senator Thurmond's
astonishing accomplishment right across the river in South
Carolina, having been elected to the Senate on a write-in
ballot.
As I grew older and began to pay attention to government
and politics in America, I began to realize Strom Thurmond
was something quite special. When I came to the Senate in
1984, 40 years after my parents told me about Senator
Thurmond winning on a write-in, I knew instantly I was in
the presence of a legend, as we all have been who have had
the privilege of being a Member of this body at the same
time as the senior Senator from South Carolina.
There will literally never be another American like
Senator Thurmond. We all know he was too old for World War
II, he did not have to go, but at age 42, as Senator Allen
just made reference to, Senator Thurmond was there on D-
day. In fact, he was in one of those gliders the night of
D-day. Last year, we had an opportunity to see ``Band of
Brothers'' on HBO about the 101st and its experience from
D-day through the end of war. I watched every segment of
that. In addition to what I was viewing on the television
screen, I thought mostly about our colleague and his
harrowing experience of going in the night of D-day on a
glider. He did crack up, and as we all know, he was able
to walk away and survive the crackup and survive the war
and become an American hero.
Not many of us are ever going to be legends, and almost
none of us are going to be legends in our own time. The
Senator from South Carolina has lived long enough to
observe his own legendary status, which is a truly
remarkable thing. We will never, ever, see another Strom
Thurmond. He is unique in the annals of American history.
I want to say to you, Senator Thurmond, as a son of the
South myself, somebody who was born in Alabama and then
migrated north to Kentucky--most people think of Kentucky
as south, but for us it was north--and having lived in
Georgia when you were first elected on a write-in, I want
to say to you that you have been an inspiration to me and
an inspiration to many of us in the deep South who have
been so proud of you and your enormous accomplishments
over the years.
I extend my congratulations to Senator Thurmond on his
pending birthday, reaching 100 years of age. In fact, I
had the ``Today'' show on this morning and Willard
mentioned you, Senator Thurmond. He is working up to
celebrating your 100th birthday in December and, of
course, finishing up your term. You have had a truly
remarkable career that will never be equaled in this body.
My congratulations to you and our best wishes for the
future.
So, Senator, today I raise my voice--joining the chorus
of so many other voices--to pay my fondest farewell to
your tireless and timeless dedication to serving the
families of the great Palmetto State.
TRIBUTE TO SENATOR STROM THURMOND
Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I apologize. I was not able to
be here this morning when the Senators expressed their
words and thoughts about our wonderful colleague, Strom
Thurmond, who is retiring from the Senate this year. I
wanted to join in the particular tribute in saying to him
and the people of South Carolina and the rest of our
colleagues something we all feel. Regardless of the
disagreements we may have had on substantive policy
matters, Strom Thurmond is truly an American institution
in many ways.
I cannot even begin to imagine the U.S. Senate without
this remarkable individual in our presence. For nearly 50
years--almost a quarter of the life of this country--
through 10 Presidential administrations, Strom Thurmond
has been an institution in the Chamber of the Senate.
Eight Senators serving today were not yet born when Strom
Thurmond was first elected to the Senate in 1954.
It is not the fact that Senator Thurmond has served in
the Senate longer than any other Senator in our Nation's
history that makes him unique. It has been, in my view,
Strom Thurmond's fascinating journey through life that
makes him unique. His story is truly a unique American
story.
In the course of his nearly 100 years, Strom Thurmond
has been a teacher, judge, combat hero, Governor, winner
of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and, of course, a
Senator. In more than 20 years of our serving together, I
have not always agreed with Senator Thurmond, as I know
many of my colleagues have not over the years, but he has
always been a true embodiment of the ``way of the
Senate,''--always thoughtful, always respectful, and
always deliberative. In short, he has been a great Senate
colleague.
My father, Senator Thomas Dodd, served with Senator
Thurmond for 12 years. I have served with him for 20. That
is 32 of his almost 50 years. They, too, had their
differences, but they had tremendous respect for one
another and were very good friends. My family will always
think of Strom Thurmond not simply as a friend but as a
loyal friend to the Dodd family.
I believe that no matter what your ideology or political
persuasion, one cannot look upon the life of Strom
Thurmond without concluding that it is in so many ways so
remarkable.
What else can you say about a man who, at the age of 42,
took a leave of absence as a circuit judge in South
Carolina to volunteer to parachute behind enemy lines with
the 82d Airborne Division during the Normandy D-day
invasion, for which he was awarded 5 battle stars for
bravery in combat?
What else can you say about a man who has dedicated his
entire life to public service, to the service of his
country?
While never neglecting to be a stalwart in support of
the State and people of his beloved South Carolina, there
are literally dozens upon dozens of schools, buildings,
parks, and streets in South Carolina named after their
senior Senator. Senator Strom Thurmond has never failed to
put America first.
He has always treated public service to America as a
sacred responsibility. In this respect, Strom Thurmond is
a very rare breed.
Senator Thurmond was born at the dawn of the 20th
century; born to a very different time; to a very
different America.
Over the past century, America has grown as a Nation.
Over the past century, America has become a more free, a
more fair, and a more compassionate Nation.
And, over the past century, Senator Thurmond has also
grown.
Senator Thurmond once said, ``People evolve. They reach
a higher truth in life.''
Strom Thurmond lived through the entire 20th century, a
century which began with two world wars and ended with a
triumph of democracy.
It was a century of enormous political and social
upheaval, but it was also a century of enormous progress
and enlightenment.
Strom Thurmond was not just witness to the entire 20th
century, he was a full participant.
His journey mirrored America's journey.
And now, at the dawn of a new century, Strom Thurmond is
still a participant in America's journey.
In closing I would just like to tell Strom Thurmond that
his lifetime of service to his country and his nearly 50
years in the U.S. Senate is greatly appreciated and will
be sorely missed.
Strom, it is an honor and a privilege working with you,
and I will miss you very, very much.
Mr. NICKLES. Madam President, several of our colleagues
made some remarks concerning our esteemed friend and
colleague, Senator Strom Thurmond. I wish to join them in
that effort.
Strom Thurmond, by the end of this year, will complete
48 years in the Senate--eight terms in the Senate. I will
be completing four terms, and it is mind-boggling to think
someone would complete eight, 48 years in the Senate. He
was elected to the Senate in 1954 and has served this body
with great distinction and honor during that time.
Prior to that time, he was also Governor of South
Carolina. Even before that, he was one of the heroes, in
my opinion, who actually helped liberate Europe going into
Normandy. He actually parachuted into Normandy behind
enemy lines. He earned 18 decorations for his service,
including the Purple Heart.
He is an outstanding hero, American, Governor, Senator,
serving 48 years in the Senate. He has had a wealth of
experience.
I remember my first contact with Senator Thurmond was
when he called to congratulate me upon my election in 1980
and urged me to serve on the Judiciary Committee, which I
respectfully declined, but I found it was hard to turn
down Strom Thurmond. He has been a very close confidant
and friend.
My daughter had the privilege of working for him for a
short period, and she considers that a highlight in her
career.
He served both as chairman of the Armed Services
Committee and also the Judiciary Committee. He served with
distinction and honor. He has brought great pride to the
Senate. He is the Senator's Senator, and I join my
colleagues in saying that we have the greatest esteem and
respect for Senator Strom Thurmond.
Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, Senator Strom Thurmond
achieved more before middle age than many of us achieve in
a lifetime. Born in 1902, Senator Thurmond in 1933 was
already a State senator in South Carolina. In 1938, he was
a State court judge. From 1942 to 1946, he served in World
War II, landing on the beach in Normandy on D-day with the
82d Airborne Division and earning numerous decorations,
medals and awards. In 1947, the year he turned 45, he was
the Governor of South Carolina. In 1954, when he was
elected to the Senate, he already had a full history of
serving the public, especially the people of his beloved
home State of South Carolina. In the Senate, Senator
Thurmond has demonstrated a keen political instinct and
achieved a legendary reputation for constituent service.
The people of South Carolina know Senator Thurmond will
treat them royally--a standard I try to emulate for my own
constituents. Senator Thurmond's imprint on the Senate is
with this institution forever.
Senator Thurmond is responsible for one of the
highlights of my Senate service. In 1980, soon after I was
first elected to the Senate, Senator Thurmond was becoming
chairman of the Judiciary Committee. He asked me to join
the committee. I explained I wasn't a lawyer, but he
explained I didn't need to be. Senator Thurmond promised
to get me good staff to help me with the technical points
of Judiciary Committee work. He delivered on that promise,
and I thoroughly enjoy serving on the Judiciary Committee.
I hope to continue serving on that committee as long as
I'm a Member of the Senate, although of course I won't
serve as long as Senator Thurmond. I appreciate Senator
Thurmond's support of me as a freshman Senator by giving
me the opportunity to join his committee. I hope I haven't
disappointed him.
As a farm State Senator, I seek like-minded Senators to
support the survival of family farmers. Senator Thurmond
has always supported any efforts to advance this cause. He
comes from a largely agricultural State, and he
understands how family farmers not only feed the world,
but also make up an important part of the fabric of
American life. I'm grateful to have served with Senator
Thurmond over the years and to continue serving with him.
Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I rise to speak in honor of my
good friend--and legend--the distinguished Senator from
South Carolina, Strom Thurmond.
From the moment Strom Thurmond set foot in this Chamber
in 1954, he has been setting records. He was the only
person ever elected to the Senate on a write-in vote. He
set the record for the longest speech on the Senate floor,
clocked at an astounding 24 hours and 18 minutes. He is
the longest-serving Senator in the history of the Senate.
As he approaches his 100th birthday, he is also the oldest
serving Senator. Many of my colleagues will recall the
momentous occasion in September 1998 when he cast his
15,000th vote in the Senate. With these and so many other
accomplishments over the years, he has appropriately been
referred to as ``an institution within an institution.''
In 1902, the year Strom Thurmond was born, life
expectancy was 51 years--and today it is 77 years. Strom
continues to prove that, by any measure, he is anything
but average.
He has seen so much in his life. To provide some
context, let me point out that, since his birth, Oklahoma,
New Mexico, Arizona, Alaska and Hawaii gained statehood,
and 11 amendments were added to the Constitution. The
technological advancements he has witnessed, from the
automobile to the airplane to the Internet, literally span
a century of progress. Conveniences we have come to take
for granted today were not always part of Strom Thurmond's
world. Perhaps this explains why, during Judiciary
Committee hearings, he has been heard asking witnesses who
were too far away from the microphone to ``please speak
into the machine.''
The story of his remarkable political career truly could
fill several volumes. It began with a win in 1928 for the
Edgefield County Superintendent of Schools. Eighteen years
later, he was Governor of South Carolina. Strom was even a
Presidential candidate in 1948, running on the
``Dixiecrat'' ticket against Democrat Harry Truman.
I must admit, Mr. President, that he has come a long way
in his political career, given that he originally came to
the Senate as a Democrat. I am happy to say that wisdom
came within a few short years when Strom saw the light and
joined the Republican Party.
When I first arrived in the Senate in January 1977, he
was my mentor. As my senior on the Judiciary Committee, it
was Strom Thurmond who helped me find my way and learn how
the committee functioned. He has not only been a respected
colleague, but a personal friend, ever since.
During his tenure as chairman of the Judiciary
Committee, Strom Thurmond left an indelible mark on the
committee and the laws that came through it. He became
known and respected for many fine qualities and
positions--his devotion to the Constitution, his toughness
on crime, his sense of fairness.
He is also famous for his incredible grip. Many of us in
this Chamber have experienced Strom Thurmond holding our
arm tightly as he explained a viewpoint and asked for our
support. I might add that this can be a very effective
approach.
Strom is also known to have a kind word or greeting for
everyone who comes his way, and for being extremely good
to his staff. Despite his power and influence, he has
never forgotten the importance of small acts of kindness.
For example, whenever he eats in the Senate dining room,
he grabs two fistfuls of candy. When he returns to the
floor of the Senate, he hands the candy out to the Senate
pages. Unfortunately, it is usually melted into a
kaleidoscope of sugar by then. I have a feeling that the
pages prefer it when Strom takes them out for ice cream.
Strom Thurmond is truly a legend--someone to whom the
people of South Carolina owe an enormous debt of gratitude
for all his years of service. Clearly, the people of South
Carolina recognize the sacrifices he has made and are
grateful for all he has done for them. In fact, you cannot
mention the name Strom Thurmond in South Carolina without
the audience bursting into spontaneous applause. He truly
is an American political icon.
Abraham Lincoln once said that, ``The better part of
one's life consists of friendships.'' With a friend like
Strom Thurmond, this sentiment couldn't be more true. I am
a great admirer of Strom Thurmond, and I am proud to call
him my friend.
Mr. President, one final note about Strom Thurmond: he
is a great patriot. I am grateful for his work with me
over the years in support of a constitutional flag
amendment. A decorated veteran of World War II who fought
at Normandy on D-day, Strom Thurmond loves this country.
Let me close by saying that this country loves him, too.
Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I rise today to
congratulate my dear friend and colleague Senator Strom
Thurmond of South Carolina for his 48 years of service to
this country.
Senator Thurmond was first elected to the U.S. Senate in
1954, as the first person in U.S. history to be elected to
a major office by a write-in ballot. As the longest-
serving Senator in the Senate, Strom has been a part of a
lot of firsts in our Nation's history and he has
contributed to every major policy issue facing this
country for the last half century. He is a true legend.
Strom has been a respected authority on military issues.
He served in World War II, fighting in 5 battles,
including the Normandy invasion, and received 18
decorations, medals, and awards, including the Purple
Heart, the Bronze Star Medal for valor, and the Legion of
Merit with oakleaf cluster. In 1959, Strom attained the
rank of major general. He has been a member of the Senate
Armed Services Committee since 1959. His expertise in
military issues has been a great benefit to our men and
women in uniform.
His love for the State of South Carolina has been a
guiding force in his life. He has been a coach, an
educator, an attorney, a State senator, a judge, a
Governor, and, most important, an impeccable leader for
the people of South Carolina.
Strom has not only been a remarkable Senator, but an
even better American. I know I speak for all my colleagues
here in the Senate when I say that he will be missed.
Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, it is with great pride and
honor that I rise today amongst my fellow colleagues to
honor one of America's finest citizens, Senator Strom
Thurmond of South Carolina.
When I look at Strom's career and all that he has
accomplished throughout his life, I often find myself
wondering how one man could possibly do so much in just
one lifetime. Strom Thurmond truly deserves the title of
Renaissance man. He has been a farmer, a teacher, a
lawyer, a judge, an author, a Governor, a war veteran, a
major general in the U.S. Army Reserve, a State senator, a
U.S. Senator, a Democrat, a Dixiecrat, a Republican, a
husband and a father.
Since 1954, when he ran and won a seat in the Senate as
a write-in candidate, Strom Thurmond has worked tirelessly
and selflessly for the people of South Carolina and the
citizens of this great Nation, casting more than 15,000
votes in his time in the Senate.
I now ask that my fellow Members of the Senate join me
in thanking and honoring our good friend and colleague for
all that he has done throughout his life and throughout
his tenure in the Senate. His brilliance, leadership and
unmatched wit will be sorely missed by this legislative
body and by the entire Nation. But we will always hold on
to the many memories and stories he left behind.
