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Congress observes moment of silence for Ben Blaz
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Posted on Jan 12 2014
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Delegate Madeleine Z. Bordallo (D-GU) spoke Friday on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives to pay tribute to the life and legacy of the late congressman Vincente “Ben” Garrido Blaz. She asked that the House observe a moment of silence in honor of Blaz, who passed away on Jan. 8, 2014 at the age of 85.
“I rise to pay tribute to the late Vincente “Ben” Garrido Blaz, Guam’s former congressman and a retired brigadier general in the U.S. Marine Corps,” said Bordallo. “Ben passed away last night at the age of 85.
“Ben was a longtime friend whose lifetime of service to Guam and our nation has been an inspiration to generations. As a survivor of the Japanese occupation of Guam during World War II, Ben had a strong sense of patriotism and duty to our country. He was commissioned as an officer in the Marine Corps in 1951 and went on to become the first Chamorro to achieve the rank of brigadier general. In 1984, Ben was elected to serve in this House, where he represented the people of Guam for four terms.
“Throughout my time in Congress, Ben has been a strong source of support and guidance. I’m grateful for his counsel and friendship, and I’ll miss him dearly. I join the people of Guam in mourning the loss of Congressman Ben Blaz. Our thoughts and prayers are with his sons, Mike and Tom, and the entire Blaz family.”[I] (PR)[/I]
