Bob Dole: “I rise today to introduce a bill which will correct a mistake of the past. This mistake involves the wrongful denial of…”

“I rise today to introduce a bill which will correct a mistake of the past. This mistake involves the wrongful denial of our Nation's highest military honor to a distinguished American--John W. Mitchell. In 1943, the United States Navy was intercepting the encrypted messages of the Japanese Armed Forces. Unbeknownst to the Japanese, the United States had broken the enemy code. On April 16, 1943, a message was intercepted that indicated Adm. Isoroku Yamamoto, chief of the Japanese combined fleet, would be visiting Japanese troops on several of the Solomon Islands on April 18, 1943. Admiral Yamamoto was Japan's foremost naval strategist and the architect of the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. At 6 a.m., December 7, 1941, over 300 Japanese aircraft left the flight decks of their aircraft carriers bound for Peal Harbor. Although the attack took less than 2 hours, the cost to the United States was great. In all, the fleet at Pearl Harbor lost 18 warships, including the battleships Arizona, West Virginia, and California. Over 4,200 Americans were either dead, wounded, or missing. Upon learning of Admiral Yamamoto's plans to visit the Solomons, Admiral Nimitz ordered Adm. Marc Mitscher, commander air, Solomon Islands, to intercept Yamamoto's plane. Maj. John W. Mitchell, commander of the 339th fighter squadron, volunteered for the mission.”