Mr. THOMPSON. Mr. President, I rise to pay tribute to
the senior Senator from South Carolina, Mr. Strom
Thurmond. Not only is Senator Thurmond the oldest Member
ever to serve in the Senate, and the longest-serving
Member, his entire life has been dedicated to service to
his country. At the age of 21, in 1924, Senator Thurmond
was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army
Reserve. At the age of 26, he was serving as the
Superintendent of Education in Edgefield County, SC. From
there he went on to serve as a State senator, and then as
circuit judge of South Carolina, a position he left to
serve his country during World War II. For his military
service, he earned a total of 18 different medals,
decorations, and awards. He served as the Governor of
South Carolina, and while serving, he ran for President as
the head of the third party, States Rights Democrats. He
received 39 electoral votes, the third largest ever for an
independent party candidate. Then in 1954 he was elected
to the Senate as a write-in candidate, the first person
ever to be elected to the Senate as a write-in candidate.
Senator Thurmond's career as a Member of the Senate has
been not only long but distinguished. He served as either
chairman or ranking member of the Senate Judiciary
Committee for 12 years and he served as either chairman or
ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee for
6 years. In fact, he has served on the Armed Services
Committee for the last 43 years, where he has been a
leader in promoting a strong national defense.
So while we do well to recognize his extraordinary years
of service to the Senate, it is worth remembering that
Senator Thurmond is the perfect example of a true
statesman, a man who has dedicated his life to serving his
country in any way possible, in all branches of
government, in times of war and in times of peace. Senator
Thurmond has set an example not only as a great Senator,
but as a great citizen of this country, and it is for that
reason that we are here to pay tribute, to demonstrate our
respect, and to offer our thanks.
Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, I am pleased to take this
opportunity to pay tribute to the remarkable life of
Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina.
On December 5, 2002, Senator Thurmond will turn 100
years old, another amazing milestone for an indefatigable
public servant. Throughout his historic years of service
in the Senate, he has distinguished himself through his
energy, his spirited patriotism, and his dedication to
excellence. Every Member of this body counts him as a
friend and as an inspiration.
Beginning his public service career in 1923 as a teacher
and athletic coach, he became the superintendent of
education in Edgefield County, SC. He was elected to the
State senate at the young age of 31 and later served as a
circuit judge of South Carolina.
He left the judicial bench in 1942 to fight in World War
II where he parachuted into Normandy on D-day with the 82d
Airborne Division. He served in the Civil Affairs section
of the First Army headquarters where he was awarded five
battle stars, the Legion of Merit with oakleaf cluster,
the Bronze Star Medal for valor, the Purple Heart, the
Belgian Order of the Crown, and the French Croix de
Guerre. Upon his return to South Carolina, he served as
Governor before he was elected to the Senate in 1954.
Strom Thurmond's career as a Senator has been
distinguished by love of his country and all the
possibilities he has envisioned for it. His longevity and
strength are a result of his determination to further his
ideals, his commitment to personal fitness, and his
devotion to serve the people of South Carolina.
Senator Thurmond's influence has been felt throughout
the Senate, but it has been particularly noteworthy in his
leadership on the Armed Services, Judiciary, and Veterans'
Affairs Committees. In recent years, as President pro
tempore, he set an example for us all with his thoughtful
wit, his constancy, and his obvious love for the Senate as
an institution.
Senator Thurmond is a statesman whose retirement from
this Chamber will leave the Senate a diminished place. I
am pleased to join with my Senate colleagues in acclaiming
his lifetime of service to America.
Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, I join my colleagues in
congratulating the senior Senator from South Carolina, our
esteemed colleague and a legendary public servant, as we
honor his service to America and his beloved constituents
in South Carolina.
When the 107th Congress adjourns sine die later this
year, it will end another chapter in the life and
legendary public service of Senator Thurmond. For almost
48 years, Strom Thurmond has been an important person in
the life of the Senate. Indeed, December 24, 2002, will
mark the 48th anniversary of Senator Thurmond's arrival in
the Senate after his election as a write-in candidate, a
feat that itself is historic and unprecedented. December
5, 2002, also marks another marvelous milestone, Senator
Thurmond's 100th birthday. In considering these truly
remarkable events, it is humbling to recall that Senator
Thurmond's service in the Senate is longer than the period
of time that Hawaii has been a State.
It is even more remarkable to consider Senator
Thurmond's accomplishments outside the Senate: attorney,
State legislator, judge, decorated World War II hero and
participant in the D-day landing, Governor of South
Carolina, husband, and father.
I have had the privilege of serving with Senator
Thurmond during the 12 years I have been in the Senate,
the last quarter of his remarkable tenure, and we serve
together on the Armed Services and Veterans' Affairs
Committees. As chairman emeritus of both committees,
Senator Thurmond has earned a well-deserved reputation as
a determined and powerful advocate for our Nation's men
and women in uniform and our veterans. His commitment to
improve services, benefits, and quality of life for
service members and veterans and their families is
unwavering.
On a personal note, our former colleague, Senator Bob
Dole, Majority Leader Daschle, and others have spoken
about emulating Senator Thurmond's diet and exercise
regimen as a way of enjoying similar longevity. I would
like to share with my colleagues one of Senator Thurmond's
dietary secrets: he has a fondness for Hawaiian macadamia
nuts. I can think of no better testimonial for the health
benefits of macadamia nuts than the gentleman from South
Carolina!
I thank our leaders for scheduling this time for the
Senate to honor the remarkable life and times of a great
American patriot and a gentleman of the Senate, Senator
Strom Thurmond.
Mrs. CLINTON. Mr. President, I rise today to honor my
colleague from South Carolina and to wish him a happy
100th birthday.
For the better part of the 20th century, Strom Thurmond
devoted his life to public service--service to the people
of South Carolina, service to his country in World War II,
and service in the Senate.
He began his career as a teacher and coach. He became
superintendent of education in Edgefield County. He landed
at Normandy on D-day with the 82d Airborne Division, and
returned home to become Governor of South Carolina.
In 1954, Strom Thurmond became the first Member of the
Senate to win election as a write-in candidate. He has
spent most of his life giving back to the people and the
places that have given him so much in life.
As a U.S. Senator, no one has had a more distinguished
career than Strom Thurmond. For more than 48 years, he has
been a champion for our veterans. Time and time again, he
has fought to strengthen their education and
rehabilitation benefits and provide them with the best
health care and housing.
In the last year, he continued to do more for our
military. He filed legislation to ensure that disabled
veterans have access to service dogs so that they can lead
a more independent life. He has reached across the aisle
to end the limit on Junior ROTC programs with our
colleague Senator Graham from Florida.
He secured education benefits for our brave men and
women serving in Afghanistan in Operation Enduring
Freedom. Each effort has brought more honor and dignity to
the courageous men and women who give so much of
themselves so that we can live in freedom.
Just as he began his career as a teacher in 1923, I know
that he was so very proud to support last year's ``No
Child Left Behind Act.'' He understands that the best
place to open a child's mind and heart to the
opportunities that surround him or her is through
education.
I want to take this moment to thank Senator Thurmond for
supporting New York during this difficult year. In the
wake of massive terrorist attacks, Senator Thurmond stood
by the people of New York, and the people of New York are
grateful for his assistance as the city rebuilds.
Today, it gives me great pleasure to honor Strom
Thurmond and to express my sincere gratitude and
appreciation for all that he has done to improve the lives
of the people he represents in South Carolina and every
American.
We are honored for his years of service and wish him a
very happy birthday.
Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, I am honored to join my
colleagues in this tribute to Senator Thurmond and his
extraordinary record of service to the people of South
Carolina and the Nation.
As the longest-serving Member of the U.S. Senate in
history, the Senator from South Carolina cast his first
vote in January 1955--when seven of his current colleagues
were not even born. His election in 1954 was an American
first. Senator Thurmond was the first person ever elected
to a major office as a write-in candidate.
Senator Thurmond came to this body half a century ago as
a man of humble origins with a teacher's background and a
legal education given to him by his father, and he has
never stopped teaching and learning.
In the years since he first came to the Senate, he has
cast over 15,000 votes, and he has always stood up for his
beliefs with a passionate conviction. Over the years, many
of us have often disagreed with him on specific issues,
but we have always had great respect for his ability and
dedication.
Senator Thurmond has served our country with great
dedication in the Armed Forces as well, from his early
days as a second lieutenant in the Army Reserve in 1924 to
his outstanding service in the 82d Airborne during World
War II. He volunteered for service immediately after the
attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, and piloted a glider onto
the beaches at Normandy in 1944, earning five battle stars
and numerous other medals for his courage in combat.
I have had the honor to serve for many years with
Senator Thurmond on both the Armed Services Committee and
the Judiciary Committee in the Senate, and we often worked
together to meet the important challenges facing our
Nation.
Two decades ago, as members of the Judiciary Committee,
we worked together for a period of several years to reform
and improve the Federal sentencing system. Our proposal
was eventually enacted as the Sentencing Reform Act of
1984.
Prior to the 1984 act, Federal sentencing was famously
characterized by Judge Marvin Frankel as a system of ``law
without order.'' Judges had unreviewable discretion to
sentence defendants to lengthy periods of incarceration--
or no incarceration at all. Gross disparities in
sentencing were common, even within the same Federal
courthouse. Too often, those disparities were related to
the race or the economic resources of the defendant.
Some thought the answer to that problem was mandatory
sentencing laws. But Senator Thurmond and I developed the
fairer and more effective approach of sentencing
guidelines that is used today.
Senator Thurmond and I came to the issue from different
perspectives, but we agreed on the goal of fair sentencing
laws. It took several years of debates, but Senator
Thurmond and I stood together. Our ideas prevailed, and I
am proud to have worked with him on this important reform
of the Nation's criminal justice system.
We have worked together on the Armed Services Committee
as well. Senator Thurmond has never forgotten the
responsibility of the 82d Airborne to be America's guard,
and to go ``all the way'' in protecting the rights of our
men and women in uniform and our Nation's veterans.
From the Strom Thurmond Institute at his alma mater,
Clemson University, to Strom Thurmond High School, to
Interstate Highway 20, also known as Strom Thurmond
Highway, the Senator from South Carolina has been honored
by communities in his State and by the American people as
well. I know that all of us in the Senate commend him, as
he retires this year, for his long and distinguished
service to the Senate and the Nation.
Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, it has been heartwarming to
hear the eloquent remarks about the accomplishments and
career of our distinguished colleague from South Carolina.
He has been my friend and colleague in the Senate for 24
years. It has been a high privilege and honor to work with
him and to learn from his example of dedicated service to
the citizens of his State.
As this session of the Senate nears an end, it is hard
to imagine that it will be Senator Thurmond's last term as
a U.S. Senator.
Since 1964, he has worked hard to strengthen and protect
our country and defend the principles on which it was
founded. He can be assured that his has been a successful
and remarkable career.
I'm proud to join others today in thanking and
commending him for his truly outstanding record of public
service.
Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, born nearly a century ago,
when Mark Twain was alive and Teddy Roosevelt was still
President, Strom Thurmond has led a life of public service
unmatched in the modern history of America. He has been a
friend to all of the more than 400 Senators with whom he
has served. And he will forever be a symbol of what one
person can accomplish when they live life to the fullest.
Strom Thurmond has served in the Senate for all but 4 of
my 50 years of age. Though that is a remarkable
accomplishment in itself, we should not forget what Strom
accomplished before coming to the Senate.
He was a teacher, an athletic coach, and a
Superintendent of Education. He studied law under his
father, Judge J. William Thurmond and became a city
attorney, county attorney, State senator, and eventually,
a circuit court judge.
Though exempt from serving in the military, Strom, who
had already been an army reservist and a commissioned
second lieutenant by the age of 21, volunteered for active
duty on the day we entered World War II. As a member of
the 82d Airborne, he parachuted behind enemy lines on D-
day and helped secure the foothold for the Allies to
liberate the European continent.
For his distinguished service, Strom was awarded 5
battle stars and 18 other decorations, including the
Legion of Merit with oakleaf cluster, the Purple Heart,
the Bronze Star Medal for valor, the Belgian Order of the
Crown and the French Cross of War.
After the war, Strom returned home to South Carolina. He
was elected Governor in 1946 and then ran for President of
the United States as the States Rights Democratic
candidate. Although Harry Truman prevailed, Strom won 4
States and 39 electoral votes. That tally still stands as
the third largest independent electoral vote in U.S.
history.
Despite not winning the Presidency, Strom was determined
to serve in Washington. He ran for the Senate in 1954 and
became the only candidate elected to Congress by a write-
in vote in American history. Strom has been re-elected
eight times since. Clearly the people of South Carolina
value principle, character and courage in their leaders.
Though it has been more difficult in recent years for
Strom to make it home to South Carolina, that has not
stopped South Carolina from coming to him. And it
shouldn't. For decades Strom attended every county fair,
handled every constituent request, and sent a
congratulatory note to every high school graduate, many of
whom came to intern in his office.
It has been said that almost 70 percent of South
Carolinians have met Strom Thurmond face to face.
Over the course of his long and distinguished career,
Strom Thurmond has been a witness to history. As a young
man, he knew people who had seen Andrew Jackson, and he
campaigned for the votes of men who fought in the Civil
War. He and Herbert Hoover won their first elective office
in the same year, 1928.
But Strom has more than seen history; he has written it.
Not only is he the oldest and longest-serving Senator, he
has served with about one-fifth of the nearly 2,000 people
who have been Members of the Senate since 1789. And he is
nearly one half the age of the U.S. Constitution itself.
Like the great experiment that is American democracy,
Strom Thurmond has certainly faced his trials, both
politically and personally. Yet, through it all, he has
always held tight to his principles, always upheld his
beliefs, and always defended American values at home and
abroad.
Today we say thanks to this giant of a man not only for
the history he has witnessed and written, but for the
service his life will inspire for generations to come. God
bless our friend, our colleague, and the Senate's icon of
time, the senior Senator from South Carolina, Strom
Thurmond.
Mr. LIEBERMAN. Mr. President, I am proud to join my
colleagues today in paying tribute to our friend from
South Carolina, Senator Strom Thurmond, who through his 48
years of distinguished service in this body has given
special meaning to the term senior Senator and left an
indelible mark on the history of this great Nation.
Well before Senator Strom Thurmond celebrates his 100th
birthday this year, he had become an institution within
this institution. To many Americans, that is primarily
because of his much-celebrated durability. But to those of
us who have the privilege to work with him here in the
Capitol, it is as much a measure of his inexhaustible
amiability, the graciousness and decency that have come to
define Strom's way, and his extraordinary dedication to
the people and the country he serves.
Senator Thurmond has been such a fixture here in the
Senate, it is easy to forget that he led a remarkable
public life long before he came to Washington. He began
his career as a farmer, teacher, and athletic coach. He
was superintendent of education in his home county. He was
town and county attorney. He was State senator in his
great State of South Carolina. He was a judge. He served
in the Second World War, and was part of the Normandy
invasion with the 82d Airborne. He was Governor of South
Carolina. And from that position of leadership he went on
to run for President in 1948, before getting elected to
the Senate for the first time in 1954.
