The publication is reproduced in full below:
HONORING THE LIFE AND SERVICE OF SEAMAN SECOND CLASS CHARLES LOUIS
``SONNY BOY'' SAUNDERS
______
HON. BRIAN BABIN
of texas
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, December 1, 2021
Mr. BABIN. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the life of Navy Seaman Second Class Charles Louis ``Sonny Boy'' Saunders of Winnie, Texas. Seaman Saunders was serving aboard the USS Oklahoma (BB-37) on the morning of December 7, 1941. Tragically, the Oklahoma sustained 429 casualties during the attack on Pearl Harbor, claiming Mr. Saunders' life. After eight decades, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) has identified Seaman Saunders' remains. This year, he will be reinterred in his hometown on the 80th anniversary of Pearl Harbor.
Mr. Saunders was born to Mortimer Alvin and Melina Falke Saunders on October 16, 1923; He was the sixth child and one of four boys. His oldest brother, Adam, passed away at just 13 months. He grew up with his sisters Lillie Mae, Mary Alice, Sadie Lee, and Anna Belle along with brothers Sidney ``Buddy'' Edward and Mortimer Virgil.
The Great Depression led to difficult times as his father worked in construction and labored in rice fields to provide for his family, while his mother cared for the home and raised their children. Mr. Saunders' younger sister, Anna Belle, always spoke of her brother's compassion, and how he sacrificed so she could have shoes for her daily walk to school. He could not bear to see his little sister struggle in any manner.
His kind, caring, and playful nature fueled his ambition to serve our nation. On November 23, 1940, one month after his 17th birthday, he joined the U.S. Navy. Not only did he possess a deep desire to defend our country, but he also had great determination to make a better life for his parents and siblings.
On December 7, 1941, Japanese aircraft launched an attack on the American fleet of battleships moored at Pearl Harbor, thrusting the United States into the Second World War. After Seaman Saunders' warship capsized because of damage from multiple Japanese torpedoes, his whereabouts were unknown. According to a casualty roster of the Oklahoma compiled two weeks after the attack, Seaman Saunders' status was labeled as ``missing'' but later amended to ``killed in action.''
Those who perished aboard the USS Oklahoma were buried at two different cemeteries: the Halawa and Nu'uanu Naval Cemeteries in Hawaii. Most of the remains were recovered during salvage operations but were unable to be identified before their interment, and therefore, they were buried as ``unknowns.''
In recognition of his service, Seaman Saunders was awarded a Purple Heart for military merit and three ribbons for American Defense, American Campaign, and the Asiatic Pacific Campaign. However, these awards seemed to be a lost memory uncovered after family members found his commendations carefully tucked away in a box left inside his mother's old sewing machine.
As the last living sibling, Anna Belle was committed to bringing her brother home and laying him to rest at the gravesite their parents prepared for him years ago at Fairview Cemetery in Winnie, Texas. In 2015, the DPAA was given authority to exhume the unknown remains of the servicemen associated with the USS Oklahoma and to reexamine them using advanced forensic technology. It was at this point that the military contacted Anna Belle. She worked tirelessly to gather and provide DNA of family members to help identify her brother's remains.
Unfortunately, she passed away on July 19, 2019, but never lost hope that her brother would one day return home. She prayed her unwavering mission would be continued by those who survived her, and it was. On February 11, 2021, the Saunders family received word that their long-
lost relative had finally been found and identified.
Madam Speaker, Seaman Second Class Charles ``Sonny Boy'' Saunders' arrival in Winnie, Texas, will be welcomed by many relatives, friends, and fellow patriots. On the 80th anniversary of his passing, Mr. Saunders will be buried alongside his parents with full military honors. May God continue to bless this family for their long record of service and sacrifice to our great nation.
____________________
SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 207
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