[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 150 (Friday, November 2, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11399-S11401]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO JONN J. EDMUNDS

  Mr. ENZI. Madam President, for the last week, I have been trying to 
figure out how to pay tribute to a young man from Wyoming whose funeral 
I attended last Saturday. I am pleased to have the opportunity this 
morning to

[[Page S11400]]

address his life and our country as well.
  Last Saturday, it was evident to many people in Cheyenne, WY, that 
ground zero had come to our State. Jonn Edmunds--that is spelled J-o-n-
n; he is named after his dad who is Donn, D-o-n-n--was killed in 
Pakistan. He was a member of the Rangers, the 3rd Battalion, 75th 
Regiment, and he was killed in a helicopter crash. Suddenly, the war 
got closer to all of us in Wyoming.
  During Desert Storm, there were not very many people killed, but one 
of them was from Gillette, WY, Manuel Davilla, and we remember him.
  In this war, not many have been killed: Two, one from Montana, one 
from Wyoming. Again, Wyoming, according to its population, has given an 
inordinate number, but if you are the parents of anyone killed as a 
result of the terrorist attacks and in the military, for you that is a 
100-percent loss. It is a much greater loss. It was not just the 
parents who lost in this instance, it was also a wife.
  One of the things that struck me at the funeral, which was attended 
by Army Rangers who helped with the funeral--it was a grand ceremony 
with all the military honors--what struck me was the youth of these 
soldiers. I remember one time watching a show put on by Channel 1. It 
was called ``The Kids Who Saved the World.'' It was designed to show 
today's generation that the people who fought in World War II were 
kids. It took some of the people attending reunions, which is what most 
of the people see of the military, and went back to the picture of them 
as they participated in D-Day, to emphasize that it is kids who are out 
there saving us.
  Jonn Edmunds would have had his 21st birthday on January 3. He would 
have had his second wedding anniversary on December 27. The first song 
they played as a part of the service was the song that he and his wife 
were going to play at their anniversary. Next to the podium, next to 
the picture of Jonn was a white board, a message communicator they used 
in their home. Jonn left his last message to his wife on that white 
board. It said:

       Anne, I will be OK. I'm going to come back to you. I love 
     you, and I will think about you all the time. Be strong while 
     I'm gone and never forget that I love you.

  And then he paid the ultimate price. He left a family and a wife and 
an emphasis in Wyoming. We appreciate the sacrifice that he made and 
that his family made. It is important we remember that.
  The service was extremely patriotic, thanks to the help of his fellow 
soldiers. Something that was read during that service I want to read 
here. It gives us an idea of the dedication, the focus, the goals, and 
the understanding that these young men have when they go into battle. 
It is called the Ranger Creed. The Rangers are a special group of young 
people.
  The Ranger Creed:

       Recognizing that I volunteered as a Ranger, fully knowing 
     the hazards of my chosen profession, I will always endeavor 
     to uphold the prestige, honor and high esprit de corps of my 
     Ranger Regiment.
       Acknowledging the fact that a Ranger is a more elite 
     soldier who arrives at the cutting edge of battle by land, 
     sea or air, I accept the fact that as a Ranger my country 
     expects me to move further, faster and fight harder than any 
     other soldier.
       Never shall I fail my comrades. I will always keep myself 
     mentally alert, physically strong and morally straight and I 
     will shoulder more than my share of the task whatever it may 
     be. One hundred percent and then some.
       Gallantly will I show the world that I'm a specially 
     selected and well trained soldier. My courtesy to superior 
     officers, neatness of dress and care of equipment shall set 
     the example for others to follow.
       Energetically will I meet the enemies of my country. I 
     shall defeat them on the field of battle for I am better 
     trained and will fight with all my might. Surrender is not a 
     Ranger word. I will never leave a fallen comrade to fall into 
     the hands of the enemy and under no circumstances will I ever 
     embarrass my country.
       Readily will I display the intestinal fortitude required to 
     fight onto the Ranger objective and complete the mission, 
     though I be the lone survivor.
       Rangers lead the way.