Since then, Senator Thurmond has had the unique
distinction of having been a delegate to six Democratic
National Conventions and six Republican National
Conventions. And he has found the time to be re-elected to
the Senate an astounding eight times, serving as an
esteemed member of the Senate Armed Services Committee
since 1959, and as President pro tempore of the Senate
from 1981 to 1986 and 1995 to 2001.
I have had the honor of serving with Senator Thurmond on
the Armed Services Committee for more than a dozen of
those years, and it is readily apparent why the people of
South Carolina--not to mention his colleagues on both
sides of the aisle--hold him in such high regard. Quite
simply, every day he is happy to be helping and protecting
the security of our country. Here in Washington, he has
been a fierce protector of his State's interests. And at
home he has been a gentle and caring friend to his
constituents, always ready to listen and willing to act on
their behalf. It is a testament to that friendship and
admiration that at least 20 buildings, centers, rooms, and
statues in South Carolina have been named after him. And
that's not counting all the streets and roads that carry
the Thurmond name.
The long list of these accomplishments would take most
Americans 300 years to accumulate. Senator Thurmond has
gotten them all under his belt in a mere 100. And through
it all, Senator Thurmond has grown not only as a public
servant and leader, but as a human being. After running
for President as a States Rights candidate, he later
supported the renewal of the Voting Rights Act and
observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr., holiday on
behalf of his State. And today, in recognition of all his
hard work for all the people of South Carolina, he is
beloved throughout his State by constituents of all
colors. That transformation sends a powerful message that
all of us could become better Americans and better
individuals--and that the United States of America, for
all its blessings, can always become a better Nation.
For all this, we honor Senator Thurmond as a man of iron
with a heart of gold, who has a love for his country and
all that makes it exceptional, and has given not just the
best years of his life but just about every year of life
to make his community and his country a better place. The
Senate will just not be the same without him. But today we
can and should celebrate the tremendous difference he has
made. So we thank him for all your service and sacrifice,
and wish you a long and healthy retirement. God knows you
have earned it.
Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, at the close of the 107th
Congress, the Senate will lose a legend, a colleague who
has served more than 40 years in the U.S. Senate, cast
more than 15,000 votes and achieved the record as the
longest-serving Member in this body.
Perhaps most notably, our colleague, on his retirement,
will have completed the lengthiest record of public
service on behalf of our country. Senator Thurmond has
served his community as an educator; the State as State
senator, judge, and Governor; and our Nation in World War
II in both the European and Pacific theaters, an Army
Reservist for 36 years, a candidate for President and a
U.S. Senator. This record of service spans a period of
more than 80 years.
Remarks by Senator Thurmond at the time of his swearing-
in ceremony for his seventh term in 1997 express
succinctly his views and commitment to public service. At
the time he said, ``there is no more rewarding endeavor
than public service, and without question, the more than
40 years I have spent in the U.S. Senate have been among
the happiest of my life.''
As I review Senator Thurmond's record of service, and
reflect on his service in the Senate and to our country,
few Americans have had the opportunity to witness and
shape history as he has. Senator Thurmond's achievements
in the military and on defense matters serve to underscore
this point.
Senator Thurmond is a veteran who served in World War II
during some of the most difficult combat of the war. He
parachuted into Normandy on D-day with the 82d Airborne
Division, earning 5 battle stars and 18 decorations,
including the Purple Heart, the Legion of Merit, the
Belgian Order of the Crown and the French Croix de Guerre
during his service. Following World War II, Senator
Thurmond continued his military career by serving in the
Army Reserve for many years. During this period, he
attained the rank of major general.
Knowing the face of battle, Senator Thurmond never
forgot the importance of maintaining a strong defense and
especially of taking care of our military personnel. As a
member of the Senate Armed Services Committee since 1959,
and chairman of the committee for a number of years during
the 1990s, Senator Thurmond made certain that the needs of
our military were met. He had a special concern for junior
enlisted personnel and non-commissioned officers along
with the welfare of their families.
This concern was clearly demonstrated by his efforts
during the Senate consideration of the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1999. In this act, a
number of provisions were incorporated that significantly
improved benefits for military personnel. Were it not for
Senator Thurmond's leadership on military personnel
issues, our Armed Forces would unquestionably not be
receiving the benefits that they should and are entitled
to receive. I am pleased that the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1999 bears his name. It
is a fitting tribute to an individual who cared so much
for our military personnel.
There is so much that can be said about Senator Thurmond
and his many contributions to our country. He was an 82d
Airborne paratrooper with a remarkable service record in
World War II, a disabled veteran, an educator, and a
distinguished public servant at all levels of government.
Unquestionably, Senator Thurmond deserves our respect. It
is my hope that younger Americans will have opportunities
to learn about Senator Thurmond's career and
accomplishments. I have been privileged to serve with
Senator Thurmond and thank him for his service.
Mr. HAGEL. Mr. President, I rise to honor South
Carolina's senior Senator, Strom Thurmond. Senator
Thurmond will turn 100 on December 5. Only 126 years
before Senator Thurmond's birth, the United States of
America gained its independence; 37 years before Senator
Thurmond was born, the Civil War ended; and when he was a
year old, the Wright brothers engineered the first flight
from Kitty Hawk. Senator Thurmond made a commitment at an
early age to serve the interests and needs of our Nation.
His life is full of our country's history, and he has made
our country his life.
Since his days as a school teacher and athletic coach in
the early 1920s Senator Thurmond has continued to be a
leader and serve the interests of our country well above
his own. Senator Thurmond served on active duty with the
U.S. Army in World War II. He was a judge at that time, so
he was exempt from military service. But Senator Thurmond
volunteered, and as a 41-year-old lieutenant colonel,
dropped behind enemy lines on D-day in Normandy with the
82d Airborne Division. During his 36 years of
distinguished military service in the Active and Reserve
Army, he was awarded 5 battle stars and 18 decorations,
medals and other awards.
Senator Thurmond carried his military experience to the
Senate and quickly became a respected leader advocating a
strong national defense for America. As a major general in
the U.S. Army Reserve and a World War II combat vet, his
contributions to the Armed Services Committee since 1959
have provided a strong voice on the needs of our service
men and women and a first-hand perspective on the
realities of war. Senator Thurmond has also used his
experience in law and in the military through his long-
standing leadership on the Veterans' Affairs and Judiciary
Committees.
Senator Thurmond will be missed in the Senate as a
friend, a leader, and a colleague. He will be missed for
his tremendous contributions to our Nation. He is history
in motion. Senator Thurmond was born during the Presidency
of another fearless leader, Theodore Roosevelt. President
Theodore Roosevelt once said, ``We have got but one life
here. It pays, no matter what comes after it, to try and
do things, to accomplish things in this life and not
merely to have a soft and pleasant time.'' Senator
Thurmond's life is an accomplishment of great leadership
and selflessness. We are all grateful for his service to
our country and I am proud to have served with him.
Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I am pleased to join my
colleagues in paying tribute to Senator Strom Thurmond and
honoring him for his unparalleled record of public service
to this Nation.
No Senator serving today can appreciate what this body
will be like when Strom Thurmond leaves at the end of this
year because Senator Thurmond has served longer in this
body than any other Senator in history. His 48 years in
the U.S. Senate have spanned the terms of 10 Presidents of
the United States, and he keeps pictures of all 10 of
those Presidents on the wall in his office.
Senator Thurmond's extraordinary private and public
lives span the 20th century. He began his political career
in 1929 as the Superintendent of Education in Edgefield,
SC. In 1933, he became a State senator. In 1946, he was
elected Governor of South Carolina. In 1948, while he was
still Governor, he ran for President as a State's Right
Democrat and received 39 electoral votes, the third best
showing by an independent candidate in U.S. history.
Senator Thurmond was elected to the Senate in 1954 as a
write-in candidate, the first person ever elected to major
office by this method. But true to a campaign pledge he
made, he resigned in 1956 to eschew the advantages of
incumbency before running successfully for re-election. In
1964, he left the Democratic Party and became a Goldwater
Republican, presaging, or perhaps, ushering in, GOP gains
in the South. He has served as a delegate to six
Democratic and nine Republican National Conventions, a
distinction I doubt anyone else shares.
When I joined the Armed Services Committee in 1979,
Senator Thurmond had already served on the committee for
20 years. His love for and dedication to the U.S. military
goes back even further, though, to his commission as an
Army Reserve second lieutenant of infantry in 1924 at the
age of 21. He served with distinction in both the European
and Pacific theaters in the Second World War, receiving
numerous decorations that include the Legion of Merit, the
Bronze Star Medal with ``V'' device, the Army Commendation
Medal, the Belgian Order of the Crown, and the French
Croix de Guerre. He landed in a glider on Normandy with
the 82d Airborne Division on D-day, and went on to win
five battle stars. In 1959, the year that he joined the
Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Thurmond was
promoted to major general in the U.S. Army Reserve.
During Senator Thurmond's tenure on the Armed Services
Committee, our Armed Forces have faced challenge after
challenge in Western Europe, Vietnam, the Middle East, the
Caribbean basin, the Persian Gulf, the Balkans, and
Afghanistan. Through it all, Senator Thurmond has
persevered in his unwavering support for our men and women
in uniform. His steadfast commitment to our national
defense has been a rock upon which we could all rely and
has helped ensure that our military has always been ready
to answer the call whenever and wherever needed.
Senator Thurmond served as chairman of the Senate Armed
Services Committee in the 104th and 105th Congresses. I
had the honor and pleasure to serve as his ranking member
in 1997 and 1998. I know from personal experience how
seriously Senator Thurmond treated his duties as chairman
and how hard he worked to be fair and even-handed with
every member of the committee. I am sure that I speak for
all of our colleagues in saying just how much we
appreciate not only the commitment that Senator Thurmond
brought to his duties as chairman, but also his lifelong
dedication to the defense of our Nation and to the welfare
of the men and women in uniform.
As the ranking member of the Armed Services Committee in
1997 and 1998, it was a great personal pleasure for me to
work with Senator Thurmond in producing the National
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1998 and the
Strom Thurmond National Defense Authorization Act for
Fiscal Year 1999. When Senator Thurmond leaves our
committee and the Senate at the end of this Congress, we
will miss his warmth, his sense of humor, and his
tremendous dedication to our national security.
In my 24 years of service with Strom Thurmond, I have
never known him to be anything other than unfailingly
optimistic, always courteous, and ever-thoughtful of his
Senate colleagues and their families. It is a pleasure to
join all of my colleagues today in honoring and thanking
this remarkable man, my friend, for his lifetime of
service to his country.
Mr. SARBANES. Mr. President, I rise today to join my
esteemed colleagues in honoring Senator Strom Thurmond and
his lifetime of service to South Carolina and our Nation.
A career like that of the senior Senator from South
Carolina will almost certainly never be duplicated.
Although I am the senior Senator from Maryland, my
colleague, Senator Thurmond, was a practicing attorney in
Edgefield, SC, when I was born in 1933. And by that time,
Senator Thurmond had already begun his distinctive career
in the public interest.
Born in 1902, Senator Thurmond received his bachelor's
degree from Clemson University in 1923 and was a teacher
and athletic coach for 6 years while serving in the U.S.
Army Reserve. In 1929, he became the Superintendent of
Education in Edgefield County, SC, and soon thereafter was
admitted to the State bar, studying law under his father,
Judge J. William Thurmond. While practicing law, Strom
began his political career as a South Carolina State
senator and circuit judge. Senator Thurmond took a 4-year
leave of absence from his judicial duties from 1942 to
1946 in order to serve with the 82d Airborne Division in
World War II. During the war, Senator Thurmond served in
the American, European and Pacific theaters; landed in
Normandy on D-day; and earned 18 decorations, medals and
awards including the Legion of Merit with oakleaf cluster,
the Bronze Star Medal for valor, the Purple Heart, the
Belgian Order of the Crown, and the French Croix de
Guerre, during his military service.
If Strom's service to our Nation ended in 1946 with his
military career, it would have been a remarkable record of
achievement. But his contributions to education, the legal
profession, and the military make up just the beginning of
Senator Thurmond's legacy. From 1947 to 1951, Strom was
known as Governor Thurmond, as he led his beloved State of
South Carolina. After his 1948 bid for the Presidency,
Strom returned to the practice of law and, in 1954,
launched a successful write-in candidacy for election to
the U.S. Senate. Pursuant to a promise made during his
write-in campaign, Strom resigned from the Senate in April
1956 to run in the Democratic primary election. Strom was
re-elected to the Senate in November 1956, resumed his
duties, and has been elected to the Senate seven more
times by the people of South Carolina.
Reaching the age of 100, as Senator Thurmond will do
this December 5, is, alone, a remarkable achievement. The
2000 Census counted just 50,500 Americans 100 or older.
And Strom is a clear example for those older Americans,
and citizens of all ages, of the remarkable impact one
person can have on our Nation. For most of the past 48
years, Senator Thurmond has been a fixture and a legend in
the U.S. Senate. He has held positions of power, including
President pro tempore, and committee chairmanships. In the
Senate, he has worked with 10 Presidents: Eisenhower,
Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, George H.W.
Bush, Clinton, and George W. Bush. He is the longest-
serving Member of the Senate, and cast his 15,000th vote
in September 1998.
It goes without saying that throughout his time in this
distinguished body, and over the course of his lifetime,
Strom has seen our Nation change in remarkable ways. His
service in this great deliberative body has given the
Senate a perspective and continuity unparalleled in our
history. I am pleased to have had the opportunity to serve
with him over these many years, and to join my colleagues
today in paying tribute to a true public servant, Senator
Strom Thurmond.
Mr. KYL. Mr. President, our colleague Strom Thurmond is
retiring soon, and I just wanted to say a few words on
this special day of appreciation, about the gentleman from
South Carolina. For that is what he is: the consummate
gentleman. There is the public Strom that everyone knows--
the legend--then there is the private Strom, a colleague
and collaborator I have always found to be eager to help a
fellow Senator and accommodate his concerns. I have felt
honored to work with him on issues of national defense,
foreign policy, and many other matters important to the
people of the United States. The people of South Carolina,
in particular, can be very proud of this war hero, who
landed in Normandy as a member of the 82d Airborne
Division in 1942, who was Governor of South Carolina, and
who, in the Senate, distinguished himself as chairman of
the Judiciary Committee and the Armed Services Committee.
There are great Strom Thurmond stories--many told by
Strom himself, of course. For my part, I like to tell the
one about his 90th birthday celebration, held here in
Washington. One reporter asked if he could expect to see
Strom on his 100th birthday. And Senator Thurmond looked
him up and down and said: ``Well, you look fit enough to
me. If you eat right and drink right, you ought to be
around to see me then.''
He is an inspiration. As everyone knows, he represents
continuity in the U.S. Senate, being, since 1996, its
oldest serving Member, and, since 1997, its longest-
serving Member. Those are for the record books. But on a
personal level, I can say that the Senate will not be the
same without his buoyant spirit. I thank him for helping
me in so many ways, and for his invaluable service to our
country.
Ms. SNOWE. I rise to join with my colleagues today in
honoring a man the ``Almanac of American Politics''
rightly calls ``the most enduring figure in American
politics today,'' the senior Senator from South Carolina,
the senior Member of the Senate, and the longest-serving
Senator in U.S. history, our colleague, Senator Strom
Thurmond.
