Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi joined Congressional Leadership and other Members of Congress to participate in a virtual Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony honoring the Merrill’s Marauders. Below are the Speaker’s remarks: Speaker Pelosi. Hello. As Speaker of the House, it is my privilege to welcome you all to this celebration of awe-inspiring courage and resilience.
Robert E. Passanisi, who as a 17-year-old doctored his birth certificate in 1942 so that he could join the Army and ended up in Burma as one of Merrill’s Marauders, died on Tuesday at his home in Lindenhurst, N.Y. He was 97.