[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 53 (Wednesday, April 2, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4652-S4657]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES
Mr. ENSIGN. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to the troops.
I am totally amazed when I watch the television reports at the bravery
displayed by those who are serving our Nation in harm's way.
There is a saying from the Scriptures that:
A man can have no greater love than to lay down his life
for his friends.
The motto of my home State of Nevada is: All for our country. Nevada
has a long and proud history of patriotism and contributing to this
Nation's defense in times of peace and in times of conflict. Many brave
Nevadans have proudly donned the uniform of our armed services.
Unfortunately, some of our finest have lost their lives in service to
our Nation.
Nevada has lost several servicemen during the ongoing war on
terrorism, and last week we learned of our first casualty in Operation
Iraqi Freedom. LT Fred Pokorney was killed during a cowardly ambush on
our marines near An Nasiriyah, Iraq. His death has brought the reality
of war to families across Nevada. His life and dedication have touched
and inspired me.
I wish I had known Fred when he played for the Tonopah High School
basketball and football teams. I only had the opportunity to learn
about this gentle giant, for that is what he was, since he made the
ultimate sacrifice for me, my family, for all Nevadans, and all
Americans.
It should not come as a surprise, but when I learn about these brave
men and women who risk their lives and sacrifice so much to defend our
freedom, I am awed by the caliber of their character, integrity, and
dedication. Fred Pokorney is the perfect example.
Nothing was handed to Fred. He overcame challenges that would have
been an excuse for others to quit. He was incredibly well liked for his
positive attitude and competitive spirit. He joined the Marines right
out of high school and graduated with a degree in military science from
Oregon State University, also my alma mater. He loved being a marine.
A tremendous void is being felt by those who knew Fred best. Just as
it is inspiring to hear about the character of men and women who serve
in our military, it is heartening to speak to those left behind and
hear the pride they somehow find the strength to share. When I spoke to
Fred's wife--she goes by Chelle--it was obvious her husband is a hero
to her as he is to us all. She is comforted by the knowledge that she
knew what it was to have peace and love.
Now she is charged with raising their 2\1/2\ year old daughter
Taylor--and passing Fred's legacy on to her, and Fred's love for
country on to us all.
On the telephone last week, Chelle read me the last letter Fred wrote
to her and to his daughter Taylor. I would have brought those letters
to the floor but, frankly, I could not have read those letters without
breaking down because of the emotions that were communicated from one
of our soldiers on the battlefield to his family.
Chelle told me Fred's death, though, gave her hope. She feels a
responsibility to take Fred's pride, strength, and deep patriotism, and
instill it in other Americans. So long as freedom thrives and she can
help other Marine families heal, Chelle knows Fred's death will not
have been in vain.
What Chelle does not realize is that she, too, is a hero. The
families who support our military wait anxiously for word from their
loved ones and continue the motions of life while their loved ones are
away. They are heroes also. Without their strength and support, our
troops could not be the best in the world. I stand here today, grateful
for the bravery of Fred Pokorney and inspired by the courage of Chelle
Pokorney and others like them.
For Taylor, I pray she grows up to know that her father's death on
the battlefield of freedom was not in vain. I pray when she is older,
Taylor will know the gratitude of this Nation for her father's
sacrifice, and for her sacrifice.
God bless LT Fred Pokorney and God bless his family.
I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from North Dakota.
Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, while I know there are some who may have
different views about what is happening in Iraq and our country's role
in it, I think there is really no disagreement in our country about
what our sons and daughters do for America when they are sent to fight
for freedom. There should be no disagreement about our support for the
troops that are in harm's way halfway across the world.
My colleague from Nevada and others have spoken eloquently about the
commitment these young men and women have made to their country. They
leave home, they leave the comforts of their community, they leave
their family, and they march in the face of danger.
This morning I went to Bethesda Naval Hospital to visit a young man
whom I had appointed to the Naval Academy some 12 years ago. His name
is Jason Frei from Hazen, ND. A wonderful young man, he has kept in
touch with me each year since he graduated from the Naval Academy,
sending me Christmas cards, telling me how he is doing and what he is
doing.
He left his wife and two children to go to Iraq with his Marine unit.
Jason was wounded last week and is now back at Bethesda Naval Hospital.
