Congressman Gibbons Visits Berkeley
Former U.S. Congressman Sam Gibbons spent the afternoon visiting with Berkeley students. Congressman Gibbons shared a detailed account of his experiences during World War II where he was a paratrooper with the 101st Airborne division. During the D-Day invasion of Normandy, the 101st was one of the first divisions to land in France. Following D-Day, Congressman Gibbons fought his way through Europe and into Germany earning both a Bronze Star and the Legion of Honor from France. After the war, he went on to serve in the Florida House of Representatives and the Florida Senate. In 1963 he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives where he served until his retirement in 1997. His war stories were featured in Tom Brokaw’s 1998 book The Greatest Generation. Congressman Gibbons is also credited with being the “Father of USF.” “Outside of raising a family,” Gibbons told students, “I put the University of South Florida at the top of my achievements.” It was a great opportunity for students to hear first-hand from a WWII Veteran who also spent more than 45 years in public service.
