[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 96 (Wednesday, July 9, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1378]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO STEVE FAKAN

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. PAUL E. GILLMOR

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 9, 1997

  Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the bravery and 
courage of Regional Security Officer Steve Fakan. Steve is a native of 
Vermilion, OH, which is in my district and was recently honored by the 
Secretary of State Madeline Albright.
  Steve exhibited exceptional personal bravery and perseverance by 
saving the lives of trapped American journalists caught in raging gun 
battles between rival factions during the renewed fighting in Monrovia, 
Liberia, in May 1996.
  On May 14, 1996, the Regional Security Officer [RSO] office received 
a frantic call for help from eight journalists staying at the Mamba 
Point Hotel. Factional fighting raged around the hotel and the 
journalists feared for their lives as out-of-control fighters savagely 
ransacked the area only a few hundred meters from the Embassy. They 
requested urgent help in getting to the Embassy, as conditions 
continued to deteriorate.
  Diplomatic Security [DS] agents RSO Steve Fakan and TDY RSO Tony 
Deibler quickly assessed the potentially lethal situation and devised a 
strategy to rescue the beleaguered journalists.
  Using the nearest Embassy gate to the hotel as an exit, Steve and 
Tony traversed by foot over 300 meters of treacherous open field to the 
hotel by using alternate covering patterns for each other. Their every 
movement was closely eyed by snipers perched in nearby buildings.
  After reaching the hotel safely, they quickly briefed the journalists 
on their escape plan. Countless bullets ricocheted off the pavement and 
nearby buildings as the group made its way back to the embassy. The two 
agents both realized that they were being tracked by snipers.
  As the reporters used the appropriate cover maneuvers, taught to them 
by the DS agents, to make it back to the Embassy, Tony spotted a sniper 
aiming his weapon at Steve. Without hesitation, Tony quickly sighted in 
the sniper with his scoped weapon, causing him to hold his fire and 
take his finger off the trigger.
  The eight journalists, dragging cameras and equipment, made it safely 
to Embassy compound, thanks to the expertise of the two DS agents. The 
exhausted, but grateful group of journalists rained enthusiastic praise 
on the exceptional courage exhibited by their rescuers.
  These two men are outstanding examples of the best that DS has to 
offer, and the American people can be proud that Diplomatic Security 
has public servants like Tony and Steve to protect our interests 
overseas.

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