The publication is reproduced in full below:
HONORING ED CAVALLINI
______
HON. JIMMY PANETTA
of california
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, July 27, 2022
Mr. PANETTA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 99th birthday of 2nd Lieutenant Ed Cavallini, who was born May 18, 1923, in San Francisco, California, and has dedicated his life to serving our country and the central coast of California.
While attending the University of Southern California, Mr. Cavallini enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and married his wife Jeanne O'Donnell on October 14, 1944. Upon graduation, he was stationed at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. At 19 years old, 2nd Lt. Cavallini boarded a ship bound to Iwo Jima, Japan as a Platoon Commander in the Fourth Marine Division.
Under heavy Japanese bombardment and artillery fire, the 4th Division struggled to dig their foxholes in the fine, black volcanic sand, so 2nd Lt. Cavallini swiftly ordered his men into craters left by the enemy mortars. The Marines were pinned down for two days as their Commander leapt between craters and made note of where his 45 troops were with his black spiral notebook and Scripto mechanical pencil, which he still has to this day. On the second day of battle, Lt. Cavallini was struck by a three-millimeter fragment of mortar, which lodged into his heart muscle. Luckily, the fragment hit his dog tags, saving his life. Shortly after his brush with death, he was struck by more shrapnel, this time hitting his knee, and ending his deployment to Iwo Jima after 34 days of combat. It was only two days after he left that the Marines raised the American Flag over Mount Suribachi. 2nd Lt. Cavallini was awarded the Purple Heart for his sacrifice that resulted in a crucial victory for the United States.
Four months later, 2nd Lt. Cavallini was back training in Maui, Hawaii when the sirens rang and signaled the end of the war. 2nd Lt. Cavallini returned home to his bride, Jeanne, and they moved to Southern California. By 1952 they had a family of four--John, Paul, Marc, and Jane. After careers with Firestone Engineering Laboratory and Lockheed-Martin, he began working for the Santa Clara County Library System and was head librarian in Milpitas for many years. After the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake, the Cavallinis relocated to the Monterey Peninsula. After a brief stint with retirement, Ed Cavallini returned to serving his community by working with the Gilroy Public Library. Additionally, he was an original board member of the Monterey Jazz Festival, which is the longest running jazz festival in the world.
Madam Speaker, Mr. Ed Cavallini is the dedicated community member and leader we should all strive to be. I extend my personal gratitude for his service and sacrifice. It is therefore fitting and proper that we honor him here today on his 99th birthday.
____________________
SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 168, No. 125(1), Congressional Record Vol. 168, No. 125(2)
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