[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 42 (Tuesday, March 7, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E537]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E537]]
                        HONORING A HOOSIER HERO

                                 ______


                            HON. DAN BURTON

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, March 7, 1995
  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a moment to 
honor the life and memory of a young Hoosier soldier who recently fell 
while serving his country in the U.S. Army.
  Capt. Milton Palmer was a bright and committed American soldier 
pursuing his dream of becoming an Army Ranger and serving his country 
for the balance of his life. Training in the swamplands of Florida's 
Eglin Air Force Base, Captain Palmer was just a few days away from 
completing the grueling 13-week trial that would set him apart as one 
of America's elite soldiers--a U.S. Army Ranger. The final days of 
training were understandably the most difficult, the most demanding. 
During one of these fateful days, the Ranger trainees had to simulate 
an assault operation in chest-deep, 50-degree waters, which would push 
any man to the very edge of survival.
  Captain Palmer would not join his fellow trainees as they graduated 
from the Ranger Program in Fort Benning, GA, and solemnly accepted 
their new monikers. He and three other determined would-be Rangers died 
of hypothermia during that combat training exercise on February 15.
  While I did not know Captain Palmer, I know some of his inspiring 
story. He was the middle child of three. Along with his older sister 
Torria and little brother Nathan, Milton grew up in a military family. 
His parents were able to keep the family close-knit, even during the 
moves and long tours of duty that are common among Army families. His 
father, a retired major, dedicated his entire adult life to military 
service, and Milton planned to follow in his father's footsteps. He was 
only 27 when he took the last of these steps.
  Like other American heroes and leaders, Captain Palmer had an 
indomitable spirit and a willingness to meet adversity head-on. He 
attended the Citadel Military Academy, graduating with honors in 1990. 
Once in the service of his country,
 Captain Palmer earned several achievement commendations. He was 
awarded for his skills as an infantryman and parachutist--``leading the 
way''--to paraphrase the Ranger motto. And not long after graduation, 
he entered the Ranger Training Program in hopes of realizing one of his 
ambitious goals. Suffering from exposure and frostbite, Milton was 
eventually forced to cut short his participation in the demanding and 
grueling program.

  But this would not deter him from pursuing his dream of joining the 
ranks of the U.S. Army Rangers. Captain Palmer would return to the 
Ranger Program to inspire his comrades as they pursued the same dream. 
He would challenge them to overcome both the elements that weakened 
their bodies and the fears that tried their spirits. It was during this 
second trial in the Ranger Program that Capt. Milton Palmer would pass 
away. He died while pursuing his goal, inspiring those who knew him and 
his story through it all.
  However, to remember Captain Palmer and those other fallen trainees 
only for their pursuit of a common personal goals is not enough, 
because in the end these brave young men died for something much 
greater than themselves or any one of us who survive them. Captain 
Palmer and the three Ranger trainees that died with him laid down their 
lives so that we might be free. Their deaths were not senseless. The 
tragedy at Eglin Air Force Base reminds us that our freedom comes at a 
high price. Readiness and preparedness--ensured by training missions 
like the one that claimed young Milton and three of his brothers--deter 
our enemies and prevent war. These men did not die in vain.
  And so, it is fitting that Arlington National Cemetery, the eternal 
home of so many of America's other heroes and martyrs, will serve as 
Capt. Milton Palmer's final resting place. For Captain Palmer was a 
hero, epitomizing the American military tradition of fidelity and 
bravery, preserving our freedom, and challenging us to follow his 
courageous example.


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