[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 178 (Thursday, December 20, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2357]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       CHAMORRO FIREFIGHTER ASSISTS IN PENTAGON RESCUE OPERATIONS

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. ROBERT A. UNDERWOOD

                                of guam

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 19, 2001

  Mr. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, as the Nation is undergoing the recovery 
process from the terror and destruction brought about by the September 
11 attack on America, I would like to take this opportunity to share 
the experiences of a former resident of Guam who was called upon to 
assist in the rescue efforts at the Pentagon.
  Born and raised on the island of Guam, Mark Anderson moved to the 
state of Virginia in 1999 to pursue his dream to become a firefighter. 
Having been employed by the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department 
for the past couple of years, Mark and his colleagues were called to 
respond to the Pentagon attack that fateful day. Mark assisted in 
fighting fires, locating survivors and recovering bodies--working 10 
grueling hours without any breaks.
  The image of charred rubble and scorched equipment all over the site 
of the crash will remain with Mark for years to come. To describe the 
magnitude of the destruction, he conveyed a scene of embers, ashes and 
heaps of office equipment strewn all over the place. While performing 
his duties that day, Mark confessed to having been concerned for his 
own and his colleagues' safety particularly since they were informed 
that another hijacked plane may be heading for Washington, DC. His 
duty, however, dictated that he push and attend to the task at hand. 
This, he did without any hesitation.
  Although Mark's fire company was on the site for only 1 day, they 
were placed on a ``call back'' status for several days afterward. If 
given the chance to do it over again, Mark says that he would have no 
hesitation in doing his part once more. Attention and honors have been 
heaped upon him and his colleagues for their performance but Mark feels 
that he only did what was expected and required of him. He is grateful 
for having been given the chance to actively take part of an effort 
that will forever be remembered in history.
  The tragedy of September 11 has touched every aspect of American 
society. Although located half a world away, the people of Guam have 
felt the effects and have made contributions towards our Nation's 
efforts to recover from the effects of these attacks. Individuals such 
as Mark Anderson exemplify the best of our island and I am proud of his 
patriotism and call to duty exhibited on September 11.
  Mr. Speaker, I commend Mark Anderson and his colleagues for their 
contributions. We realize the value of their service and commitments. 
By working together as these people have, we will be able to overcome 
any adversity that comes our way.

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