HONORING HOWARD KOCH'S 100TH BIRTHDAY

HONORING HOWARD KOCH'S 100TH BIRTHDAY

Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 9 (Thursday, January 16, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 9 (Thursday, January 16, 2025)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages E46-E47] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HONORING HOWARD KOCH'S 100TH BIRTHDAY ______ HON. J. LUIS CORREA of california in the house of representatives Thursday, January 16, 2025 Mr. CORREA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Howard Koch, a World War II and Korean War veteran who is celebrating his 100th birthday on January 19, 2025. Raised in Oakland, California, Koch developed a love of skiing and rock climbing at a young age--skills that would eventually lead to his unique call to service during WWII in the 10th Mountain Division. At 13 years old, Koch learned to ski at the Donner Summit Sugar Bowl Ski Resort, paying for lessons with money he earned from his paper route. His dad would drop him at the Southern Pacific train station and, with rented skis in hand, he would ride up the mountain by himself. He would arrive early in the morning and sleep in the snow until the slopes were open for skiing. Koch soon learned to make his own skis and began his life as an outdoorsman as a member of the Sierra Club. After graduating from high school at 16 years old, Koch attended UC Berkley as a geology/mining engineering major. A natural athlete, Koch played baseball and was a right guard on the football squad. He still remembers winning a game against USC at the Los Angeles Coliseum. By the time he turned 18 in 1943, the United States had been at war for two years and he knew he would be drafted. The military was advertising for volunteers who could ski and rock climb to join a division that, at the time, was called the Ski Troops. Eventually renamed to the 10th Mountain Division, this group was America's only mountain and winter warfare fighting unit. Koch knew this Army unit was where he belonged. He was sent to Camp Hale in Colorado, high in the Rockies to join an elite group of champion skiers, mountain climbers, and European mountaineers for training. In what would be its biggest victory, the 10th completed a night climb on Riva Ridge to land a surprise attack against German troops who were entrenched in the snowy mountains of Italy. After climbing Riva Ridge, a famous battle that is documented in the film ``Fire On The Mountain,'' Koch was field promoted to 1st Lieutenant and went on with his Division to help capture Mount Belvedere. Soon after, Koch became ill and was sent to the hospital in Livorno, where he stayed for several weeks and then sent back to his company near Torbole. Before the Nazis surrendered to the 10th Mountain Division commanders, the company commander was injured. At the urging of the sergeants in Koch's platoon, Lt. Colonel Henry Hampton appointed Koch as ``acting company commander.'' He was 20 years old and the youngest 1st Lieutenant. Koch retained this status through the surrender and was then sent with his troops to Slovenia, where he ran a climbing school to keep the soldiers fit and to train replacement troops. In July 1945, Koch was shipped back stateside to train for amphibious landings with the intent of being shipped to North Tokyo Bay to help end the war. While heading home, the war drew to a close. [[Page E47]] After being released from the Army in May 1946, Koch joined the Army Reserve and returned to UC Berkley to earn an accounting degree. In 1948, he met and married Averil, who would be his wife of 72 and a half years. He was working as a successful businessman when, in August of 1950, he was called to active duty for the Korean War. Koch trained as an infantry officer--but once the Army found out about his accounting degree, he was stationed in Japan as a budget and finance officer to oversee the numerous military projects in post-war Japan. When his discharge came, he declined the offer of being promoted to Major so that he could return to his wife. Koch always kept in touch with his 10th Mountain Division buddies and attended several reunions, including the 50th anniversary re-enactment climb up Riva Ridge that included some of the German soldiers he helped capture. While he remembers the atrocities of war, Koch cherishes the fellowship and camaraderie of his fellow Mountain Soldiers. He will still sing the ballads the 10th sang when they were warming themselves by a fire or hiking miles in the snow. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing Howard Koch a happy 100th birthday, and in thanking him for a century of service to our country and our community. ____________________