Tribute to Thurston Esco Womble

TRIBUTE TO THURSTON ESCO WOMBLE

Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, when we dedicated the National World War II Memorial and commemorated the 60th anniversary of D-Day, much was made of the fact that this Nation loses an average of over 1,000 World War II veterans every day. Just last week, we honored the passing of one of the greatest members of that great generation, President Ronald Wilson Reagan.

I want to take this opportunity to recognize the passing of another great member of that great generation, Thurston Esco Womble. When President Reagan spoke at the 40th anniversary of D-Day, he memorably referred to the assembled veterans as "the boys . . ., the heroes who helped end a war." Thurston Womble was one of those boys, one of this Nation's unsung World War II veterans who helped ensure the United States of America maintained its freedom and way of life during a very difficult time in our Nation's history.

Mr. Womble's service began prior to Pearl Harbor, when he enlisted in the Navy in March, 1941. By that October, he had gone through the Metalworkers School in Norfolk, VA. Womble was soon assigned to duty on the U.S.S. Cincinnati (CL-6), engaged in patrol and convoy duty in the western Atlantic and Caribbean, blockading occupied French men-of- war, and searching for German blockade runners.

In November, 1942, Cincinnati assisted in the interception and destruction of the German blockade runner S.S. Annalise Essberger. Although the German crew scuttled their ship, a boarding party reached it in time to take all 63 crew members prisoner before the blockade runner sank. Early in 1944, Cincinnati served as escort flagship for three convoys transporting men and equipment from New York to Belfast in preparation for the invasion of Normandy. She subsequently participated in the assault on Southern France and patrolled South Atlantic shipping lanes until the war in Europe ended.

But Thurston Womble's naval service did not end there. After the war ended, he went back to school at the Philadelphia Navy Yard and graduated as a boilerman. He was then assigned to duty aboard U.S.S. Lake Champlain (CV-39), one of our newly built aircraft carriers assigned to so- called "Magic Carpet" duty, bringing veterans of the European Theater back home. Womble was aboard in November, 1945, when Lake Champlain crossed the Atlantic in 4 days, 8 hours, 51 minutes, a record which held until surpassed by the U.S.S. United States in 1952. He was in charge of lighting off the boilers in Lake Champlain's #1 Fireroom for that historic transit.

On February 18, 1950, in Quincy, MA, Womble married Olive Bates Merrill. They became the parents of Noreen, who is a high school teacher in Inverness, FL, and Eric, who served as my national security adviser and military legislative assistant for 7 years.

In the years after World War II, through the Korean Conflict, and up until 1960, Womble served on a veritable parade of U.S. Naval vessels: U.S.S. Beverly W. Reid (APD-119), U.S.S. Houston (CL-81), U.S.S. Fargo (CL-106), U.S.S. Bataan (CVL-29), U.S.S. San Marcos (LSD-25), U.S.S. Fort Mandan (LSD-21), U.S.S. Laning (APD-55), and finally, U.S.S. Saratoga (CVA-60).

Womble rose in rank and responsibility to become a Boiler Technician Chief Petty Officer and Leading Chief of the Boilers Division aboard Saratoga. His commanding officers repeatedly cited, not only his mechanical abilities and technical skills, but his energy, enthusiasm, and his outstanding and inspirational leadership in performing tasks "not previously considered within the capacity of ship's force personnel." Truer words were never spoken than in 1960, when his commanding officer wrote, "The Navy will realize a great loss when Womble retires this coming August." That was when Womble became a fleet reservist and started a second career.

Womble's Navy career probably wasn't what his parents, Huey Clayton and Thelma Esco expected when he was born in Autauga County, AL, on August 16, 1922. But the experience of being raised in rural Alabama in a close knit family taught Thurston the values that carried him through a long and honorable Naval career.

Following his active-duty service, he enrolled in Jones College in Jacksonville, FL, to study business management and worked 13 years in Mobile, AL, as the representative for the Royal Insurance Companies, specializing in employee protection and workplace safety. In 1980, he became Sales Manager and Quality Control Manager for G&V Industrial Contractors, also in Mobile, AL. Thurston then served as Director and Chief Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspector for my home State of Mississippi. All in all, it seems clear to me that Womble carried his experience as the son of a carpenter, fisherman and farmer, as well as his devotion to his Navy shipmates, into a career of devoted and humble service to the people and communities in Mississippi and Alabama.

During an active and reserve career that spanned 30 years, Thurston was awarded the Navy Occupation Medal; European Clasp, American Defense Service Medal; American Area Campaign Medal; European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal; World War II Victory Medal; Korean Service Medal; National Defense Service Medal; and six Good Conduct Awards.

Thurston Womble's final days where spent with the family and friends he loved so much-and doing what he enjoyed most, golfing and fishing. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Olive, their children, Noreen and Eric, Eric's wife Wendy and grandchildren, Melissa and Matthew. I extend my sincere condolences to the entire Womble family on their loss. I also want to thank Thurston for his dedicated service to our country and for setting an example that the rest of us can only hope to emulate; our great Nation owes him a debt of gratitude.