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[Page H5042]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING THE LIFE OF PRIVATE FIRST CLASS WILLIAM HOOVER JONES
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from
North Carolina (Mr. Butterfield) for 5 minutes.
Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, at World Tabernacle Church
in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, I had one of the highest honors in my
life, to speak at the funeral service for Private First Class William
Hoover Jones who served in the Korean war.
He went missing on 26 November 1950. His remains were recently
returned to U.S. soil by the North Koreans. The funeral service was
handled by H.D. Pope Funeral Home, and he will be interred at Arlington
National Cemetery on August 22 of this year with full military rites.
Mr. Speaker, with your permission, I will read into the Record my
remarks from the funeral:
``As Representative for North Carolina's First Congressional
District, please allow me to extend official condolences to this family
on behalf of the President and Congress of the United States of
America.
``PFC William Hoover Jones gave his young life on the battlefield on
foreign soil in defense of our country as part of the historic 24th
Infantry Regiment, a Black Army regiment first organized in 1869
following the Civil War.
``Private First Class Jones fought on the front line for the Republic
of South Korea during the Korean war.
``For his service, Private First Class Jones was promoted to private
first class and posthumously awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat
Infantryman Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the National Defense
Service Medal, the Republic of Korean Presidential Unit Citation, and
the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.
``This Nation is indebted to PFC Jones for his service to our country
and for offering the highest sacrifice for freedom. His life.
``PFC Jones was born in Nash County in 1931 at the beginning of the
Great Depression. Life in Nash County during that period was Third
World. Not only did African Americans suffer from second-class
citizenship, but they suffered from extreme poverty. Undoubtedly,
William Hoover Jones wanted a better life.
``On 31 May 1950, at the tender age of 18, Hoover enlisted to serve
for 3 years in the Army, recognizing that he would be deployed to Korea
to engage in a deadly war. I am confident that he volunteered not only
to defend our Nation and our Nation's interests, but to seek a better
future for himself.
``The record reflects that Private Jones was poorly trained as an
infantryman. History reveals that most Black soldiers of that era were
poorly trained. Though his training was incomplete, Private Jones was
deployed to Korea, placed in an all-Black unit, Company E, 2nd
Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment of the 25th Infantry Division.
President Truman had ordered that unit integrated in 1948, but as of
1950, integration in the unit had not occurred.
``The Black soldiers of the 24th Infantry fought valiantly, but the
North Koreans and the Chinese were too fierce and greatly outnumbered
our soldiers.
``The only African American officer serving the 24th Infantry was
Lieutenant Leon Gilbert of York, Pennsylvania. Lieutenant Gilbert led
his soldiers into fierce battles with the enemy near the 38th parallel.
On 1 September 1950, recognizing that the 24th Infantry was literally
on a suicide mission, Lieutenant Gilbert ordered his soldiers off of a
deadly hill. The division's commanding officer directed Lieutenant
Gilbert to return his soldiers to the fight, but he refused.
``Gilbert was court-martialed for his refusal. He was given a death
sentence. After widespread outrage from Black Americans, President
Harry Truman commuted the sentence to 20 years of imprisonment. He
served 5 of those 20 years.
``Because of these events, the 24th Infantry Regiment was disbanded,
but the division was desperately in need of infantry soldiers.
Therefore, the 24th Infantry was reactivated and forced back to the
front line. It was there that PFC Jones went missing on 26 November
1950 at the age of 19 years old.
``He was recovered by the North Koreans, and his remains have been
secreted for the past 68 years. They were returned to American soil
just a few weeks ago. That is the record of PFC Jones and the story of
the 24th Infantry Regiment in the Korean war.
``PFC Jones represents a generation of young African American men who
stood for this country when this country didn't stand for them.
``I thank the Department of Defense for its efforts in recovering and
transporting these remains and enabling this ceremony as we salute an
American hero.
``Finally, I pray solace will be found in knowing that a loved-one's
remains are home. His soul is in Heaven, and he died on the battlefield
with integrity. God bless each of the members of his family.''
Mr. Speaker, I am grateful for the opportunity to honor and recognize
the life and work of Private First Class William Hoover Jones.
____________________