Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2015

Floor Speech

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Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. I thank you, Chairman Frelinghuysen, for yielding for the purpose of a colloquy.

I want to thank you for your tireless efforts for our Nation's brave servicemen and -women and, just as importantly, for those who served and never made it home. This legislation fully funds the Prisoner of War/Missing in Action Personnel Office account. The hardworking staff over at the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command, or JPAC, work tirelessly to track, locate, and recover these fallen heroes, and I thank them for their continued efforts.

I would like to have a moment to discuss a hero of the Vietnam war. Major Lewis P. Smith III majored in music at Penn State and graduated in 1964. He planned to teach music after his obligation to the Air Force was over.

Upon graduation from Penn State, Smith was trained on the T-38 and C-130 aircraft for the next 3 years, sent to Vietnam, and was assigned to the 20th Tactical Air Support Squadron in Pleiku, South Vietnam.

On May 30, 1968, Smith piloted a Cessna O-2A Skymaster aircraft in Saravane Province, Laos. During the mission, Smith encountered enemy fire, resulting in the crash of his plane.

Electronic signals were heard at the scene, indicating that he had survived the crash, but he was not rescued. Major Smith was listed as missing in action and is honored on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, panel 62W, line 2.

Major Smith's family has been working with the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command to recover his remains. The excavation site in Laos has been on the list for over 2 years, and the trip to excavate the crash site has been postponed twice due to budget pressures and sequestration.

Major Smith's family has reached out to me to help with their efforts to bring Lewis home. While I understand the budget-constrained times, the recovery of fallen servicemembers will bring closure to the families after such a loss.

Mr. Chairman, I ask for your support and urge the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command to schedule the recovery trip to Laos and to bring home Major Lewis Smith's remains to his family and his country.

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