Honoring a Hometown Hero

One of the things I love most about serving in public office is the ability to honor incredible heroes who live and work in our communities. Just a few weeks ago, I learned that one of these people, Mr. Fred Randle, was a long-time Hot Springs resident who was part of Merrill's Marauders during WWII.

Merrill's Marauders were U.S. soldiers who fought in the Pacific Theater, using jungle warfare techniques to penetrate deep behind enemy lines. In just five months of combat, the Marauders had advanced 720 miles through some of the harshest jungle terrain in the world. Upon return, each man in the unit was awarded a Bronze Star.

Earlier this year, I supported the Merrill's Marauders Congressional Gold Medal Act, which would give each living Marauder a gold medal in the Smithsonian. President Trump signed the bill into law in October, but at the time I didn't realize that one of these men was still living in Arkansas. Through the efforts of a liaison officer, Mr. Randle was found and added to the list of only nine living Merrill's Marauders in the United States. He had written a book, "Hell on Land, Disaster at Sea - the Story of Merrill's Marauders and the Sinking of the Rhona." Mr. Randle witnessed the sinking of this ship in 1943, and was one of a handful of men with the Marauders who had been sworn to secrecy about the sinking for 57 years since it was caused by the world's first guided missile.

Mr. Randle passed away at the age of 97 on Nov. 23, 2020, but before he did, we were able to contact him and his family and let them know about the Congressional Gold Medal that will be placed in the Smithsonian. In the words of his family, "He loved the Lord and the United States flag." In this season of thanksgiving, I'm grateful for our heroes who fight and have fought to defend our freedom. We will never forget.