[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 82 (Thursday, June 6, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1008]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        COMMEMORATING  THE  LIFE  OF S. SGT. GERALD VON ALDRICH

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                           HON. GLENN POSHARD

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 5, 1996

  Mr. POSHARD. Mr. Speaker, tragedy never occurs softly. It has not 
been 2 months since that CT-43 airplane crashed on the outskirts of 
Dubrovnik, Croatia, simultaneously reintroducing us to all that is 
painful in this world, and all of its greatest promise. This was a 
national calamity, touching our highest leaders, reaching into every 
industry, every community, leaving an indelible imprint on the 
parchment that is our collective soul. Youth lost is painful. Youth 
lost in the service of a noble cause, while no less a shame, is at the 
same time liberating. By remembering those that are never to return is 
to give their lives meaning beyond their death. To hold their standard 
in front of us is the only fitting way to mourn their loss. It is the 
least we can do.
  While rarely as dramatic as death, life occurs with equal regularity. 
March 10, 1967 was no exception, bringing Gerald ``Jerry'' Aldrich II 
into this world. A large baby at 10 pounds, he had an equal appetite 
for knowledge. Jerry was reading by kindergarten and, auguring the 
future, was already disassembling and reassembling his train engines, 
just to see how they worked. A quiet yet thoughtful young man, he knew 
the sting of loss intimately. His father succumbed to cancer in the 
spring of 1983 while Jerry was still at North Clay High School. Two 
years later he graduated in the top 10 of his class, and bypassed a 
science scholarship to enlist in the U.S. Air Force where he was 
trained as an aircraft mechanic.
  ``Jake,'' as his military friends knew him, enjoyed his new career. 
He completed his initial training at Lackland Air Force Base near San 
Antonio, TX, and soon moved to Little Rock Air Force Base in Arkansas. 
His next assignment took him to England. The year was 1991, and Jake 
served as the crew chief aboard an MC130E Combat Talon I aircraft out 
of Royal Air Force Base Alconbury. In July, Jake was promoted to staff 
sergeant. Germany was his next destination, first to Rhein-Main Base in 
Frankfort, and finally joining the 76th at Ramstein Base. While abroad, 
he courageously served in Operation Desert Storm.
  It was in Germany that Jake met his wife, Petra Shoemaker. They were 
married on January 11, 1991, in Germany, and also celebrated with an 
American ceremony that summer. This loving union was blessed with two 
sons, Timothy, three and Joshua, almost two. Jake was a devoted family 
man who spent every possible moment with his wife and children. They 
are joined in their grief by Jerry's mother, Hazel Wattles, of 
Louisville, brother, Mike Aldrich of Oak Harbor, WA, and sisters, 
Carolyn McKnelly and Sherry Roley of Effingham, IL, as well as the rest 
of his extended family.
  Mr. Speaker, words often sound hollow in the face of such gravity, 
but those of his sister, Sherry, resonate. She remembers that Jerry was 
able to lead a life full of opportunity and new experiences. He saw 
both good and bad, and met many influential people in the many 
countries he visited. Yet he remained a down to earth person who lived 
for his family, work, and country. As she reminds us, let us never 
forget the six Air Force crew members who gave their lives on this 
seemingly uneventful flight. Let us never forget any other service 
person who has fought for our country and the freedom it represents. S. 
Sgt. Gerald Aldrich was laid to rest on April 19, 1996. He had an Honor 
Guard military funeral with family members and friends present in 
Frankfurt, Germany. I charge us all to raise his standard high, so that 
we may remember not only the circumstances of his death, but a life 
valiantly lived.

TRIBUTE TO COUNTRYSIDE POLICE CHIEF CHARLES D'URSO ON HIS 25 YEARS WITH 
                             THE DEPARTMENT

                                 ______


                        HON. WILLIAM O. LIPINSKI

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 5, 1996

  Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Speaker, I would like to pay tribute today to a 
dedicated police officer who has spent a quarter century protecting the 
lives and property of his fellow citizens, Chief Charles D'Urso of the 
Countryside, IL, Police Department.
  Chief D'Urso recently marked his 25th anniversary with the 
department. The term ``working his way up through the ranks'' is 
especially true in the chief's case: He started as a patrolman in late 
1970, became a sergeant in 1980, made lieutenant in 1985, and was 
appointed chief in 1993. In Chief D'Urso's more than 25 years on the 
force, the department has gone from a one-room station to a state-of-
the-art facility. Thanks in part to Chief D'Urso's leadership, the 27 
police officers on the force are among the best trained and best 
equipped in the area.
  In addition to the chief's professional success, he is active in his 
community, serving on the executive board of the Countryside Rotary 
Club. He is also a past president of the fifth District Chief's of 
Police.
  Mr. Speaker, I salute Chief D'Urso on his 25 years as a police 
officer and wish him many more years of service to his community.

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