He has lost a part of his arm. His eardrum was punctured. He was
injured by a rocket-propelled grenade when it hit his vehicle.
He is a remarkable man. This morning he was very positive. He was in
good spirits and he told me about the men and women with whom he
served. This morning in the hospital he was most concerned about his
unit, which is still in Iraq--how they were doing, what they were
doing. He is, I think, symbolic of those brave men and women who always
answer the call for our country.
This is a young man from a small town in North Dakota, but he could
be a young man or woman from a town anywhere in America who, when his
country needs him, answers the call.
In North Dakota, we have the highest percentage of callups in the
Guard and Reserve of any State in the Nation. More than one-third of
our National Guard and Reserve have been called to active duty.
A young woman on my staff in Bismarck has been called to active duty
with the National Guard, a young lieutenant. They go and serve because
they are called to serve our country.
I recall one day at a veterans' hospital in Fargo, ND, pinning the
medals on the pajama tops of a Native American named Edmund Young Eagle
who served during World War II. He had never gotten his medals. His
sisters asked if I could help get the medals for him, whom I didn't
know just a week from death. He had lung cancer. We got his medals and
on a Sunday morning
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we went to the VA hospital, and his sisters came and the doctors and
nurses came in the room, and I pinned the medals he won during World
War II on his pajama tops.
This very sick man, with lung cancer, who had answered the call from
his Indian reservation to go to Africa and Europe and fight for this
country, came back from the war and lived a life that was pretty
spartan. He didn't ever have very much. But this man, with the medals
now pinned on his pajama tops, told me it was one of the proudest days
of his life because he had served his country and his country was
saying to him: Thank you.
There are so many young men and women today who are serving their
country. This Congress and the American people need to say to them, in
every way, every day: Thank you.
An author once wrote:
When the night is full of knives, the lightning is seen,
and the drums are heard, the patriots always step forward,
ready to fight and die if necessary to preserve freedom.
This country should have enormous gratitude for having such men and
women, such patriots who always step forward. One of those patriots is
Jason Frei, who, I am proud to say this morning, is doing well at the
Bethesda Naval Hospital and who, we hope, will be released in a matter
of days but who, again, worries a great deal about the troops with whom
he served. He cares a great deal about this country and about their
fate.
Let us all hope very much that this war is over soon, that its result
is decisive, that Saddam Hussein is replaced, that the people of Iraq
are no longer the victims of his tyranny, and that our sons and
daughters come back to our country and return to their loved ones.
When they do, let America again say thank you, thank you for serving
this great country.
I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Who seeks recognition?
Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I make a point of order a quorum is not
present.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order
for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, I rise today to talk about joy and
also apprehension. In Palestine, WV, they are celebrating the rescue
yesterday of PFC Jessica Lynch from an Iraqi hospital. I am sure most
people who watch C-SPAN have also seen the incredible pictures of that
operation, seeing our Navy SEALs, our Army special forces, our Marines
teaming up to go in and take a hospital because they had information
that some of our prisoners of war might be there. It was a great act of
courage on their part.
We are all celebrating the return of Jessica Lynch. In her Army
hometown of El Paso, TX, they are celebrating. Her rescue has given
hope and comfort to the families of the other missing or captured
members of Fort Bliss's 507th Maintenance Company that they, too, might
be returned to their homes and families.
Retired MSgt Claude Johnson, father of prisoner of war SP Shoshana
Johnson, was thrilled to learn PFC Jessica Lynch had been found. I
quote:
I am very, very, very glad that Jessica has been returned
and that she is safe. As I have said previously, it is not
just about Shoshana. It's about all the prisoners who are
over there, and I hope and pray that each and every one of
them can come home safe, just like Jessica did. The rescue of
Lynch gives everybody hope that the rest of [those missing or
captured] will be returned.
I talked to Mr. Johnson early on after Shoshana was taken captive and
was shown on Iraqi television. She is a former Army personnel person. I
was able to share with him the great attention that all of us are
giving to all of those prisoners of war and missing in action. I told
him that everything would be done to find them and to rescue them if
possible. We hope this is the first of good news. But we also know that
our forces are doing everything possible to determine if there are
others there and also to try to get them home if they are.