  That is a creed they live by and they recite as they go into battle.
  I also want to share a poem. The poem was written by Jonn Edmunds' 
English teacher and was dedicated to his memory at the funeral.
  The title of it is: ``So This Is How It Feels.''

       So this is how it feels to know the pain of war, the 
     ineffable sorrow deep in your gut, beyond tears, beyond 
     consciousness.
       Elements of disgust, horror and anger, and finally fear, 
     all mixed and meshed inside.
       So this is how it feels to mourn native sons, the 
     inscrutable sadness for one so young, their future laid bare, 
     barren yet not futile.
       Elements of patriotism, pride, honor and heroism, and the 
     thoughtful thankfulness for their service, all conglomerate 
     there.
       So this is how it feels to know the dark of evil, the vague 
     uncertainty of its source made real in the shed blood of our 
     own.
       Elements of emptiness, apprehension and instability rocking 
     our faith, and finally that fear again.
       Yet the good will out, our fears will form into faith, 
     history will record how America, though humbled now, held its 
     course as she has through other wars when she knew all too 
     well how it felt.

  About a week after the September 11 events, my wife and I had an 
opportunity to attend a dinner. There happened to be a number of 
ambassadors from other countries at the dinner. It was very reassuring 
to talk to them. Their message involved the spirit of the American 
people.
  There were a lot of people from a lot of countries around the world 
who thought a major tragedy hit the United States that had been caused 
by somebody else and we would go to pieces. Instead, what they saw was 
the American people in a new form of unity and spirit that they had not 
seen for decades--people coming together, volunteering, helping out, 
the spirit of America alive again.
  It is that spirit of America that these young people in our service 
already know, already recognize. It is the reason they volunteered, 
that they have put their life on the line to serve our country. Thank 
goodness we have them. Let us always remember those who have given all.
  I ask unanimous consent that the newspaper articles referring to Jonn 
Edmunds be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the articles were ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

            [From the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle, Oct. 28, 2001]

                       Cheyenne Son Laid to Rest

                            (By Ilene Olson)

       Cheyenne.--Before going overseas to help fight in Operation 
     Enduring Freedom, Spc. Jonn J. Edmunds left a simple note for 
     his wife Anne on a memo board:
       ``Anne, I will be OK. I am going to come back to you. I 
     love you and I will think about you all the time. Be strong 
     while I am gone, and never forget that I love you.''
       Those words, framed and displayed at his memorial Saturday, 
     tell their own story of a young life lost and a young love 
     cut tragically short.
       Edmunds, 20, was an Army Ranger in the 3rd Battalion of the 
     75th Ranger Regiment. He was killed in a helicopter crash in 
     Pakistan on Oct. 19 while providing rescue relief for 
     American troops in Afghanistan.
       Thirteen Army Rangers from the 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger 
     Regiment, marched in slowly and somberly. Six stopped at the 
     left side of the gym and lined up in two rows of three, 
     remaining there motionless for more than an hour until their 
     services as casket bearers were needed. The other seven lined 
     up diagonally on the right side, rifles ready for a 21-gun 
     salute.
       Edmunds was remembered by those who knew him as an intense, 
     competitive youth, a loving and devoted husband, and a 
     dedicated soldier.
       The Rev. Janet Forbes told the story of Edmunds' life, 
     based on her conversations with his family.
       Forbes said Edmunds met Anne Costello when the two were 
     paired on a bowling lane. After a second bowling date, the 
     two were inseparable.
       ``Jonn and his dad took a long walk together just before 
     Jonn left Cheyenne for basic training,'' Forbes said. ``He 
     told Donn about his intentions concerning Anne:
       ``Dad, I really love her, and I want to marry her.''
       ``Jonn, you're too young.''
       ``No, Dad, I'm not.''
       ``This went on for several rounds,'' Forbes said.
       ``And then Donn reflected, and he looked at his son 
     closely, remembering his intelligence, clarity of purpose and 
     maturity, and said, `No, son. You're not.'''
       The couple married Dec. 27, 1999, before a justice of the 
     peace.
       ``Jonn's life began when he met her,'' Mary Edmunds told 
     Forbes. ``He was never happier.''
       Forbes said Anne remembers Jonn for the strength of his 
     character: strong, concerned, hard-working, dedicated, 
     loving; for the beauty of his person: good-looking, 
     physically fit; and for his lively sense of humor: funny, 
     light-hearted and easy to talk to.
       Jonn and Anne Edmunds planned to renew their vows at a 
     wedding on Dec. 15. ``It's Your Love,'' the song they planned 
     to be the

