[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 95 (Friday, June 8, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E807]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         HONORING THE LIFE OF SEAMAN 1ST CLASS EDWARD SLAPIKAS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. LOU BARLETTA

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, June 8, 2018

  Mr. BARLETTA. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to recognize the life and 
legacy of Seaman 1st Class Edward Slapikas, who has finally come home 
to rest almost 80 years after his heroic passing.
  Seaman Slapikas was tragically killed in action at the age of 24 
while serving aboard the USS Oklahoma. He was one of 429 crewmen who 
perished on December 7, 1941 during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Seaman 
Slapikas was interred in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, 
where his name was marked as ``unidentified'' on the Walls of the 
Missing.
  Now, 77 years later, Seaman Slapikas' remains have been identified 
thanks to the combined efforts of the Defense Prisoner of War/Missing 
in Action Accounting Agency (DPPA) and Seaman Slapikas' surviving 
family members. Since 2015, the DPPA has provided closure to over 120 
families of fallen servicemen killed aboard the USS Oklahoma.
  The return of Seaman Slapikas marks a momentous occasion, not only 
for the Slapikas family, but also for the community of Wanamie, 
Pennsylvania. The bravery of Seaman Slapikas was commemorated through 
the establishment of the American Legion Post 971, named for Seaman 
Slapikas and Petty Officer Keith Jeffries, a fellow serviceman who 
perished aboard the USS Arizona during the same attack. Seaman 
Slapikas' niece, Ms. Leona Hotko, plans to ensure that her ``favorite 
uncle'' is laid to rest near his childhood home in St. Mary's Cemetery 
in Wanamie.
  Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring the heroic life of Seaman 1st 
Class Edward Slapikas, and posthumously thanking him for his service to 
our great nation.

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