Congressional Veteran Commendation for Petty Officer Stephen Lunsford

Floor Speech

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Mr. FALLON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Petty Officer Third Class Stephen Lunsford of Rockwall, Texas, and award him a Congressional Veteran Commendation. PO3 Lunsford honorably served in the United States Navy during the Vietnam War.

PO3 Lunsford comes from a military household and sought to continue his family's tradition of service. In 1961, he joined the Navy and first trained as an Aviation Metalsmith on the A-3B Skywarrior strategic bomber. After being transferred to the Seventh Fleet, he served as a Plane Captain on several aircraft carriers, including the USS Constellation (CV-64), USS Midway (CV-41), and the USS Coral Sea (CV-43). In this role, PO3 Lunsford directed flight operations on the carriers' runway and ensured that F-4 Phantom IIs safely took off for their combat missions. Additionally, he served on the USS Constellation when it sailed to the Gulf of Tonkin to provide air cover for American destroyers that were believed to be attacked by North Vietnamese torpedo boats. For his service, PO3 Lunsford was bestowed the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal and Navy Unit Commendation with bronze star, along with several other awards.

Today, he vividly recalls his experience working on the flight deck of aircraft carriers and that it was an exciting opportunity for someone as young as him to maintain the airworthiness and flight operations of the most advanced aircraft at the time. After his discharge from the Navy, PO3 Lunsford was able to transform the skills he gained in the Navy to successfully operate several businesses, including a nonprofit organization. For the past 40 years, he has served as a deacon at his church and taught Sunday school. PO3 Lunsford has also served as a disaster recovery chaplain and assisted victims of natural disasters. I strongly commend him for his efforts to set a positive example for his family and uplift our community through his generosity.

I am honored to represent PO3 Lunsford in Texas' 4th Congressional District. It is a pleasure to award him the Congressional Veteran Commendation for his service to our Nation and to the people of North Texas.

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