I think that any of us who have had the honor of serving
in this body have to be in awe of Senator Thurmond's
remarkable 48-year tenure. The responsibilities of this
job, the demands on one's time and energy, are incredible.
That Senator Thurmond has continued to engender the trust,
respect, and support of the people of South Carolina
through nearly 5 decades in the Senate and nearly 70 years
in elective office is a testament not only to his storied
dedication to his constituents, but to his seemingly
inexhaustible passion for service.
Senator Thurmond is quite literally an institution
within an institution. If this were baseball, he would be
Babe Ruth larger than life, shattering records, and giving
100 percent effort every time at bat.
Even today, I continue to marvel that I am serving
alongside this legislative legend. This is a man who was
on the floor of this Chamber when I was 7 years old, a man
who was nominated for President when I was 1 year old, a
man who was elected Governor of South Carolina before I
was born. Alive even before the Wright brothers took
flight, he has seen first-hand the greatest single period
of societal and technological change in the history of the
world. He would have even been old enough at age 15 to
read first-hand news accounts of the last time the Boston
Red Sox won the World Series. Now that is truly amazing!
When you think about it, Senator Strom Thurmond's
political life spanned the great majority of the 20th
century, while he has witnessed--during his more than
36,400 days on Earth--nearly half of the history of the
United States. It is possible he received votes from
Confederate war veterans in his bid for the South Carolina
Legislature in 1933. This is an extraordinary figure on
the landscape of our land--a living history class and
inseparable from any discussion or dissection of the U.S.
Senate.
Indeed, Senator Thurmond's tenure has charted many
changes in our country, the world, and American society.
In an inspiration to all of us, Senator Thurmond has never
stopped learning, never stopped drawing lessons from
experience and from others. He bears the mark that defines
great men and women--the integrity and honesty of an open
mind.
And there should be no mistake--as if the time Senator
Thurmond has devoted to public office is not enough for
several lifetimes, he has also served his country in the
crucible of war, gaining an exemption from being ``over
age'' so he could don a uniform and ultimately participate
in the invasion at Normandy on D-day.
Fittingly, years later, Senator Thurmond would call upon
his ``trial by fire'' experience as chairman of the Armed
Services Committee--and I was proud to call him
``Chairman'' for much of my time on the committee. He has
always been a champion not only of a strong national
defense, but also for the men and women who provide that
defense, and we owe him a debt of gratitude that simple
words fail to repay.
In short, some people live long, but not fully. Senator
Thurmond's life, however, is remarkable not only for its
apparent disregard for such trivialities as ``time,'' but
also--and more important--for its richness.
The great American writer Henry David Thoreau aspired
to, in his plain-spoken but powerful words, ``live deep
and suck all the marrow out of life . . .'' Well, Senator
Strom Thurmond personifies that dream--making Thoreau's
declaration his personal credo, and leaving the rest of us
to watch in admiration and wonder.
So today, as we celebrate Senator Thurmond's century of
contributions, let us also celebrate the remarkable story
of America's journey, for in many ways they are one and
the same. Strom, your colleagues wish you all the best--
and we thank you for exemplifying what it means to serve
in the greatest democracy the world has ever known.
Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, I rise today to pay respect to
a man who has served his country for the past 78 years. In
the year 1924, at the age of 21, Strom Thurmond was
commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserve.
Twenty years later, Strom fought valiantly during World
War II and amazingly, at the age of 43, he was part of the
first wave of American soldiers who landed in Normandy
during D-day, parachuting behind enemy lines with the 82d
Airborne Division.
For his bravery and outstanding service in combat, Strom
Thurmond was awarded 18 service decorations, awards and
medals. In addition to his Bronze Star Medal for valor, he
received the Legion of Merit with oakleaf cluster and the
Purple Heart. For his merit and heroism during the D-day
invasion and subsequent freeing of Belgium and France, he
was awarded both the Belgian Order of the Crown and the
French Croix de Guerre from the Belgian and French
Governments, respectively.
After returning from the war, Strom Thurmond began an
unprecedented career in the Senate which has been marked
by a dedication to upholding the honor and dignity of the
U.S. military and America's heroic veterans. He has helped
to ensure that every veteran has a voice in the Halls of
Congress and the opportunity and protection commensurate
with the dignity and honor with which they served.
In 1959, 36 years after he had been commissioned, Strom
Thurmond retired from the U.S. Army Reserve a major
general of the U.S. Reserves, ending an amazing career
that spanned two wars and countless acts of personal
bravery and leadership. In the Senate he has brought his
many years of experience to many debates and, for the last
30 years, to the Veterans' Affairs Committee where his
personal commitment to veterans issues has been heralded
by all.
As a veteran, I have great respect for Senator
Thurmond's active role on the Veterans' Affairs Committee
and his contributions to make certain in words and deeds
that our veterans and their families receive the best
possible care and that the U.S. Government honors the
promise it makes to each soldier who wears the uniform of
our country.
When Strom Thurmond retires after this year, the Senate
will lose a man who has seen the arc of the 20th century
with his very eyes. From fighting in some of the greatest
battles in world history to bearing witness to the Great
Depression and the Great Society, Strom Thurmond has seen
decades pass in which America has fought in war and
prospered in peace; decades in which America emerged from
isolation to lead the world to greater freedom and liberty
for all; decades in which America made certain the
promises of our forebears and their quest for a more equal
society.
Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, like all my colleagues, I rise
today to honor the senior Senator from South Carolina, Mr.
Thurmond, who is also America's senior Senator.
Some of my earliest memories of working in the Senate
with Senator Thurmond were our efforts on balancing the
budget and on the balanced budget amendment to the
Constitution. He was the real father of this amendment,
dating back to his early years in the Senate. And he
fought so hard on this issue because he cared so deeply
about us leaving our children a legacy of opportunity and
economic security.
Senator Thurmond told me he liked being around young
people because they challenged him with new ideas and kept
him young.
As the ranking member of the Senate Aging Committee,
every day I grow to appreciate a little more what Senator
Thurmond has spent a lifetime teaching us: the importance
of being young at heart.
That positive attitude was evident when, a few years
ago, Senator Thurmond told Reuters he was ready to be a
back-up space shuttle crew member for Senator John Glenn,
saying: ``I always believed that if NASA really wanted to
study the effects of space travel on an older American,
they should have called me.''
Senator Thurmond has spent almost a century, not only as
a witness to history, but as a shaper of history.
Today may be Strom Thurmond Day, but if the 20th century
was the American century, then it was also the Strom
Thurmond century.
Senator Thurmond was 41 years young when he climbed into
glider number 34 of the 82d Airborne Division in June 1944
and took part in the Normandy invasion on D-day. Fifty
years later, Senator Thurmond showed perspective when he
did not return to Normandy for the 50th anniversary
commemorations because it was more important to attend his
son's graduation.
In 1948 he ran for President against Harry Truman and
Tom Dewey, as the nominee of the States Rights Democratic
Party, and won 39 electoral votes.
A few years after that, he became the only Senator in
American history to be elected by a write-in vote,
demonstrating the devotion of South Carolina voters to
Strom Thurmond that has never wavered, as his dedication
to them has never wavered.
Lyndon Johnson said the Senate has show horses and work
horses. Senator Thurmond has always been a work horse.
The experts tell us that one of the keys to a long,
healthy life is being adaptable and being able to renew
oneself.
Over the years, Senator Thurmond has also displayed a
firm foundation of principles in his devotion to family,
faith, and freedom.
Like all the great persons of history who have had
staying power, Senator Thurmond has shown that great
balance of having a firm moral foundation and being able
to renew himself.
In fact, he is the only Member of this body to have
served in the majority as a Democrat, in the minority as a
Democrat, in the minority as a Republican, and in the
majority as a Republican. That is adaptability.
I would also add, he has always shown unfailing
graciousness to colleagues, to constituents, and to all
the Senate staff.
I remember our former Senate Republican Leader, Bob
Dole, being asked what his health care plan was. He
replied: ``I'm in favor of the Thurmond plan. I want to do
what he does. I used to follow him around and if he ate a
banana, I ate a banana.''
All of us could not do much better than to follow the
example of Strom Thurmond.
In Jack Bass and Marilyn Thompson's biography of Senator
Thurmond, they quoted a woman who knew him since boyhood,
who said: ``He hasn't changed. Everything he's done has
been done to the full. There's no halfway doings about
Strom.''
Today we honor our colleague, friend, and mentor, for a
full career of accomplishment, for his full dedication to
America and South Carolina, and for a full life, in every
respect.
Mr. REID. Mr. President, I join my colleagues today in
recognizing the distinguished Senator from South Carolina
and his years of service in the U.S. Senate.
Strom Thurmond has lived almost one century--his 100th
birthday will be December 5--and he has been a Senator for
almost half of that time. He is now finishing his eighth
full term, making him the longest-serving Senator and the
oldest Member of Congress. But Senator Thurmond is known--
and will long be remembered--for much more than his
longevity.
He has had a remarkable life and career of service to
South Carolina and the United States, having served as a
school superintendent, State senator, judge, and as the
Palmetto State's Governor.
He entered the Nation's military when he was 21 years
old and almost 20 years later volunteered to serve in
World War II. He was among the brave American troops who
landed in Normandy on D-day with the 82d Airborne
Division, and he received numerous awards for his military
service including the Bronze Star Medal for valor and a
Purple Heart.
Senator Thurmond has fought no less fiercely in the
political arena. He has used his gifts, experience, the
power and respect he has earned and knowledge of Senate
rules and procedures to advocate on behalf of his causes.
Although he has switched political parties during his
career, serving first as a Democrat, running for President
as a States Rights third-party candidate in 1948, and
becoming a Republican in 1964, he has consistently adhered
to his political ideology.
I am glad that we have an opportunity to acknowledge his
contributions and to reflect on the considerable impact he
has had on this body, his party, and the Nation.
Senator Thurmond is a living monument but just to make
sure his service is recognized, the people of South
Carolina, whom he has represented for so long, have
honored him by erecting a monument for him and naming
dozens of facilities for him.
Senator Thurmond will certainly be missed around here. I
bid him farewell and extend my best wishes to him and his
family.
THANKING THE SENATE
Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, I am surely honored by the
generous remarks of my colleagues, Senator Daschle,
Senator Lott, Senator Hollings, Senator Byrd, Senator
Stevens, Senator Hutchison, Senator Allard, Senator
Specter, Senator Allen, Senator McConnell, and all others.
It is hard for me to believe that it was about 80 years
ago that I began my professional career. Beginning as a
school teacher and coach, I have enjoyed public service as
a County Superintendent of Education, attorney, State
senator, State circuit judge, military officer, Governor,
and Senator. While I have enjoyed each and every job I
have held over the years, there is no job I have treasured
more than serving as a U.S. Senator. I am proud to be a
Member of this remarkable legislative body and have been
blessed to observe nearly a half-century of our Nation's
history from within this Chamber. I still recall the cold
Christmas Eve, December 24, 1954, when I was sworn in by
then-Vice-President Richard Nixon, with my late wife,
Jean, by my side.
I came to Washington with one priority--to serve this
Nation and my fellow South Carolinians with integrity and
to the best of my ability. As I now enter the final days
of my Senate career, with nearly 48 years of Senate
service, I trust I have accomplished that objective.
The U.S. Senate is a special institution in many
respects. The 6-year term assures that there is the
stability within this Chamber which allows the Senate to
be a deliberative body. The great history of this body
reflects the great issues of American history. Here we
have debated fundamental questions regarding the status of
our Union, national territorial expansion, matters of war
and peace, social and economic policies affecting every
individual, and many other important matters of national
interest as well as local issues.
Given the esteemed stature of this legislative body, it
was with no small amount of humility that I moved from
South Carolina to Washington so many years ago. Like every
other man and woman who serves in the Senate, regardless
of party affiliation or ideology, I desired to perform my
duties with honor, to the best of my ability, and with a
goal of making a difference in the lives of my fellow
citizens.
As Senators, we have many roles to perform in the
discharge of our duties. There is no other job in the
world that allows us to have a more direct impact on
improving the lives of individuals and strengthening our
Nation. Through legislation, oversight, and old-fashioned
constituent service, each of us is able to help the
citizens of our respective States, as well as build a
Nation which is stronger and better for all who live here.
The work we do here benefits millions of Americans. One
cannot help but take great satisfaction and pride in such
important service.
As legislators we are called upon to vote on matters of
local concern and national interest. I have cast over
16,300 roll call votes as a U.S. Senator. Each vote is
cast considering the concerns of my constituents and what
is right for our Nation. While I have missed a few votes,
I am pleased that I have been present for over 95 percent
of all roll call votes called by the Senate during my time
in office.
It is the floor debate and the roll call votes that
citizens most closely associate with the work of the U.S.
Senate. When visitors come to the Capitol, the
overwhelming majority of them visit the Senate and House
galleries to watch their Congress in action. I suspect
that most Americans are less familiar with the committee
system, but as we all know, that is where a significant
amount of the work of this institution is accomplished.
During my Senate career, I have been privileged to serve
on a number of committees in the U.S. Senate. As a member
and chairman of the Armed Services Committee I worked hard
to help build the finest military force that history has
seen. On the Judiciary Committee, which I also chaired, my
priorities were to safeguard the Constitution, keep the
judicial branch independent and staffed with well-
qualified men and women, and enact sound policies to help
make our communities safe. As a founding member of the
Veterans' Affairs Committee I have always fought to ensure
that the men and women of our Armed Forces receive the
health care and benefits they deserve. On each of the
committees I served, I associated with Senators who were
expert in their areas of oversight, who took their duties
as committee members seriously, and who were exceptional
legislators.
One of the primary duties of a Senator is to represent
and assist constituents. I consider constituent service to
be the most significant aspect of my Senate career. I am
pleased that my Senate office has helped hundreds of
thousands of South Carolinians interact with a government
bureaucracy that can sometimes be confusing, unyielding,
and intimidating.
As the calendar draws closer to the day that I walk out
of the door of room 217 of the Russell Senate Office
Building, I know that pundits and historians will examine
my career and study my service and achievements. I pray
that such an examination will determine that I was a man
who rendered a worthy service to the Nation and to my
State. I hope I am known, above all, as a man who tried to
help others. I also acknowledge that whatever I have been
able to achieve, through my years of Senate service, it
was largely through working closely with my colleagues.
No single individual can accomplish what has to be done
here without recognizing the contribution of those who
served before we arrived. When I think of the South
Carolinians who occupied this seat before me, I am
humbled. To follow in the footsteps of such distinguished
men as Pierce Butler, Charles Pinckney, Thomas Sumter,
John C. Calhoun, Benjamin Tillman and many others, is
indeed an honor.
Likewise, much of our own success is due to the
colleagues with whom we serve. This is perhaps the
greatest aspect of being a Senator--to associate with such
fine individuals. I have been so fortunate that in my
tenure here I have had the distinction of serving with so
many fine men and women. I regret that it is simply
impossible to identify each and every single Senator with
whom I have had the pleasure of serving. As a historical
note, 1,864 men and women have served as U.S. Senators. I
have had the privilege to serve with 410 of these great
men and women. I have had the distinct opportunity to
serve, in some instances, with more than one generation
from some great families. I note there are Senators
serving today whose fathers were my colleagues some years
ago. I am hesitant to recognize individual colleagues, for
I have enjoyed my association with every Senator, but a
few stand out in my mind.