[[Page S11401]]

     first number at their wedding dance, was played for his 
     funeral instead.
       Edmunds and his father, Donn, shared ``an alphabetical 
     connection'' of double Ns in the spelling of their first 
     names--and the frustration of never having them spelled 
     correctly, Forbes said.
       Mary Edmunds told Forbes that her son began training for 
     his life's vocation at the age of 3. ``He was all action--
     running, running, running.''
       ``He had what we call older brother's syndrome,'' Forbes 
     added. ``He was always picking up his younger brother Seth, 
     carrying him on his shoulders and dragging him around.
       ``Their play began with squirt guns, then moved to laser 
     tag. Seth, always the youngest competitor would take refuge 
     in the house.''
       Paintball was the favorite, and Jonn was always victorious.
       ``One time, Dad joined the game,'' Forbes continued. ``He 
     lifted his head slightly above his hiding place and Jonn got 
     him--right across the top of his head.''
       Forbes said Edmunds enjoyed playing and coaching soccer.
       ``He liked coaching because he got to yell,'' she said. 
     ``It seems one of the things he hated about basic training in 
     the Army was getting yelled at. He liked the leadership role 
     better--being the yeller instead of the yellee.''
       Forbes said Edmunds' younger sister Alyssa remembers her 
     brother as a tease who loved to chase her and put June 
     beetles in her hair.
       Alyssa, as introspective as her brother was, had confided, 
     ``Jonn would have hated all this attention.''
       Forbes said one teenager in her congregation read Edmunds' 
     obituary, finishing with the survivors, ``all of Cheyenne.''
       ``She interpreted this statement to mean that all of 
     Cheyenne are indeed survivors,'' Forbes said. ``It was 
     touching, comforting and reassuring that John gave his life 
     so that all of the citizens of Cheyenne may survive.''
       Chaplain Capt. Paul Lasley of the 75th Ranger Regiment in 
     Fort Lewis, Wash., said Edmunds personified the Ranger Creed 
     every day.
       ``Living the creed is a way of life. One must struggle to 
     balance a devotion to duty with a corresponding devotion to 
     one's family,'' Lasley said.
       ``It is the essential uniqueness of the Ranger Creed that 
     turns a drab, black and white understanding of a ranger's 
     life into a colorful masterpiece.''
       Staff Sgt. William Bader of the 3rd Batallion, 75th Ranger 
     Regiment in Fort Benning, Ga., worked directly with Edmunds.
       ``When I think of Jonn, I think of all the little things,'' 
     Bader said. ``Jonn never let me down.''
       Once, after a difficult operation, ``I looked at the rest 
     of my boys. I could see that they were tired. Then I looked 
     at Jonn. He still had that intense look on his face.
       ``That is the way I choose to remember Jonn.''
       The song, ``I'm Proud to Be an American,'' played near the 
     end of the memorial. It had a powerful effect on the 
     audience, which stood in a spontaneous salute of Edmunds and 
     the country he served. Several joined hands over their heads 
     in a show of unity. Applause burst forth at the song's 
     conclusion.
       Sen. Craig Thomas R-Wyo., read a statement from Wyoming 
     native Vice President Cheney.
       ``I will not presume to offer comfort,'' Cheney had 
     written. Instead, he thanked the Edmundses for their son's 
     patriotism and courage.
       Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., presented President Bush's 
     statement to Anne Edmunds.
       ``I am deeply saddened by the loss of your husband,'' Bush 
     had said. ``I hope you will find solace in the knowledge that 
     his sacrifice will not be forgotten. The nation is grateful 
     for Jonn's service to our country. We pray for comfort and 
     healing in this difficult time.''
       At the end of the service, an intense silence fell in the 
     facility as the waiting rangers removed the flag from the 
     casket, folded it ceremoniously and presented it to Edmunds 
     family.
       During the flag ceremony, people in the audience stood 
     quietly, barely breathing. Many dabbed at their eyes, and 
     their grief was palpable.
       The intensity of the silence was broken by two bugles 
     playing ``Taps,'' then countered by the equally loud 21-gun 
     salute.
       A startled child cried, and the audience seemed to take a 
     collective breath.
       Following the memorial, family members were escorted 
     quietly from the room while people in the audience stood 
     reverently. The family's grief was reflected in many of their 
     faces.
       Lasley summed up the purpose of the memorial: ``Jonn 
     Edmunds is not honored today exclusively for how he died.''
       ``We honor Jonn Edmunds for how he lived.''
                                  ____


