Congratulating Lieutenant Commander Wesley Bessell

Floor Speech

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Mr. EDWARDS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Wesley (Bob) Bessell for being awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in recognition of his service and bravery in the U.S. Merchant Marines during World War II.

Bob began his maritime career at the age of 15, as a member of the crew of the Corsair, an impressive private yacht owned by the J.P. Morgan family. Shortly afterward, he enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard, and it was during his training that America entered World War II. Upon the completion of his training, Bob joined the U.S. Merchant Marines as an Able-Bodied Seaman.

He served as a merchant mariner for more than 4\1/2\ years, which included a deployment on the SS West Hardaway when it was sunk by a torpedo from a German U-boat in 1942. After the U-boat attack, Bob and his fellow sailors took refuge in the small town of Porlamar on Isla de Margarita in Venezuela. The island's inhabitants, though facing their own challenges, extended a warm welcome to the stranded crew, offering them shelter, sustenance and a renewed sense of hope. Bob forged bonds of friendship with the local community, transcending language barriers and cultural differences, and he recalls walking around the island like a rockstar, always surrounded by 10 or 20 smiling faces.

In 1943, Bob completed Officer Candidate School and rose to the rank of a lieutenant commander. It was in the same year, on a mission to deliver documents in Liverpool, England, that Bob met Susan, the British love of his life. Bob still describes their chance encounter in a rainstorm great detail. Amid heavy rain, Susan stood illuminated by single a beam of sunlight. For 3 years, the couple communicated through letters, finding peace in each other's presence amid the chaos of war. Immediately after the war, Bob called Susan and proposed marriage. They were married in a Nissen hut outside the ruins of a bombed English church in 1946. They spent 72 wonderful years together and had three children. They now have 4 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren.

Bob selflessly put his life on the on the line to defend America's freedom during one of its most challenging periods. President Roosevelt famously referred to the Merchant Mariners' mission during World War II as ``the most difficult and dangerous transportation job ever undertaken.

It is my humble privilege to present Bob with the highest honor bestowed by Congress, the Congressional Gold Medal. This award is 1 of numerous honors that Bob has received for his service, including the Atlantic War Zone Medal, the Merchant Marine Combat Bar with Silver Star device, and the World War II Victory Medal.

I congratulate Lieutenant Commander Bessell, on this well-deserved recognition. A grateful Nation thanks him for his service.

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