The publication is reproduced in full below:
IN HONOR OF THE HONORABLE JOHN DANIEL ALLEN
______
HON. SANFORD D. BISHOP, JR.
of georgia
in the house of representatives
Monday, April 12, 2021
Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, it is my honor and pleasure to extend my personal congratulations to a great friend and servant of humankind, John D. Allen, the former Chief Judge of the Chattahoochee Circuit of the Third Superior Court District of Georgia.
Judge Allen was recently inducted into the 2020 Georgia Military Veterans Hall of Fame on Saturday, April 3, 2021, in John's Creek, Georgia.
Judge Allen was born on January 17, 1943, in segregated Columbus, Georgia. It seemed like all the odds were against him of one day becoming a Superior Court Judge. Despite the lack of black role models in the law as he was growing up, Judge Allen kept education as his main priority. He graduated from Tuskegee University in 1966 with a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering. A distinguished cadet in the ROTC, Judge Allen was commissioned into the Air Force in 1966 as a 2nd Lieutenant Pilot. He completed Advanced Survival Training in 1967, and he was promoted to 1st Lieutenant/Tactical Fighter Pilot in 1968. Upon completion, he was assigned to Southeast Asia and flew 167 combat missions while stationed in Thailand. After promotions to Tactical Aircraft Commander, then to Captain, Judge Allen flew another 127 combat missions in Southeast Asia before returning to Tampa, Florida, and serving as an academic and flight instructor until his discharge in July of 1973. He left the Air Force as a highly decorated pilot, earning 23 Air Medals, 2 Air Force Commendation Medals, and numerous other awards for his service during the Vietnam War.
In 1975, Judge Allen earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Florida. He was admitted to the Georgia bar in 1976. From 1976 to 1987, he maintained a private law practice in the Columbus area. At that time, Judge Allen and I were two of only four black lawyers in Columbus.
Judge Allen continued to break barriers when he began serving as a Columbus Recorder's Court judge for a year before assuming a position on the State Court for Muscogee County in 1987. In 1993, he was appointed to the position of Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit Superior Court Judge where he was re-elected repeatedly and served with the utmost honor and distinction until his retirement in 2013.
Judge Allen's diligent judicial service has also been mirrored by his extensive involvement with the local and state communities. In conjunction with his professional accomplishments in the Air Force and on the bench, Judge Allen has served on a number of boards and commissions, most notably as Chairman of the Judicial Qualifications Commission, and has received many awards and accolades for his service. Judge Allen's contributions to the Columbus area and the state of Georgia have even earned him recognition from the Columbus Ledger-
Enquirer as one of ``100 People to Remember for the Century.''
None of Judge Allen's momentous accomplishments would have been possible without the enduring love and support of his late wife, Victoria; children John Jr., Geoffrey, and Kevin; and grandchildren John Ill and Carson.
A true Georgian devoted to serving his great state, Judge Allen embodies Georgia's state motto, ``Wisdom, Justice and, Moderation.'' Judge Allen is a man of great integrity who sets a high standard of values that make for a strong foundation of character in himself and in others. On a personal note, I would like to thank Judge Allen for his friendship, advice, and counsel over the years. His wisdom and sage advice have contributed immensely to my success. For that, I will always be grateful.
Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me, my wife Vivian, and the more than 730,000 residents of Georgia's Second Congressional District in extending our sincerest congratulations to the Honorable John D. Allen for his induction into the 2020 Georgia Military Veterans Hall of Fame and for his many years of service.
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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 62
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