[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 6] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page 8389] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]INTRODUCTION OF LEGISLATION TO HONOR WORLD WAR II'S FIRST HERO, CAPTAIN COLIN P. KELLY, JR. ______ HON. ALLEN BOYD of florida in the house of representatives Tuesday, May 4, 1999 Mr. BOYD. Mr. Speaker, today, I introduced a bill to honor World War II's first hero, and fellow Floridian, by designating the post office building in Madison, Florida the Captain Colin P. Kelly, Jr. Post Office. Colin Kelly was born in Monticello, Florida on July 11, 1915. Raised in Madison, Florida he attended Madison High School until his graduation in 1932. In the summer of 1933, Kelly entered West Point, and after graduation in 1937 he was assigned to flight school and a B- 17 group. At the outbreak of WWII, Capt. Kelly, along with other B-17 crews, was ordered to Clark Field, the Philippines. Shortly after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Capt. Kelly and his crew were ordered on a bombing mission to attack the Japanese fleet. After completing their bombing run, Capt. Kelly's plane was attacked by two Japanese fighters while returning to Clark Field. Kelly gave the order to abandon the aircraft but remained at the controls to maintain the plane's elevation so his crew could safely bail out. He did not have time to make his escape and was killed in the line of duty on December 10, 1941. According to Major Kenneth Gantz in a memo for General William Hall dated November 21, 1945, ``Kelly became a hero by circumstances at the time when his country desperately needed a hero.'' Indeed, Kelly was featured in many popular publications of the day and is often considered America's first hero of WWII. In addition, President Roosevelt awarded Capt. Kelly the Distinguished Service Cross posthumously for his actions. The designation of the post office in his hometown of Madison as the Capt. Colin P. Kelly, Jr. Post Office seems a fitting tribute to this patriot, his family, and his legacy. I am proud to honor this American hero. ____________________