Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin and Ron Johnson reintroduced bipartisan legislation in the Senate to designate the post office at 430 South Knowles Avenue in New Richmond as the “Captain Robert C. Harmon and Private John R. Peirson Post Office.” The legislation honors Captain Robert C. Harmon and his half-brother, Private John R. Peirson, who were both killed during World War II.
Captain Harmon, on his 51st mission, was shot down over France a week before the D-Day invasion in Europe. A year later, Pt. Peirson was killed during the Easter Day assault on the island of Okinawa. Though Captain Harmon’s remains were never found, the brothers are buried side-by-side at the Fort Snelling Military Cemetery in Minneapolis.
“Captain Robert Harmon and Private John Peirson heroically gave their lives serving our country during World War II,” said Senator Baldwin. “I’m proud to do right by them and their family by designating this New Richmond post office in their name. These brave American heroes deserve to have their service and sacrifice to our nation honored.”
“Thank you Senator Baldwin and Senator Johnson for recognizing these two American heroes who gave the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our nation during World War II. We, in the New Richmond community and around the country, are incredibly proud of the service of Captain Harmon and Pt. Peirson and offer our eternal gratitude to their family” said Fred Horne, Mayor of New Richmond.
“We are thankful to Senators Tammy Baldwin and Ron Johnson for their bipartisan leadership on efforts to rename the New Richmond Post Office after brothers Captain Robert C. Harmon and Private John R. Peirson,” said the Harmon and Peirson families. “This is indeed a big day for our family, but it’s a huge day for veterans. As it shows that our city, our state and our grateful nation have not and will not forget the sacrifices the men and women of our Armed Forces have made on behalf of all of us.”
“Captain Robert Harmon and Private John Peirson were local American heroes who gave the ultimate sacrifice to preserve and defend American ideals during World War II,” said Karol Simon, Commander of the Butler Harmon American Legion Post 80. “I am pleased to see Senators Baldwin and Johnson coming together to honor these two brave half-brothers and demonstrate that we have not forgotten the sacrifices our men and women in uniform make every day.”
On September 13, 2021, the City of New Richmond passed a resolution in support of renaming the New Richmond USPS after the half-brothers. In addition, the American Legion Butler-Harmon Post 80, St. Croix County Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 10818 and the New Richmond Chamber of Commerce also support this effort.
In the last Congress, Baldwin and Johnson first introduced their bipartisan legislation and it passed the Senate in November 2019 but it did not move forward in the House of Representatives so the Senators are reintroducing the bill this Congress. The full bill text can be found here.
