The publication is reproduced in full below:
RECOGNIZING THE U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY CLASS OF 1970
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HON. STENY H. HOYER
of maryland
in the house of representatives
Friday, August 13, 2021
Mr. HOYER. Madam Speaker, I rise to congratulate the U.S. Naval Academy's Class of 1970 on the fiftieth reunion that it celebrated over the past year. It has been an honor to support the U.S. Naval Academy as the Representative from Maryland's Fifth Congressional District and to nominate outstanding candidates for admission each year from our communities. With the Academy located in our neighboring district, bright and talented students from Fifth District high schools have long been drawn to Annapolis for the next step in their education and service to country and community. The Naval Academy has a proud history of developing excellence in education and shaping the character of its past and present graduates, and it continues to train future leaders of the Navy and of our country. The Class of 1970 exemplifies the high-
quality standards of the Academy and of the Navy, and I know that many of its alumni had been looking forward to celebrating its fiftieth reunion in 2020. Because of the pandemic, however, they could not gather in person last year; thankfully, they are planning to convene this Labor Day weekend.
The U.S. Naval Academy Class of 1970 began its journey as midshipmen in 1966, during the height of the Vietnam War. They stepped up, knowing that after graduation many would be sent into combat as Navy and Marine Corps officers. That it was such a challenging time for our nation and for our military did not deter them; instead, it made them more determined to graduate with honor and serve with distinction.
From their graduation day onward, this class has set a very high standard, with impressive accomplishments and careers. Members of this class fought valiantly in the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, and other conflicts over the past half-century. They served in the air, on land, at sea, and beneath the sea. Members of this class have served at the very highest level of our military, including twenty-seven flag officers--one of whom was Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The class includes six who were appointed as deputy assistant secretaries or above in the federal government. Members have served their local communities as elected officials, and the class also boasts chief executive officers for major corporations, many of which we are all very familiar--such as Pepsico, General Motors, and Amgen. The class also produced a Member of this House, former Rep. Ronald Machtley, and a Member of Congress in the Philippines who later served that country as its National Security Advisor. The Class of 1970 also produced five Academy Distinguished Graduates, tied for the most from any single graduating class.
The U.S. Naval Academy Class of 1970 exemplifies the Navy ethos of
``Honor, Courage, and Commitment.'' These values have defined its graduates' contributions to our country and their dedication to public service. Like many others before and who have followed, they sacrificed through long deployments, separation from loved ones, challenging trials, and tests that most Americans cannot fathom. Some even sacrificed their lives carrying out their missions. I know that new generations of midshipmen and future Navy and Marine Corps officers will be inspired by the rich heritage of service passed down to them by the Class of 1970.
As the U.S. Naval Academy Class of 1970 gathers to mark fifty-one years of service to our nation and to the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Army, and Naval Academy, it is with great pride and pleasure that I offer my congratulations and my thanks for their contributions to the safety and well-being of our country. I hope my colleagues will join me in wishing continued fair winds and following seas to the U.S. Naval Academy Class of 1970.
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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 146
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