[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 50 (Thursday, March 27, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E597]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               IN HONOR OF LANCE CORPORAL JOSE GUTIERREZ

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JANE HARMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 27, 2003

  Ms. HARMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Marine 
Corps Lance Corporal Jose Gutierrez, who was one of the first Americans 
to give his life in battle during Operation Iraqi Freedom. I ask my 
colleagues to join me in commemorating the heroism of this young man.
  Corporal Gutierrez was a symbol of America's promise. Born in 
Guatemala, Jose lost his parents at a young age and spent years on the 
streets in his home country. He came to the United States seeking a 
better life, and after moving around a bit, found a home with foster 
parents in Lomita, California, a small town in my congressional 
district.
  Jose attended local schools--North High School in Torrance and Harbor 
College in Wilmington--playing soccer and hoping one day to study 
architecture. His foster brother told local newspapers that ``he joined 
the Marines to pay back a little of what he'd gotten from the U.S.''
  Mr. Speaker, it makes me proud to learn about the passionate feelings 
this young man had for his adopted country. Undoubtedly, they are 
feelings shared by hundreds or perhaps thousands of the other young men 
and women who volunteered for military service and are now 
participating in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
  I am proud too of the citizens of Lomita, who immediately began to 
organize tributes to Corporal Gutierrez, including plans to add his 
name to the memorial to fallen soldiers adjacent to the local post 
office, requesting that post office to fly its flag at half-mast, and 
launching a drive to fly 82 U.S. flags in honor of all of Lomita's 
fallen soldiers, sailors and airmen.
  Corporal Gutierrez's ultimate sacrifice underscores for us how 
fragile and how precious are the freedoms we enjoy. He died to keep us 
free.

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