My longtime colleague, Senator Hollings, has served with
me for nearly 36 years. I greatly appreciate his
friendship and extend my best wishes to him and his lovely
wife, Peatsy.
Having served on both sides of the aisle, and having
presided over the Senate as President pro tempore for a
number of years, I am privileged to have friends in both
parties. I enjoyed my association with distinguished
Senators such as Richard Russell and Herman Talmadge.
Bobby Kennedy was a special Senator, whose office was
across the hall from mine. I have enjoyed a long and
warmhearted association with Robert Byrd and Ted Stevens.
Similarly, I have a great respect for Joe Biden, with whom
I serve on the Judiciary Committee. My neighbor, Jesse
Helms, is a great American and a great friend. Our current
Republican leader, Trent Lott, always has a kind word and
a friendly greeting. I admire the many genuine heroes who
have served in the Senate--men like Dan Inouye.
In addition, much of the success of individual Senators
and of the Senate is due to the leadership of the Senate.
Distinguished statesmen like Mike Mansfield, Everett
Dirksen, Hugh Scott, Howard Baker, Bob Dole, were great
men who served this institution with dedication and
concern for the well-being of the Senate and the Nation.
As a Senator I have served with ten Presidents, from
Dwight D. Eisenhower to our current capable and dedicated
leader, George W. Bush. Three of those--John Kennedy,
Lyndon Johnson, and Richard Nixon--were Senate colleagues.
In the Supreme Court, 108 Justices have served since the
formation of the Court in 1790. I am proud to have
participated in the advice and consent in the confirmation
of 20 of these outstanding men and women, as well as
hundreds of judges in the lower courts.
Mr. President, today's Senate is much different than
when I first arrived. At that time there were four fewer
Senators, for neither Alaska nor Hawaii had been admitted
to the Union. Our friends from the ``Aloha'' and ``Last
Frontier'' States did not join us until 1959.
Not only were there fewer Senators, but the Senate
support staff was much smaller. When I began my Senate
service, I was assisted by just four attorneys and three
typists. Today, I have over 35 hard-working, dedicated
staff members. At the end of my first term there were
about 6,000 staff serving Members and committees in the
House and Senate. Today there are over 18,000 staff in
personal and committee offices. An additional 13,000 staff
support the Congress in various congressional support
agencies.
This growth in the Senate staff, as well as the increase
in the length of the Senate calendar, is a reflection of
the growth of the Federal Government. Both in size and in
scope, the Federal Government has enlarged its involvement
in the life of Americans. I am not convinced, however,
that this has always been in the best interest of our
Nation.
There have been significant physical changes to the
Capitol complex. When I first arrived in Washington, the
Russell Senate Office Building housed all Senators, staff,
committees, and other support personnel and functions. In
1958 the Dirksen Office Building was completed, and in
1982 the Hart Office Building was finished. The Capitol
building itself was enlarged during my tenure with the
east front extension. That extension provided additional
rooms when it was completed in 1962. As I depart, a great
addition is underway with the construction of the Capitol
Visitor Center. I am proud of my contribution to this
effort which began in earnest just a few years ago as I
served as President pro tempore and co-chairman of the
Capitol Preservation Commission.
Despite all the changes that have occurred in this
institution and in our Nation, there is one constant--that
has been the closeness of the Senate family. There are
literally thousands of people who work quietly, outside
the spotlight, to ensure this institution runs smoothly. I
express my appreciation to all in the Senate who
contribute to the success of every Senator and make this
institution a community. This family includes the
Secretary of the Senate, the Sergeant at Arms, the staff
of those officers, the clerks, doorkeepers, Capitol Hill
police, the staff of the Senate restaurants, the attending
physician and staff, the cloakroom staff, the Chaplain's
office, the Parliamentarian, the Architect of the Capitol
and staff, the librarians, staff of the Congressional
Research Service and the General Accounting Office, and
many others too numerous to mention.
I must also pay tribute to my own staff. A strong,
competent, and capable staff is absolutely necessary to
any Senator. We could not keep up with all our duties,
maintain contacts with constituents, or accomplish our
legislative goals without our staff. Throughout my career,
I have made it a point to hire the best people I could to
work in my personal office and on my committees. I have
enjoyed my association with literally hundreds of bright,
talented and hard-working individuals. I have enjoyed
watching them mature in their personal lives and grow in
their professional careers. I am proud of my staff. I ask
unanimous consent that a list of my current staff be
inserted in the Record.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so
ordered.
Duke Short, chief of staff and administrative assistant
Holly Richardson, executive assistant
Mark Ivany, personal assistant
Eliza Edgar, assistant to the chief of staff
Erin Goodin, receptionist
Walker Clarkson, receptionist
Press/Public Affairs
Becky Fleming, press secretary
Emily Dorroh, press assistant
Records
Les Sealy, office manager and systems administrator
David Black, assistant office manager
Projects
Bill Tuten, projects director
John Hawk, projects assistant
Kevin Smith, projects assistant
Michael Bozzelli, projects assistant
Melissa Kiracofe-Low, projects assistant
General Legislation
David Best, legislative director
Ernie Coggins, legislative assistant
James Galyean, legislative assistant
Helena Mell, legislative correspondent
Ashley Hurt, legislative correspondent
Military Casework
Matt Martin
Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Federalism
and Property Rights
Scott Frick, chief counsel
Melinda Koutsoumpas, chief clerk
Armed Services
George Lauffer, military assistant
President pro tempore, emeritus
James Graham, staff assistant
Thurmond State Offices
Columbia: Warren Abernathy, State director; Jeanie
Rhyne; Valerie Gaines; Lind Morris; Michelle Quinn; and
Christie Humphries
Aiken: Elizabeth McFarland
Charleston: Patricia Rones-Sykes
Florence: Raleigh Ward and Kathryn Hook (volunteer).
Mr. THURMOND. Finally, I express my deepest appreciation
to my entire family for their love and support, especially
my children. Strom, Julie, Paul, and my beloved daughter,
the late Nancy Moore, have been the joy of my life. I
thank them for their sacrifices and devotion.
Mr. President, no matter which side of the aisle we
occupy, regardless of the issues that may divide us, and
despite any political differences we may have, all of us
ran for office and fought to stay here because we want to
serve and make a difference. There is no more noble
calling than public service, and no more rewarding place
to serve than the U.S. Senate. This is truly one of the
most unique and special institutions in the world and the
opportunity to serve in this body is a rare privilege and
one which I think all of us value equally.
In my public service career, I have served in many
different capacities and at every level of government, but
none has been more meaningful or gratifying than the time
I have spent as the Senator from South Carolina.
When I graduated from Clemson College in 1923, my father
gave me a paper entitled ``Advice'' which I have always
proudly displayed in my Senate office and after which I
have always tried to pattern my life. The advice which my
father gave me, and which I pass on to others follows:
Remember your God;
Take good care of your body and tax your nervous system
as little as possible;
Obey the laws of the land;
Be strictly honest;
Associate with only the best people, morally and
intellectually;
Think three times before you act once, and if you are in
doubt, don't act at all;
Be prompt on your job to the minute;
Read at every spare chance and think over and try to
remember what you have read;
Do not forget that ``skill and integrity'' are the keys
to success.
Mr. President, I leave you, and my friends, with my
father's universal advice and add the following:
Always respect and appreciate your tenure in the world's
greatest deliberative body; do your absolute best to serve
this Nation with honor and decorum; and strive to keep the
U.S. Senate the proud, historic and distinguished body of
government it has been since the birth of this blessed
Nation.
As I close out my public service career, I again thank
my constituents, my colleagues, my staff and my family.
May God bless each of you, the U.S. Senate, and God bless
the United States of America.
I love all of you, and especially your wives.
Wednesday, September 25, 2002
prayer
The Chaplain, Dr. Lloyd John Ogilvie, offered the
following prayer:
Almighty God, Sovereign of this Nation and Lord of our
lives, in each period of history, You have blessed us with
great leaders who have exemplified love for You and
dedication to our country. Today we celebrate such a man.
Thank You for Senator Strom Thurmond.
By Your providential care, on May 25, 1997, he became
the longest-serving Senator in our Nation's history. Yet,
it is not just the quantity, but also the quality of these
years of service that motivate our admiration. So today we
join with all Americans in thanking You for his
outstanding service to the Senate, to his beloved South
Carolina and to the Nation.
Thank You for the enrichment of our lives by this man.
He has shown us the courage of firm convictions, the
patriotism of love for this Nation, and true commitment to
the Senate. We praise You for the personal ways he has
inspired each of us. He is an affirmer who spurs us on
with words of encouragement. Your Spirit of caring and
concern for individuals shines through this remarkable
man.
Gracious God, may Senator Thurmond know of our
affirmation, feel our love, and be encouraged by Your
blessing. You are our Lord and Saviour. Amen.
Thursday, September 26, 2002
TRIBUTE TO U.S. SENATOR STROM THURMOND
Mr. INOUYE. Strom Thurmond will go down in the history
of our Nation as an extraordinary citizen and an
extraordinary patriot.
Few people can match his record of achievements:
He was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Army
Reserve nearly 80 years ago. In 1959, he retired as a
major general after serving 36 years in reserve and active
duty.
On D-day, June 6, 1944, Lieutenant Colonel Thurmond
boarded an Army CG4A glider and flew behind enemy lines
into Normandy.
He served as Governor of South Carolina. Later, he was a
candidate for President of the United States, receiving
the third-largest independent electoral vote in U.S.
history.
In 1954, he was elected to the U.S. Senate as a write-in
candidate. Today, he is the oldest and longest-serving
Member of the Senate.
I have been privileged to know and work with Senator
Thurmond for nearly 40 years. I wish to thank him for his
wealth of wisdom. I will always cherish his friendship.
But Senator Thurmond is not only my colleague and
friend, he is also my brother in arms. During World War
II, anti-tank gunners from my regiment, the 442d
Regimental Combat Team, assaulted southern France in 1944.
Like Senator Thurmond, they went into battle aboard
gliders without armor. Glider-borne assaults were
extremely dangerous and risky; some would even say they
were suicidal missions. However, they were a necessary
component of the U.S. invasion and liberation of Nazi-
occupied France.
Senator Thurmond demonstrated rare courage, patriotism,
and leadership as gliderman of the 82d Airborne Division.
Most glider descents were ``controlled crashes,'' and that
was the case when Senator Thurmond's glider landed in
Normandy. Although he was injured, he managed to safely
lead his men to the 82d Airborne Division headquarters at
daybreak. The 82d went on to accomplish its difficult
objective of seizing and securing key positions in enemy
territory.
I am pleased to report that Senator Thurmond's
distinguished military service will be honored with the
naming of a new section of the Airborne and Special
Operations Museum in Fayetteville, NC. The Thurmond Wing
will house an exhibit dedicated to the courageous combat
gliderman of World War II.
As a Senator, Strom Thurmond has often taken positions
that were not universally supported. Yet one could always
be certain that his decisions were honest. He is
passionate in his beliefs, and his commitment to serving
his constituents has been exemplary. At the end of our
service in the Congress, we, his fellow Senate Members,
can only hope that we will be able to say we have served
our people with the diligence and devotion that Senator
Thurmond has served his people. Indeed, Senator Thurmond
can leave this Chamber and say, with confidence and
without hesitation, that he has faithfully served the
people of South Carolina.
Wednesday, October 2, 2002
TRIBUTE TO STROM THURMOND
Mr. GRAMM. I put a statement in the Record today about
Strom Thurmond. I was busy trying to deal with homeland
security when we had the time to speak on Strom Thurmond.
But I do want to relate one story about Strom, which is in
my statement in the Record. When I was elected, like many
new Senators do, before we went into session I brought my
two sons to the Senate. I guess one of them was about 8
and one of them was about 10--or maybe 10 and 12, I lose
track.
Anyway, we found my desk. So I said to my sons: Do you
all want to sit in my chair? By this time they had looked
around at all of the desks, and they decided they didn't
want to sit in my chair. They wanted to sit in Barry
Goldwater's chair and Strom Thurmond's chair.
I guess at the time my feelings were a little hurt. But
looking back, when I am sitting on the front porch of a
nursing home somewhere and nobody remembers who I am or
what I ever did, I am going to be able to say to myself: I
knew and I served with the great Strom Thurmond. An
absolutely remarkable man, not because he is 100 years
old, in the Senate, but because he is forever young--not
in a physical sense. My God, his physical capacities are
amazing.
I remember one night, it was about 2 in the morning, we
were in session. Senator Byrd was keeping us here to
debate something. I was dog tired. I was talking to Strom,
and he was lamenting that his brother had died because he
hadn't taken care of himself and burned the candle at both
ends.
I said to Strom: How old was your brother? He was 89
years old. But to Strom, that was not taking care of
yourself.
The amazing thing about Strom Thurmond's eternal youth
is not physical, it is mental. This is a man in his long
career who could learn new lessons. This is a man who is
not ashamed to say: I am not as ignorant as I used to be.
This is a man who could admit to changing his mind.
We are in the only profession where people look down on
you if you learn something; that somehow you are
inconsistent if you thought one way one day and you
acquire more information and you change your mind.
The most amazing thing about Strom Thurmond to me is
that through all of his public service, from supreme court
justice in South Carolina, from superintendent of schools
to general in the Army on D-day. We all know the story
about one of our colleagues going over with President
Reagan and saying to Strom he should have been there at
Normandy, and Strom said he was there. And he was there
when it counted, on June 6, 1944. It is that eternal
youth, that ability to learn something new, to have a new
perspective and to change that makes Strom Thurmond the
most remarkable person with whom I have served.
TRIBUTE TO SENATOR STROM THURMOND
Mr. MURKOWSKI. I think it is important as we see our
friends depart from this body to talk about what is
outstanding in our own minds relative to their
contributions. One could go on at great length relative to
the contributions of Senator Strom Thurmond. But one of
the things outstanding in my mind is the tours that
Senator Thurmond used to give when we had a social event
here in the Capitol. Upon the conclusion of the event, he
would offer to take at least some of the guests on a night
tour of the Capitol. He would recite instances that
occurred 30, 40, 50, and almost 200 years ago relative to
the sacred surroundings and the old chamber where the
Supreme Court originally was here in the Capitol, and
reflect humorous stories of who sat where and what their
personal traits might be.
Looking back on my 22 years in the Senate, I treasure
those moments. My wife Nancy and I have often talked about
them. Unfortunately, his health does not allow him to
conduct those tours anymore, but for those who were
fortunate enough to share a few moments of his humor on
those tours, the historical references, his magnificent
memory, the reference to the uniqueness of the Senate, and
the outstanding highlights of the various careers of those
who have come and gone made it truly a memorable
experience.
TRIBUTES TO STROM THURMOND
Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. Mr. President, I rise to
congratulate Senator Strom Thurmond on his remarkable
tenure as a U.S. Senator.
As a history teacher, I taught my students about Senator
Thurmond. As a Congressman, I always admired Senator
Thurmond's leadership and his willingness to speak out for
his beliefs. As a Senator, it has been an honor to serve
with Senator Thurmond.
He is a true patriot, a true civil servant. He has
served his country in countless ways, and in every case,
he has pursued this service with vigor.
