congressional_record: CREC-2026-02-23-pt1-PgE153-5
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| CREC-2026-02-23-pt1-PgE153-5 | 2026-02-23 | 119 | 2 | HONORING THE HEROIC MILITARY SERVICE OF SPECIALIST-5 MANUEL LEE CAMPBELL | HOUSE | EXTENSIONS | HONORING | E153 | E154 | [{"name": "Diana Harshbarger", "role": "speaking"}] | 172 Cong. Rec. E153 | Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 35 (Monday, February 23, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 35 (Monday, February 23, 2026)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages E153-E154] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] HONORING THE HEROIC MILITARY SERVICE OF SPECIALIST-5 MANUEL LEE CAMPBELL _____ HON. DIANA HARSHBARGER of tennessee in the house of representatives Monday, February 23, 2026 Mrs. HARSHBARGER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the valiant military service of Manuel Lee Campbell of Johnson City in Washington County, Tennessee, or simply ``Lee'' for those who know him best. As a partner of the 50th Anniversary Vietnam War Commemoration, I had the honor of recognizing Lee in-person at one of our local ceremonies last year. SP-5 Campbell was drafted by the U.S. Army in September 1966, where he completed Basic Training and Advanced Infantry Training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, and soon received orders to report to Oakland Army Base, [[Page E154]] California for deployment to Vietnam. He arrived at Bien Hoa Airbase, Vietnam and was transported to the 90th Replacement Battalion and then to the 199th Light Infantry Brigade Main Base in March 1967. He served as a Combat Infantry Radio Telephone Operator in Charlie Company, 4th Battalion, 12th Infantry. The company would deploy from base camp to ``the field'' on Eagle Flights by ``Huey'' helicopters and would then set up a Command Post, with most combat missions conducted at the platoon level. SP-5 Campbell has described his duties as endless Search & Destroy patrols through jungles and rice paddies during the day and setting up ambush defensive perimeters with 3-man positions at night. Despite the daunting challenges of the mission, which required contacting the elusive enemy, the Viet Cong (VC) Guerrilla forces, and surviving the ensuing firefights, SP-5 Campbell and the Charlie Company succeeded in gathering vital operations intelligence for the U.S. Army. On July 2, 1967, PFC Campbell was Wounded in Action in a firefight with the VC on a Search & Destroy patrol. For his bravery and sacrifice to our country, PFC Campbell received the Purple Heart. Despite his injury, PFC Campbell remained in Vietnam in service to our great Nation. While assigned to Headquarters Company at the 199th Infantry Brigade Main Base, shortly after midnight on January 30, 1968, SP-4 Campbell witnessed the infamous Tet Offensive begin, where the North Vietnamese Army and the Viet Cong launched a series of well-coordinated attacks on cities, towns, and large military bases all over South Vietnam. SP-4 Campbell courageously served as part of the last line of defense for Brigade Headquarters, and we thank him and his comrades for ensuring our enemy never broke through the Brigade's perimeter defenses. Finally in March 1968, SP-5 Campbell returned to the 90th Replacement Battalion and back to the Bien Hoa Airbase for the flight home. Please stand with me to honor SP-5 Campbell for his bravery and dedication, which will always be treasured by our Nation, our community in East Tennessee, and everyone who knows him. ____________________ |