[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 100 (Monday, July 22, 2002)]
[House]
[Page H5069]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          TRIBUTE TO U.S. MARINE LANCE CORPORAL PETER ORLANDO

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Meehan) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. MEEHAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to my friend, 20-year-
old United States Marine Lance Corporal Peter Orlando, who died on 
Saturday in service to our country. Peter Orlando was a lifelong 
resident of my hometown of Lowell, Massachusetts, who joined the United 
States Marine Corps 2 years ago. He valiantly served his country as 
part of our forces of Operation Enduring Freedom, deployed on a supply 
ship off the coast of Bahrain in the Persian Gulf. Peter was currently 
training at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina in preparation for 
continuing desert warfare training later this month in California.
  Peter was a member of the 3rd Battalion 2nd Marines, 2nd Marine 
division, since December of 2000 after graduating from boot camp at 
Parris Island. Peter was assigned to the battalion's combined antiarmor 
platoon within the weapons company. He served as a machine gunner.
  In June of this year, Peter had returned to the United States after a 
6-month deployment in Okinawa. While deployed to Okinawa, Peter had 
further deployed to Bahrain from January to April of this year. There 
he participated at shipboard security operations in support of 
Operation Southern Watch and Enduring Freedom.
  Peter was an expert rifleman and was a recipient of the Armed Forces 
Expeditionary Medal, the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, and the 
National Service Medal. Peter's death during a military training 
exercise was a tragic and devastating loss to his loving family, to his 
community, and to his country. His death touched me personally as well. 
I got to know Peter when he was 9 or 10 years old. He became involved 
in my first campaign for Congress in 1992. I remember Peter walking the 
mile or so from his home in the Centerville area of Lowell to our 
campaign headquarters. I remember his useful enthusiasm as a volunteer, 
his constant zeal. He was always campaigning, no matter where he was. 
Over the decade that followed, I kept in touch with Peter and was proud 
that from time to time he would call me for advice or my view on 
something that he was doing. Every Saturday when I would go to the 
Double Tree Hotel in Lowell for breakfast with community leaders, I 
would meet his mother and she would tell me how Peter was doing and 
where Peter was, wherever he was around the world.
  He was a 2000 graduate of Lowell High School, after which Peter 
enlisted in the armed services, a career that I was very, very proud of 
him for entering. I remember one time he said to me ``I am going to 
enter the service, which do you think I should enter?'' I said, ``Well, 
I hear the Marines is the toughest.'' He said, ``Yeah, that is the one 
for me. I have brothers who are also Marines.''
  And I was extremely proud to hear of his plans to reenlist for 
another 4 years, his resolve, like that of our Nation, strengthened by 
the cowardly attacks on our country on September 11.
  Peter is survived by his loving mother, Audrey, and 10 siblings: 
Lisa, Karyn, Christine, Heidi, Allyson, Gino, Anthony, Joseph, Maria, 
and Sara, as well as of many nieces and nephews. Yes, Peter was a 
United States Marine, but first and foremost he was a loving son, 
brother, uncle, a young man who was committed to his family, a legacy 
where he will always be remembered by not only his family but to those 
he touched and to those who loved him from his hometown of Lowell.
  Peter Orlando served his family, his community, and his country 
proudly and faithfully, and I salute him today in the United States 
House of Representatives and say to you, Peter Orlando, today, thank 
you for your service to our country, and tonight from the floor of the 
House, Peter, you are my hero.

                          ____________________