He showed his dedication to the United States by serving
in the Army during World War II. Senator Thurmond
originally signed up for an administrative position, but
he eventually went to both the European and Pacific
theaters.
He served with the storied 82d Airborne Division and
landed in Normandy on D-day. His combat service earned him
18 citations, including the Bronze Star for valor, a
Purple Heart, the Belgian Order of the Crown, and the
French Croix de Guerre. He continued his military career
as a major general of the U.S. Army Reserve. He also acted
as national president of the Reserve Officers Association.
It is easy to forget this heroism, because it was so
long ago and he has accomplished so much since then. For
me, as a veteran, and as someone who lost his father in
service to his country, I believe we each owe Senator
Thurmond our gratitude for his courage in his military
service.
Senator Thurmond was first elected to the Senate 48
years ago. It was then, in 1954, that the people of South
Carolina elected Senator Thurmond by a write-in vote, the
only time in history that this has ever happened.
However, Senator Thurmond had made his mark well before
he was elected to the Senate. He showed his dedication to
South Carolina by serving as city and county attorney,
State senator, circuit judge, and Governor.
As a former teacher, coach, and school board chairman, I
believe there is no more noble public service than
teaching. Between heroic military service and a half
century of political service, Strom Thurmond managed to
set aside time to teach future generations.
He was a teacher in South Carolina. He was also an
athletic coach. He later went on to serve as the
superintendent of education for Edgefield County, SC.
As a U.S. Senator, Strom Thurmond has accomplished
numerous achievements. As you all may know, in 1996,
Senator Thurmond became the oldest serving Senator in
history. A few months later he became the longest-serving
Senator in U.S. history.
In 1998 Senator Thurmond cast his 15,000th vote on the
Senate floor. While these milestones are significant, it
is what he did with this time that makes these records
important.
Senator Thurmond well remembers the great baseball Hall
of Famer Lou Gehrig. They used to call him the Iron Horse.
He never missed a game. He always gave 100 percent. He was
the essence of sportsmanship.
Strom Thurmond is the Iron Horse of the Senate. He is
the essence of statesman, of public servant. He has given
100 percent for his entire career, and those of us who are
privileged to know him draw energy and inspiration from
his example.
I will always remember any time I came in early in the
morning to open the Senate. It was always Senator Thurmond
presiding. As President pro tempore, he did not have to do
that. He could appoint someone else to do it. But that's
just how Strom Thurmond is. It is part of his character.
Of course, I have always admired his dedication to his
conservative values. Throughout his life Senator Thurmond
was a Democrat, a Dixiecrat, and a Republican, but most
important he was always a patriot.
His unflinching devotion to his country manifested
itself in his service and chairmanship of the Senate Armed
Services Committee. Moreover, his unflagging dedication to
justice was represented by another chairmanship, that of
the Senate Judiciary Committee. As a Senator who has
served with Senator Thurmond on both of these committees,
I have had the privilege of seeing a great legislator in
action.
As a veteran, I am thankful for all that Senator
Thurmond has done, such as serving on the Veterans'
Affairs Committee for over 30 years. As a former teacher,
I commend his work with the youth of South Carolina when
he was an educator. As a Senator, I admire his
forthrightness and dedication to his principles. As an
American, he makes me proud.
Senator Thurmond, thank you for your many years of
devotion to this country and the ideals that make it
strong.
Mr. GRAMM. There are so many things you could say about
Strom, but there is one thing I can say about Strom
Thurmond that I am certain of and that is, someday I will
proudly tell my grandchildren that I served in the U.S.
Senate with Strom Thurmond. Like that happy band of
brothers who fought with King Harry on St. Crispin's Day,
I will tell my grandchildren how I fought with a great
man, a great leader, to accomplish great deeds.
He has had a profound and lasting impact on our country.
But there is something more remarkable. He is eternally
young. Not just in being a 100-year-old Senator, but young
in the ability to adopt new ideas, to change as
circumstances change, and in the process to grow, even
during the longest tenure in the Senate in history. I love
Strom Thurmond. I admire him, and for my whole life, I
will be proud that I was able to call him colleague and
friend.
TRIBUTE TO SENATOR STROM THURMOND
Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I pay tribute to a colleague
of ours whose career of public service may never be
matched again in the history of our country. My friend
Strom Thurmond sits on the other side of the aisle of the
Senate Chamber, but I consider him a friend with whom I
have worked closely, and I will miss him.
I remember when I was first sworn into the Senate in
January 1975. Because of a tied vote in the State of New
Hampshire that election year, it was a matter that did not
get resolved until we actually went back and did the
election over in the middle of the year. I was the most
junior Member of a 99-Member Senate. We did not have the
Hart Building at the time. We had the Russell Building and
the Dirksen Building, and a couple of us very junior
Members were in basement offices. Senator Garn of Utah,
Senator Laxalt of Nevada, and I were down in the dungeons.
When we were sworn in, I had a small reception down there.
I invited Members of the Senate to come, not thinking that
anybody would actually show up. There were far more
noteworthy people being sworn in that day, some to begin
subsequent terms, others newly elected.
I remember standing there with my mother and father, and
one of the very first people to come through that door was
Strom Thurmond, walking arm in arm with John Stennis of
Mississippi. I remember Strom welcoming me to the Senate
and telling my mother and father I seemed like a nice
young man, and that I might actually have a career ahead
of me.
I note that has been the routine of Strom Thurmond, to
welcome new Senators from either party. He has done it
with hundreds of Senators. This one remembers it well.
We often worked in the field of antitrust laws. We
worked together on the National Cooperative Production
Amendments of 1993, the very first high-technology bill
signed by President Clinton, and to improve the
protections against anticompetitive conduct in the Digital
Performance Right in Sound Recordings Act.
Senator Thurmond has been a legislator. I must admit,
when Senator Thurmond and I have worked together, it has
raised some eyebrows, and when we have introduced
legislation together, some have remarked that either it is
brilliant legislation or one of us has not gotten around
to reading it. But there are so many issues that we did
join together. Of course, there have been occasions when
he and I have sat on opposite sides of an issue, but even
though there were issues about which we felt deeply,
Senator Thurmond always conducted himself with the utmost
integrity. He has always told the Senate how he felt. He
has done so with the people of South Carolina first and
foremost in his mind.
I recall him inviting me down to talk to the Strom
Thurmond Institute at Clemson. He wanted to put on a
debate on economic matters. He had an impartial moderator
from the Heritage Foundation. When I walked in, I saw half
the Republican Party of South Carolina and the Heritage
Foundation. I knew I was to be the sacrificial lamb, and I
was loving every minute of it. When they stated how much
time would be allotted, Senator Thurmond stated he should
have twice as much time as I because I spoke twice as fast
as he did.
We had a very good meeting. I am sure I did not change
his mind, or most of the minds of the audience, on a
couple of issues. We walked out of there arm in arm,
laughing, having a good time. I remember a couple of days
later Strom coming on the floor and slapping me on the
back and saying, I want to thank the King of Vermont, as
he said, for going down with him.
One of the strangest meetings during that time was when
we were in the Senate dining room and I introduced him to
Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead. It was a meeting of
cultures, very different cultures.
I share with Senator Thurmond the distinction of being
from a State that has provided the Senate Judiciary
Committee with three chairmen over the history of the
committee. South Carolina and the State of Vermont have
each had three different people who have shared the Senate
Judiciary Committee. With that in mind, I have always
asked what I call the Strom Thurmond question at judicial
hearings. He has always reminded nominees that the people
and lawyers who appear before them, whatever their
position in the case, whether rich or poor, white or
black, man or woman, whatever their religious or political
affiliation, deserve respect and fairness. He has reminded
everyone of that.
I will miss my friend Strom. He has been named President
pro tempore emeritus for a very good reason.
I have learned much from the senior Senator from South
Carolina. Let me share one additional aspect of Senator
Thurmond's legacy to the Senate as he completes this term
and retires from office. In addition to all his longevity
records and legislative achievements and buildings named
for him, there is something else about him I will always
remember.
When we hold hearings for Federal judges--and we have
held a number this year--I am always careful to carry on a
tradition that Senator Thurmond started. Senator Thurmond
always reminded nominees for high office that it is
essential to treat others with courtesy and respect. He
always reminded nominees that the people and lawyers who
appeared before them, whatever their position in the case,
whether rich or poor, white or black, man or woman,
whatever their religious or political affiliation, they
are each and every one deserving of respect and fairness.
Senator Thurmond was right to remind judges--and even
Senators--of that simple rule. It is another contribution
he has made to all of us that will continue to serve us
well. As I said earlier, I will miss Strom Thurmond. He
has been named President pro tempore emeritus for good
reason.
Thursday, October 3, 2002
TRIBUTE TO SENATOR STROM THURMOND
Mr. BIDEN. Mr. President, what can I say about Strom
Thurmond?
I remember, back in 1981, the Senate Judiciary Committee
had a new chairman--and a new ranking member, and there
were more than a few folks looking forward to the
fireworks.
There was a new conservative Republican administration
and a new Republican majority in the Senate. The Judiciary
Committee seemed destined to be one of the main
ideological battlegrounds over issues that divided us then
and still divide us today.
There were more than a few Washington insiders who
thought that Strom Thurmond, the seasoned veteran
conservative Republican chairman who first made his mark
on the national political scene as an advocate of State's
rights, and Joe Biden, a Northeastern Democrat still in
his thirties whose interest in politics was sparked, in
large measure, by the civil rights movement, would never
find an inch of common ground--not an inch.
But I knew that was not going to be the case. I had
served with Strom for 8 years by then.
I knew his personal strengths and admired them greatly,
regardless of our political differences, and I knew those
strengths would guide us to consensus rather than
gridlock.
I knew with Strom there would be comity--not enmity.
And I knew debate would be civil and constructive rather
than divisive and filled with meaningless partisan
rhetoric.
Strom, as usual, didn't let me down. In his 6 years as
chairman--and for several years after that when we
switched roles--he exceeded my expectations in every way.
There were many heated debates and contentious hearings,
but we weathered them and we weathered the kinds of
controversies which I've seen poison the well for other
committees for years afterward.
But that kind of cooperation would not have happened if
it weren't for Strom Thurmond's strength of character.
It would not have happened if he were not, first and
foremost, a gentleman--unfailingly courteous, respectful,
and always dignified.
Strom's word is his bond, and each of us, even the most
partisan political opponents know that, in the heat of
debate, under extraordinary pressure, when the stakes are
exceedingly high, Strom Thurmond will always, always keep
his word.
There's an old Greek proverb that says: ``The old age of
an eagle is better than the youth of a sparrow.''
Well, Strom Thurmond is an eagle among us.
He's been my neighbor in the Russell Building for many
years now. Actually, he has most of the offices around me
so I'd say he is more like the landlord.
He has more seniority in this Chamber than any U.S.
Senator has ever had, and more seniority than most
Americans will ever dream of having. But longevity is not
the measure of a man like Strom Thurmond.
Longevity is a very small part of why we come to this
floor to pay tribute to him today--a tribute he richly
deserves--not only for a long life, but for a grand life,
an accomplished life.
I joke about it sometimes. About the time, for example,
someone came up to him and challenged his strength and his
tenacity and--right there--Strom took off his coat and
started doing pushups.
He has lived long and he has lived well. He has served
his country well. And, more than any other public figure,
he has been a constant force in this Nation for the better
part of a century. Never stopping. Never giving up. Always
fighting for his beliefs. Unequivocally. Unashamedly.
Whether it was his independent run for President 54
years ago, or serving the people of South Carolina as
superintendent for education of Edgefield County, a city
and county attorney, a State senator, a circuit court
judge, Governor, or U.S. Senator--he has been truly,
sincerely, honorably, one of America's most engaged,
committed, and enduring public servants.
He was born back in 1902. It was not until a year later
that the Wright brothers flew the first powered flight. He
was 6 when Henry Ford introduced the Model T.
He received his degree from Clemson 1 year after the
Yankees signed Babe Ruth.
When Strom joined the army, Calvin Coolidge was elected
President.
The Golden Gate Bridge was completed the year Strom was
elected to the State senate.
Judging from that timeline, you might conclude that
American legends tend to lead somewhat parallel lives.
There is no doubt that Strom Thurmond is an American
legend.
He served only one term as a State senator, but in that
one term most people don't realize he became an education
Senator, raising teachers' pay and extending the school
year.
Not to mention the fact that he sponsored South
Carolina's first Rural Electrification Act.
Legend has it that when the United States declared war
against Germany--Strom was a circuit court judge at the
time--he literally took off his robes and volunteered for
active duty that day.
He went on to earn 5 battle stars, 18 decorations,
medals, and awards--the Legion of Merit with oakleaf
cluster, the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star Medal for
valor, the Belgian Order of the Crown and the French Croix
de Guerre.
Then, in 1947, he was elected Governor of South
Carolina. He added 60,000 new private sector jobs; paved
4,100 miles of farm-to-market roads; raised teachers' pay
again; started a trade and technical education system; and
lowered property taxes. Not a bad record. But Strom was
not done.
He was elected to this Chamber in 1954. I have been here
for 30 years. I consider that to be quite a long time but
Strom arrived 18 years earlier. Strom came the hard way.
He was a write-in candidate.
I believe he has the distinction of being the first
person to be elected to a national office that way.
It wasn't long before he became an expert on the
military and an advocate for a strong national defense.
He's been on the Armed Services Committee since the
Eisenhower administration--1959.
He was a Democrat back then. We could use you again now,
Senator.
But seriously, Strom held to his convictions about a
strong military and, in 1964, said the Republican Party
more closely represented his views, so he switched and,
when he did, changed the future of South Carolina
politics.
Strom and I may disagree on most issues, but, the fact
is, it was Strom Thurmond who, one way or another, helped
shape the debate on many of those issues for the better
part of the last century.
A long life is the gift of a benevolent God, but a long
life with a powerful and lasting impact is the treasure of
a grateful Nation.
He has had that kind of impact, and we are grateful.
His achievements, his list of awards, the many schools
and buildings named for him--too many to enumerate here--
are only a small tribute to a man who has done in 100
years more than most of us could accomplish in 1,000
years. And, the truth is, most of us wouldn't have the
energy to even try.
The real beneficiaries of Strom Thurmond's legacy are
the citizens of South Carolina.
Not since the days of John C. Calhoun has South Carolina
enjoyed such memorable representation as it does today
with Senator Thurmond and Senator Hollings.
From his own reflections and experiences, Calhoun wrote
the famous Disquisition on Government. Some political
scientists have said that essay is a key to modern
American politics, a handbook for defending against the
tyranny of the majority, and for building pragmatic
coalitions.
In that work, Calhoun wanted to maintain the
Constitutional rights of States, and the delicate
relationship between Federal and State powers.
Strom Thurmond wears the mantle of that heritage.
Some years back, Senator Thurmond was quoted as saying,
``The Constitution means today exactly what it meant in
1787 or it means nothing at all.''
Armed with that conviction all of his life, he's been an
able advocate of State's rights--the balance of power
between branches of government--individual rights against
government prerogatives and usurpations--private
enterprise--decentralized government--and strict
Constitutional interpretation.
He has not only been a successful politician who helped
shape the last century, but a political philosopher with
whom I do not always agree, but for whom I have the
deepest respect.