          [From the Wyoming Tribute--Eagle, October 23, 2001]

                         Ground Zero in Wyoming

                            (By Ilene Olson)

       Cheyenne.--A grieving Donn and Mary Edmunds stood in their 
     driveway Monday to give Americans--and the world--a glimpse 
     of their son and the tragedy of his death.
       Spc. Jonn J. Edmunds, was a member of Company B, 3rd 
     Battalion, 75th Rangers. He died Friday in a helicopter crash 
     in Pakistan while providing rescue backup for U.S. troops 
     entering Afghanistan.
       Donn Edmunds, occasionally fighting tears, spoke for the 
     family during the news conference:
       ``Jonn decided in his senior year of high school to join 
     the Rangers because they were an elite force, because he felt 
     he was up to the challenge and because he wanted to join the 
     military for their college benefits.
       ``He was extremely proud of his achievements as was the 
     rest of his family. He was a tough, determined, competitive 
     young man who only accepted the best of himself and wanted to 
     give his best for his country.''
       Donn Edmunds read an excerpt from a paper his son wrote 
     while in high school:
       ``In 10 years I see myself still in the Army. I believe I 
     will make a career out of the Army, which would mean staying 
     in for 20 to 25 years. I will be contributing to myself as 
     well as the defense of this country and the betterment of the 
     world.''
       Despite his short time in the Rangers, Jonn Edmunds was the 
     leader of a four- to five-member team, supervising half of 
     his squad of 10 to 11 members, Lt. Col. Scott Keller of the 
     Army Headquarters in Denver said Monday.
       Donn Edmunds, who characterized his home as ``ground zero 
     in Wyoming,'' said while their son's death has hit them hard, 
     it hasn't changed his family's attitude toward the current 
     war on terrorism.
       ``Even in this time of loss, our family wants to express 
     our continued support for our president and his policies 
     regarding the actions in Operation Enduring Freedom,'' he 
     said.
       The Edmunds family also expressed sympathy for the family 
     of Pfc. Kristofor Stonesifer, 28, of Missoula, Mont., the 
     other Ranger killed in Friday's crash.
       In a news release Monday, Gov. Jim Geringer added his 
     condolences to those offered Sunday by other political 
     leaders.
       ``Jonn Edmunds symbolizes the thousands of young men and 
     women who wear the military uniform,'' he said. ``He was a 
     model high school student who voluntarily chose to serve his 
     country through service in the military.

                           *   *   *   *   *

  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Wyoming.
  Mr. THOMAS. Madam President, I thank my friend from Wyoming for his 
remarks. He and I attended the funeral of Jonn Edmunds together. It was 
a moving experience. I submitted my statement earlier in the week. We 
carried messages from President Bush and Vice President Cheney to the 
funeral. It was a very moving event.

                          ____________________