Recognizing Mr. Frank Bebereia

Floor Speech

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Mr. VALADAO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate Mr. Frank Bebereia on his 100th birthday and thank him for his service to our Nation. Mr. Bebereia was born in Laton, California on February 22nd, 1924 to Emily Gonzalez and Manuel Bebereia. He grew up in the Central Valley and attended Lemoore High School. Following his graduation, Mr. Laton spent time as a farmer in Hanford before being drafted to serve in World War II. After completing Army boot camp in 1945, he was deployed to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater. During his service, Mr. Bebereia was a member of the 43rd Engineer Construction Battalion, 27th Division. He served in Okinawa, Japan as a Heavy Equipment Operator and quickly moved up the leadership ranks--even being promoted to Sergeant after only 7 months of deployment. Mr. Bebereia received in many awards and recognitions to honor his service during the war, including the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Army of Occupation Medal, and Army Good Conduct Medal. His fellow soldiers often spoke about their time serving with Mr. Bebereia, remembering him as a capable, strong, and fearless leader. Mr. Bebereia was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army in 1946. Following his service in the war, Mr. Bebereia returned to the Central Valley where he's spent most of his life. Today, we honor Mr. Bebereia's service to our country, commitment to his family, and dedication to the Kings County community. Mr. Speaker, I ask all my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in honoring the incredible life of Mr. Frank Bebereia and wishing him a happy 100th birthday.

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