Let me tell you one of my most memorable stories about
Strom.
It was when we went down to the White House to try to
convince President Reagan to sign a crime bill.
President Reagan was in the beginning of his second
term. We sat in that Cabinet Room. We were on one side of
the table and William French Smith, Ed Meese, and someone
else, I can't recall whom, were on the other side.
The President walked in and sat down between Strom and
me. We told him why we thought he should sign the bill,
why it was important for him to sign it.
At first, the President looked like he was thinking
about it, and then, to the shock of everyone on the other
side of the table, he began to look like he was being
convinced--that he actually might sign it.--This is
absolutely a true story.
Ed Meese stood up at that point. He looked at us and
then he looked at the President and said. ``Mr. President,
it's time to go.''
The President hesitated. He looked over at Strom and
nodded as if he wanted to hear more. But Ed Meese said
again, ``Mr. President, it's time to go.''
At that point, the President made a motion to get up,
and Strom reached over and put his hand firmly on the
President's arm. He grabbed it and pulled him back down
and said, ``Mr. President, the one thing you got to know
about Washington is that when you get as old as I am, you
want to get things done, you have to compromise.''
There was Ronald Reagan, not that much younger than
Strom, and there was Strom, smiling, making the President
laugh. And there was Ed Meese not looking very happy as
Strom talked the President into his position.
That's a remarkable ability, and it works for Strom
because people always know where his heart is. They know
what his objective is.
People know that he believes what he says and says what
he believes, and it's real and it is honest.
One more personal story that I will never forget. It was
during a contentious hearing on a Supreme Court Justice
and a difficult time in my career. Strom and I disagreed
on the nominee. And I was being blasted in the press back
in 1988.
I called a meeting of the entire committee and said that
if the accusations relevant to me were getting in the way
of the work of the committee, I would resign as chairman.
But before I could get the last word out of my mouth,
Strom stood up. ``That's ridiculous,'' he said. ``You stay
as chairman. We all have confidence in you.''
I said, ``Don't you want me to explain?''
And Strom said, ``There's no need to explain. We know
you.''
I will never forget what he said that day.
I have told this story before, but to this day, I can't
think of many other people who would, having a significant
political advantage, not only not take it, but stand by
me. That's the Strom Thurmond I know and will always
admire.
I have been honored to work with him, privileged to
serve with him, and proud to call him my friend. As I said
earlier: A long life may well be the gift of a benevolent
God, but a long life with an impact as powerful and
lasting as his is the treasure of a grateful Nation.
Strom Thurmond is, without doubt, an American treasure.
The truth of the matter is that his longevity lies in
his strength of character, his absolute honesty and
integrity, his sense of fairness, his civility and dignity
as a gentleman, and his commitment to public service.
None of these things are skills you learn. They are
qualities that burn deep within leaders like Strom
Thurmond. And people who know him well can sense them.
The measure of Strom Thurmond is not how long he has
lived or how long he has served, but the good he has done,
the record of success he has achieved, and the standard of
leadership he has set.
The truth is that Strom's ongoing legacy is not about
time, it is about extraordinary leadership and dedicated
service to the people of South Carolina and the Nation.
And for that we say, ``Thank you, Strom, and 100 more.''
Friday, October 4, 2002
SENATOR STROM THURMOND: STATESMAN, PATRIOT, LEADER
Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, last week, several Senators
spoke during morning business one day about our
distinguished colleague from South Carolina, Senator
Thurmond. Long before I came to the Senate, I myself spoke
many times on television editorials commending Senator
Thurmond.
He was then, and is today, even more of a genuine
American patriot than when I was in Raleigh never dreaming
that I would one day be a colleague to Senator Thurmond in
the Senate.
Trying to capture the essence of Strom Thurmond in a
relatively few words of tribute is impossible. Who can
adequately describe his firm handshake, his unmistakable
South Carolina cadence, or his almost superhuman capacity
for work? How can one convey the explosive energy Strom
Thurmond has carried anytime he walks into a room?
The sheer breadth of experience Strom Thurmond brings to
the Senate boggles the mind: Born in 1902, he served South
Carolina as State senator, as a circuit judge, as Governor
and as U.S. Senator.
He voted for Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1932, and more
than 50 years later, voted for Ronald Reagan in 1984. He
ran for President against Harry Truman in 1948 and
actively participated in Bill Clinton's impeachment trial
in 1999.
When the Army told him he was too old to fight in World
War II, he managed to obtain an age waiver to participate
in the fighting. Then, in typical Strom Thurmond fashion,
he landed with the 82d Airborne Division in Normandy on D-
day. Small wonder that Fort Bragg recently honored him by
christening its newest building the Major General Strom
Thurmond Strategic Deployment Facility.
My simple references to Strom Thurmond's accomplishments
fail to convey the historic legacy he will leave in the
Senate. In 1997 Strom became the longest-serving Senator
in the history of the institution, but he was the
quintessential Senator long before he officially assumed
that honor.
Senator Thurmond had great influence on my decision in
1972 to become a candidate for the Senate from North
Carolina. He came to Raleigh many times urging me to run,
and countless others to support me.
Every time he came, he told me again that if I would
just run for the Senate, he would come to North Carolina
frequently to campaign for me.
I decided to run because thanks to Senator Thurmond,
there were many urging me to do it. And, sure enough,
there he came, down from Washington to Raleigh, to help
me. Again and again he came.
He was a fellow Southerner, and like me, he was a
Democrat who had converted to the Republican Party. In
those days, there were not a lot of Republicans in North
and South Carolina, but Strom was determined to change
that. And I might add, parenthetically, that no single
individual, with the possible exception of Ronald Reagan,
has done more to build the Republican Party in the South
than Strom Thurmond.
Senator Thurmond knows how much I admire and respect
him. He knows how grateful I am for his enormously helpful
trips to North Carolina where we stood together, day after
day, night after night, urging the people of North
Carolina to send Helms to Washington to help Strom
Thurmond.
I am proud to say, that Strom Thurmond became one of the
best friends I have ever had, and one of the finest men I
have ever known. He tutored me in the intricacies of the
Senate and its traditions, the personal dedication the job
requires, and the genuine commitment Senators owe to their
constituents.
Some years ago, Strom paid me the ultimate honor of
asking me to serve as godfather to his newborn daughter.
Today, Julie Thurmond Whitmer is a beautiful young woman,
and the pride I take in her is exceeded only by her
father.
One final note, I owe Senator Thurmond my eternal
gratitude for a favor he did for me.
When I arrived in the Senate, I was searching for young
people to help me with my Senate responsibilities. Senator
Thurmond referred a wonderfully smart, principled, and
competent young lady for my staff.
After 30 years of working with, and for, the
irreplaceable Mrs. Pat Devine, I can genuinely say that
her presence among the ``Helms Senate family'' is the
finest helping hand Strom Thurmond could possibly extend
to me.
Senator Thurmond watched over her protectively, and he
often jokingly needled me about how I had ``stolen away
his redhead.''
The Senate simply will never be the same without Senator
Thurmond sitting tall and straight at his desk, serving
the people of South Carolina and the country he loves.
He is a true friend, a great statesman, and a blessing
to all who cherish the strength of statesmen like J. Strom
Thurmond. He is a great patriot. He is my friend and I am
his. This is a stronger and greater country because of his
service and his dedication to the principles that made
America great from the beginning.
Tuesday, October 8, 2002
TRIBUTE TO MAJOR GENERAL STROM THURMOND
Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, throughout America's history,
our Nation has been blessed with leaders of rare courage,
character, and conviction. The Senate for almost half a
century has been fortunate to count among its members an
especially remarkable individual, Senator Strom Thurmond.
Earlier, I joined in paying tribute to Senator
Thurmond's unparalleled record of public service both to
his country and to his beloved citizens of South Carolina.
His extraordinary record of service spans almost 80 years.
We should also recall another aspect of service to his
country--Senator Thurmond's heroic and selfless record of
military service.
His distinguished military career spanned more than 3
decades, commencing shortly after his 21st birthday when
he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army
Reserve. When he retired in 1965, Senator Thurmond had
risen to the rank of major general, the highest rank then
available to a Reserve officer.
Inasmuch as he was serving as a South Carolina circuit
judge at the outset of World War II, Mr. Thurmond was
exempt from military service. But then-First Lieutenant
Thurmond did not hesitate: he volunteered for duty the day
the U.S. declared war against Germany, receiving a
commission in the active Army and becoming a member of the
First U.S. Army.
While serving in the European theater, Strom served in
all battles of the First Army, fighting through France,
Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg, Czechoslovakia, and Germany.
A lieutenant colonel at the time of the Normandy
invasion--Strom volunteered for temporary duty with the
All-American Division, North Carolina's 82d Airborne, with
whom he would land on the first day of the invasion.
Senator Thurmond once recounted this experience with the
82d:
On May 23, they informed us that they needed Civil
Affairs officers for temporary duty with the 82d Airborne.
Three of us volunteered. . . . On May 29, our units headed
for an airfield near Newbury, where the three of us were
briefed, given final instructions, and assigned to various
gliders. We were to arrive with the 82d in France on D-
day, June 6. The primary mission of the 82d and the 101st
Airborne Divisions was to keep enemy reinforcements from
the invasion beaches. One fifth of the American airborne
soldiers were killed or wounded that day, but we succeeded
in accomplishing our mission.
After we crossed the coastline of France we were
subjected to heavy anti-aircraft fire, and soon thereafter
the tow plane cut us loose. Well, after that, we lost
altitude fast. All I could see rushing toward us were
fields full of fences and trees and crooked up gliders. As
we came in to land, we hit a tree and tore off one of our
wings. The crash threw us into another tree, and that
clipped off our other wing. What was left of us kept going
until it plowed into a fence. We had crash landed into an
apple orchard.
We had landed within the German lines and as soon as we
touched the ground we were hit with enemy fire. I headed a
reconnaissance party with personnel from my glider to
locate a command post. I borrowed a jeep from an officer
of the 4th Infantry Division and made a reconnaissance of
other nearby gliders, trying to assist injured personnel
in getting to the rendevous. As soon as we had
consolidated the group and set up a temporary camp, we
started to dig foxholes. We were still being shelled, but
not as heavily, along with [receiving] small arms fire. I
had busted up my left knee when the glider had landed, so
once we had taken care of more urgent matters, I had the
medics patch me up.
With typical humility, Senator Thurmond failed to note
that he was awarded a Purple Heart for his injuries that
day. In addition, he has been the recipient of numerous
other decorations for heroism and valor, including 5
battle stars and 18 decorations, the Legion of Merit with
oakleaf cluster, the Bronze Star Medal with V device, the
Belgian Order of the Crown, and the French Croix de
Guerre.
In an effort to honor all soldiers of the 82d Airborne
and to acknowledge the spirit and actions of Major General
Strom Thurmond during his military career, I wrote to the
Secretary of the Army this past April. My request was that
Fort Bragg's new 82d Airborne Division Strategic
Deployment Facility--a key complex ensuring that Fort
Bragg will serve as the Army's principal power projection
platform for years to come--be named in honor of Major
General Strom Thurmond.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of
my letter of April 19, 2002, and the Department of the
Army's response of June 4, 2002, be printed in the Record.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so
ordered.
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC, April 19, 2002.
Hon. Thomas E. White,
Secretary of the Army, 101 Army Pentagon, Room 3E700,
Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Secretary: The Honorable Strom Thurmond has
established an unparalleled record of public service
during his almost 48 years in the United States Senate.
For the past 29 years, it has been my privilege to serve
as a colleague of Senator Thurmond's. During that time,
his leadership, dedication, and integrity have served as a
source of personal inspiration.
As Strom will soon be retiring from the Senate, I expect
there to be a number of tributes and dedications honoring
various aspects of his unprecedented service to our
country. I would like to ensure that his 36 years of
dedicated service to the United States Army are also
recognized in an appropriate manner.
As you are probably aware, Strom's remarkable record of
service to the Army began in 1924 when he was commissioned
a Second Lieutenant in the Infantry. An Army Reserve First
Lieutenant on the eve of World War II, Strom volunteered
for an active Army commission on the day the United States
entered the war against Germany (in spite of the fact that
his duties as a South Carolina circuit judge exempted him
from deployment). After receiving his commission, Lt.
Thurmond became a member of the First U.S. Army where he
would subsequently be attached to Fort Bragg's own 82d
Airborne Division for the Invasion of Normandy. It was
during that operation that he sustained an injury that led
to the eventual award of a Purple Heart.
As a gesture of our country's gratitude for his
remarkable military and public careers and as an
inspiration to the soldiers who will pass through it in
defense of our nation, I request that the Army dedicate
the soon to be completed 82d Airborne Division Deployment
Staging Complex adjacent to Pope Air Force Base's Green
Ramp as the ``Major General Strom Thurmond Airborne
Operations Center.''
So dedicating this premier facility, designed by the
Army and the Air Force to ensure that Fort Bragg and Pope
AFB will function as the Army's leading Power Projection
Platform for many years to come, will serve as both an
appropriate tribute to Strom Thurmond's immeasurable
contributions in service to our country and as an
inspiration to the courageous young men and women who have
committed their lives to the security of our Nation.
Mr. Secretary, I will appreciate your expeditious
consideration of my proposal as I am told that the
facility is expected to open in July. If you have any
questions, please do not hesitate to call me or David
Whitney of my staff.
Many thanks.
Sincerely,
Jesse.
------------------
Department of the Army,
Office of the Assistant Secretary
of the Army,
Washington, DC, June 4, 2002.
Hon. Jesse Helms,
Senate, Washington, DC.
Dear Senator Helms: Thank you for your recent letter to
the Secretary of the Army, proposing the soon to be
completed 82d Airborne Division Deployment Staging Complex
at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, be named in honor of
Senator Strom Thurmond.
Senator Thurmond's distinguished record of almost 48
years in the Senate, coupled with his military service and
heroic actions in the line of duty during World War II,
merit recognition. The package recommending that the
Secretary of the Army grant an exception to policy
permitting the requested naming has been prepared and is
being expeditiously processed.
Thank you for your efforts to gain recognition for
Senator Thurmond for his long and distinguished service to
our Nation.
Sincerely,
Joseph W. Whitaker,
Deputy Assistant Secretary
of the Army
(Installations and
Housing), OASA (I&E).
Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, needless to say, I am grateful
to have received the Army's positive response and in
September a ceremony was held at the green ramp at Pope
Air Force Base, adjacent to Fort Bragg. More than 200
gathered to dedicate a premier facility, to honor the 82d
Airborne, and to pay tribute to Major General Thurmond's
exemplary contributions as a soldier and a statesman.
On that occasion, many fine tributes were spoken. I was
particularly moved, though, by the words of the Under
Secretary of the Army, the Honorable Les Brownlee. As a
result of his distinguished service as majority staff
director of the Senate Armed Services Committee, where he
served under both Senators Thurmond and Warner, Secretary
Brownlee is well-known to many Senators.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Secretary
Brownlee's remarks from the September 16 dedication and a
copy of a document ``Thurmond Military Service Record'' be
printed in the Record.
Remarks by Hon. Les Brownlee, Under Secretary of the Army
at Dedication Ceremony, MG Strom Thurmond Strategic
Deployment Facility, Pope AFB, NC, September 16, 2002
Congressman Hayes, thank you very much for your very
enthusiastic remarks to our soldiers here in the 82d
Airborne Division.
I hope you forgive me if I don't mention everybody's
name again, since they have been mentioned a number of
times already. But I did want to recognize the soldiers of
the 82d Airborne Division and the airmen of the 43d
Airlift Wing who are here today and who I know will enjoy
the benefits of this marvelous facility.
I also wanted to recognize that not only did Congressman
Hayes play a pivotal role in this facility but Senator
Helms and his staff did as well, and I know that Senator
Helms insisted that this facility be named for his
colleague, Senator Strom Thurmond.
This year we will lose two giants out of the Senate.
Senator Thurmond and Senator Helms will complete their
tenure in the Senate this year but they will be sorely
missed by the Nation.
I want to recognize also the great work that was done by
everyone concerned in achieving this marvelous facility.
It is truly a wonderful example of the jointness and
cooperation that exists between the Army and the Air
Force, and I want to recognize and express our
appreciation to our Air Force comrades in arms.
I'm going also to pay a special tribute here to Mr. Duke
Short, chief of staff at the current time to Senator
Thurmond for almost 30 years. But more important, as a
lieutenant he was assigned to the 82d Airborne Division
and served here at Fort Bragg. Duke, please stand. Please
join me in giving Duke a big round of applause for his
many years of outstanding service to the Nation and to
Senator Thurmond.
I spent some time last week with Senator Thurmond and
remarked that I was planning to borrow Duke Short from him
for a few hours so that he could participate in this
dedication ceremony. In typical Strom Thurmond fashion he
didn't blink an eye as he deadpanned ``that's fine . . .
just bring him back.''
As many of you know, I have had the distinct honor and
privilege of working directly for Senator Thurmond for
many years on the Senate Armed Services Committee, so I
feel especially grateful for the opportunity to say a few
words today. Senator Thurmond has been, and continues to
be, an inspiration for us all and I am certain he is both
honored and humbled by the dedication of this facility in
his name.
Pay particular notice that this facility is dedicated to
Major General Strom Thurmond--not Senator Thurmond. This
is significant as it recognizes his military career and
accomplishments. But let's also take note of the
extraordinary list of important positions Strom Thurmond
has held throughout his life: superintendent of education
for Edgefield County, South Carolina State senator,
circuit judge of South Carolina, Governor of South
Carolina, candidate for President of the United States,
U.S. Senator where he served as chairman of the Armed
Services, Veterans Affairs, and Judiciary Committees and
as President pro tempore, major general in the Army
Reserve, and the oldest Senator, as well as the longest-
serving senator. On December 5 this year Senator Thurmond
will be 100 years old and still an active Senator. What an
impressive list--what a marvelous life of public service.
In 1924 Strom Thurmond was commissioned as a second
lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserve. During World War II,
although exempt from military service due to both his age
and position as a judge, he took a 4-year leave of absence
from a circuit judgeship in South Carolina in order to
voluntarily serve his country as a soldier. As a 43-year-
old lieutenant colonel he served with the All Americans--
the 82d Airborne--and landed in a glider carrying 8 other
soldiers and a jeep as part of the D-day invasion in
Normandy. His team reinforced parachute troops that landed
earlier that day and collectively routed the German forces
from the town of Ste. Mere-Eglise.
In fact, I remember discussing the glider operations
with Senator Thurmond. Riding a glider into battle is high
adventure, and the usual result was a crash-landing.
That's in fact how Senator Thurmond landed--a terrific
crash that wounded him and destroyed the jeep the glider
was carrying. I asked the Senator how he got out of the
glider and into the battle. He explained that the entire
side of the glider was torn open. ``All you had to do was
to stand up and walk right out the side!''
Four days after landing in the glider Lieutenant Colonel
Thurmond, armed with only a pistol, captured a German
motorcycle and commandeered it for his section's use.
Subsequently, Lieutenant Colonel Thurmond participated
in the liberation of Paris, the Rhine Campaign, and was
among the first Americans to liberate the Buchenwald
concentration camp. As a result of his actions, Strom
Thurmond was awarded the Legion of Merit--the Bronze Star
for valor, the Purple Heart, and five battle stars.
Although the war ended in Europe, General Thurmond didn't
return straight home. He volunteered for and was
transferred to the Pacific Theater at the conclusion of
combat in Europe and was preparing for the final assault
on the Japanese island of Okinawa when the war ended.
In 1959 Senator Thurmond was promoted to the rank of
major general, and retired from the Army Reserve in 1964
after 40 years of active and reserve duty. Senator
Thurmond obviously knows the military, is a stalwart
supporter of the Army, and holds dear to his heart the
soldiers, particularly the paratroopers, of our Army.
At this time I have a letter from Senator Thurmond which
he asked that I read to you this morning:
Dear Friends: I am sorry that I am unable to join you
today as you dedicate the Major General Strom Thurmond
Strategic Deployment Center.
When the Commander-in-Chief needs to project American
military might quickly, he has no better option than the
82d Airborne Division. For more than the past 50 years,
``The All American'' has distinguished itself in military
operations around the world.
I think one of my proudest distinctions as a soldier is
my association with the 82d Airborne Division. A lot of
things have changed over the past 55 years that makes the
paratrooper an even more efficient soldier than he was in
1944. Thank goodness you do not use wooden gliders
anymore. I must confess that my one day only ride in that
particular aircraft is not one of my favorite memories. We
can be proud that today's paratrooper is better equipped,
better trained, better armed and more lethal than the
airborne soldiers of any other generation or army. The
military power that a regiment of 21st century
paratroopers brings to bear in a fight is nothing short of
awe-inspiring to our allies, and nothing less than
terrifying to our enemies.
In addition to advances in weapons and tactics, there
have been considerable changes in quality of life for our
soldiers. Investing in the well-being of our soldiers and
their families is not only a downpayment toward readiness,
but it is simply the right thing to do. The Deployment
Center being dedicated today will give paratroopers a
modern and well-designed power projection platform.
That this facility is being named in my honor is a
recognition that is truly flattering and meaningful. I am
proud of this . . . and I am proud of my affiliation with
the 82d Airborne Division. I am very appreciative of this
distinction and I am always proud to do whatever I can to
help the fine men and women of our Armed Forces.
With best wishes and kindest regards,
Sincerely,
Strom Thurmond.
In December 1996 Senator Thurmond celebrated his 94th
birthday with the 82d Airborne Division. He served as
honorary jumpmaster on a C-141 with the same unit he had
served with in 1944. Senator Thurmond said at the time
that he wanted to parachute into Normandy in 1944 but was
told that he was too old. Then, with his typical style,
Senator Thurmond stated ``Perhaps they will finally let me
jump and I'll get a pair of Airborne wings in celebration
of my 94th birthday!''
Almost 5 years ago I was honored to attend Senator
Thurmond's 95th birthday party. Throughout the party many
friends and well-wishers all remarked to the Senator that
they hoped that they could attend his 100th birthday
party. The Senator looked at each of them and said,
``well, if you eat right, exercise, and take care of
yourself there's no reason why you can't be there.''
This Strategic Deployment Facility is a tremendous
testament to the spirit and tenacity of General and
Senator Thurmond. Strom Thurmond admires courage,
toughness, and perseverance--traits he believes, and I
certainly agree with him, are found in every soldier. The
soldiers who pass through this facility will be the
standard-bearers of our great Nation, and will undoubtedly
live up to the ideals of Strom Thurmond. The soldiers who
train here, the soldiers who will deploy from here, the
soldiers who we send in harm's way, will be better
prepared to meet the challenges of today's environment
because of both this facility and the lifelong dedication
to the Nation rendered by Senator Strom Thurmond--a man
committed to our Nation's security.
We have learned all too well the uncertainty of our
world. The threats to our Nation's interests are more
complex and diverse than at any time in our history. The
stakes are high. The United States must safeguard our
national interests and fulfill our world leadership
responsibilities as well. Today, the U.S. military is
protecting our Nation's interests both on the war front
and on the home front, and the call may come at any time,
day or night, for our valiant troopers to pass through
these portals and answer the call to battle.
As our military forces use this MG Strom Thurmond
Strategic Deployment Facility to protect and defend this
great Nation, I am confident that all of us, military and
civilian, soldier and family member, will always remember
and live up to the words of our President, George W. Bush,
on 14 September last year when he stated: ``America is a
Nation full of good fortune, with so much to be grateful
for. But we are not spared from suffering. In every
generation, the world has produced enemies of human
freedom. They have attacked America, because we are
freedom's home and defender. And the commitment of our
fathers is now the calling of our time.''
A week later President Bush declared: ``We will rally
the world to this cause by our efforts, by our courage. We
will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail.''
The paratroopers who pass through this facility will
never fail us. They will continue to live to the high
standards of courage, valor, and selfless service
demonstrated by Senator Thurmond. I know that our soldiers
of today and the future will draw strength, resolve, and
inspiration from this facility and its namesake, and will
continue to protect the security of this great nation.
God bless each and every one of you and God Bless
America!
----------------------------
Thurmond Military Service Record--January 9, 1924-November
22, 1964
Strom Thurmond began his military career when he was a
Reserve Officers Training Corps cadet at Clemson
Agricultural College from 1919 to 1923. He was appointed
an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve, at the rank of second
lieutenant, on January 9, 1924, and received the rank
advancement to first lieutenant on August 9, 1927. He
enlisted in the Army shortly after the Japanese attack on
Pearl Harbor on December 11, 1941. However, he did not
actually enter the service until April 17, 1942. He
performed various military duties with the military
police, as captain, in the United States until October 26,
1943, when he was assigned to the Civil Affairs Division
(Section G-5) of the headquarters, First Army, as major
and lieutenant colonel, which was formed on October 23,
1943. He worked in the European (England, France, Belgium,
and Germany) and Pacific (Philippines and Japan) theaters,
and participated in the Normandy invasion with the 82d
Airborne Division. Thurmond was awarded 5 battle stars, 18
decorations, medals and awards, including the Legion of
Merit with oakleaf cluster, the Bronze Star with ``V''
device, the Purple Heart, and the French Croix de Guerre.
He took official leave on October 19, 1945, to return to
the South Carolina Circuit Court and was officially
discharged on January 20, 1946, with the rank of
lieutenant colonel. He then joined the U.S. Army Reserve
Corps and also became involved with the Reserve Officers
Association and the Military Government Association.
Thurmond served as the national vice president (July 1953-
June 1954) and president (June 1954-July 1955) of the
Reserve Officers Association and the president (December
1957-c. December 1958) of the Military Government
Association. Thurmond retired at the rank of major general
of the Army Reserves on November 22, 1964, after 40 years
of service in the Armed Forces.
Strom Thurmond served with the Civil Affairs Division
(Section G-5) of the First Army Headquarters during World
War II. The division's mission was to occupy, govern, and
help restore devastated, war-torn countries and their
economies, and usually arrived during large-scale combat
operations. Thurmond studied and used various military
school instruction materials, i.e., military police,
legal, G-5, European geography and history, etc., in
connection with his civil affairs/military government
training and responsibilities. This material covered
numerous directives and rules dealing with civilians,
displaced persons, welfare, finance, background in
formation on Germany and France, etc. Of interest, and
further study, is a report discussing the activities of
the First Army Civil Affairs Division during the D-day
invasion titled, ``Civil Affairs: Soldiers Become
Governors,'' by Harry L. Coles and Albert K. Weinberg[.
It] was published by the Office of the Chief of Military
History, Department of the Army, Washington, DC: GPO, 1964
(SuDoc number D114.7:C49).
From 1946 to 1959 Thurmond used the civil affairs/
military government training material and manuals he
collected, along with prior experience and knowledge, as
he taught basic and advanced officer courses to officers
of the 352d and 360th Military Government Area
Headquarters Units.
From 1948 to 1958 Thurmond was involved with the Reserve
Officers Association and the Military Government
Association in leadership capacities. In particular,
Thurmond served as president of the South Carolina
Department of the Reserve Officers Association and as the
organization's national president and vice president, and
as the national president of the Military Government
Association, mentioned above.
On January 15, 1948, at Fort Jackson, South Carolina,
Lieutenant Colonel Strom Thurmond was promoted to the rank
of colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve (USAR). On February
20, 1955, at Third Army Headquarters, Fort McPherson,
Georgia, Colonel Thurmond was promoted to the rank of
brigadier general in the USAR by General A.R. Bolling. And
on April 25, 1960, at the Pentagon in Washington, DC,
Brigadier General Thurmond was promoted to the rank of
major general in the USAR by General R.V. Lee, U.S. Army
Adjutant General, witnessed by Secretary of the Army
Wilber M. Brucker.
Senator Strom Thurmond (D-SC), as colonel in the USAR,
organized the 360th Military Government Area Headquarters
(MGAH) Unit on October 1, 1950, and commanded it from that
date until January 3, 1954. During the 4 years Colonel
Thurmond commanded the 360th MGAH he received various
commendations including a superior rating by the South
Carolina Military District Headquarters, 3d Army
Headquarters, and Army inspectors from Washington, DC,
rated his the top reserve unit in 3d Army area.
During the last two weeks of October 1956, Senator
Thurmond, as brigadier general in the USAR, accompanied
the Assistant Secretary of Defense, Carter L. Burgess, on
an inspection tour of the Far East. Secretary Burgess was
traveling in dual capacity as Assistant Secretary of
Defense and Vice Chairman of the Defense Advisory
Committee on Professional and Technical Compensation, as a
part of the Gordiner Committee. They visited Air Force and
Army personnel on bases in Alaska, Japan, Okinawa, and
Korea. Senator Thurmond made a special point of greeting
all service men and women from South Carolina during his
visits to each base.
The last two weeks of September 1957, Senator Strom
Thurmond, as brigadier general in the USAR, and
Congressman LeRoy H. Anderson (D-MT), as major general in
the USAR, during their active tours of duty, visited Air
Force and Army personnel at bases in France, Germany, and
Italy. Again, Senator Thurmond made an effort to visit
with service men and women from South Carolina.
From October 25 to November 7, 1959, Senator Strom
Thurmond, as brigadier general in the USAR, attended a 2-
week senior officer's course at the U.S. Army Command &
General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
In November 1962, Senator Thurmond, as a major general
in the USAR, toured U.S., German and Pakistani bases in
Germany and Pakistan with other members of the
Congressional Command & Operations Group consisting of
Members of Congress and their congressional aids. Senator
Ralph W. Yarborough (D-TX), a colonel in the USAR, was a
member of the group as was Captain Harry S. Dent, Senator
Thurmond's administrative assistant.
In January 1964, Senator Thurmond, as a major general in
the USAR, was one of the 84 students enrolled in the
Special Warfare School's Senior Officers Counterinsurgency
& Special Warfare Orientation Course at Fort Bragg, North
Carolina, where he viewed various demonstrations and
presentations including scuba diving.
And in November 1964, prior to his retirement from the
military, Major General Thurmond, again with members of
the USAR Congressional Command & Operations Group,
consisting of Members of Congress and their congressional
aides, visited elements of the Southern European Task
Force in Italy. The purpose of the visit was to become
familiar with the organization and mission of the bi-
national command. During the latter part of his trip with
the active duty group Major General Thurmond also toured
Wheelus Field in Libya.