We commend the brave marines and special ops forces and the SEALs who
were involved in this dramatic rescue. As details come out, I know we
will be even more proud of what they have achieved. Now we hope that in
the days ahead there will be other good news for those families of
soldiers from Fort Bliss and Fort Hood; that they, too, will be
reunited with their families.
All of America is riveted on that wonderful story, but we also know
there is more news to come, and we will wait anxiously to hear about
others.
I also want to take time to discuss personal stories we get from the
field because the press over there is seeing the individual sacrifices
our young men and women in the military are making that show so much
about our values. I want to share one of those vignettes. Then I want
to ask my friend and colleague from Idaho to also do the same because
he, too, has troops from Idaho in the field.
This morning I start by talking about CPT Chris Carter. This comes
from Chris Tomlinson, the Associated Press, from Hindiyah, Iraq. I want
to show this picture because it illustrates exactly what these forces
are doing. This is a story that goes with this picture. You see in this
picture a woman in a black veil sitting on a bridge. Here are the
American troops who are trying to take this bridge.
``We've got to get her off that bridge,'' he said.
Capt. Chris Carter winced at the risks his men would have
to take. Engaged in a raid on this Euphrates River town, they
were battling for a bridge when, through the smoke, they saw
the elderly woman. She had tried to race across the bridge
when the U.S. soldiers arrived, but was caught in crossfire.
At first they thought she was dead, like the man sprawled
in the dust nearby. But during breaks in the gunfire that
whizzed over her head, she sat up and waved for help.
Carter, a 32-year old Army Ranger, ordered his Bradley
Fighting Vehicle to move forward while he and two other men
ran behind it. They took cover behind the bridges' iron
beams. Carter tossed a smoke grenade for more cover and
approached the woman, who was crying and pointing at a wound
on her hip.
She wore a black abayah, a robe common among older women in
the countryside. Blood soaked through the fabric onto the
pavement around her.
Medics put the woman on a stretcher and into an ambulance;
Carter stood by, providing cover with his M-16 automatic
rifle. Then she was gone, and the battle raged on for the
town of 80,000 about 50 mile south of Baghdad.
By the end of the day, the Army unit would fight street to
street, capture or kill scores of Iraqui soldiers, blow up a
Baath Party headquarters and destroy heaps of ammunition and
mortars. No US. soldiers were killed, but from the beginning
officers in the 4th Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment described
the mission as ``hairy.''
``Yeah, hold a strategic bridge with one infantry company
that has only two platoons--a hell of a mission,'' Lt. Col.
Philip DeCamp, the battalion commander, said with a smile.
I yield to my colleague from Utah.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Idaho.
Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, I appreciate the opportunity to address the
Senate today with my colleague from Texas and others who have joined us
and will in the future to take the time set aside by our leadership to
talk about our troops and to give them the thanks of a grateful Nation
as they fight in Iraq to protect our freedom.
Today I want to begin by sharing another vignette, this one is from
the Army Times written by Robert Hodierne and Jane McHugh. It is about
a heroic act that occurred in Iraq during some of the early days of the
fighting. This is a picture with the wrong name on it. I will explain.
When it was first reported, it said ``Joseph DeWitt.'' But after
further evaluation--this picture made it on the front page of a number
of newspapers around the country, and people started checking into it.
It was actually Joseph P. Dwyer, age 26, who is still in the field in
Iraq. A few days ago, when this report I will discuss was written, he
was still 80 miles outside of Baghdad with his division, the 3rd
Infantry. What we see is obvious. It is one of our soldiers carrying a
young Iraqi boy to safety. But there is a story behind this picture
that illustrates the bravery and commitment of our troops in Iraq, not
just to cause a regime change and to overthrow Saddam Hussein and
restore peace and freedom in Iraq and peace and freedom in the world,
but also to do so in a way that causes the least amount of collateral
damage.
I will stop before I go into this vignette to make a point. There are
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many nations in the world that, when war begins, would not pay
attention to the collateral damage, the injuries of innocent civilians.
Saddam Hussein, as we know, has killed tens of thousands of innocent
people just for the accomplishment of an objective of war.
But our Nation, as we conduct this battle, is conducting it in a way
that literally puts our men and women in the military at greater risk
because of the decision to try to reduce the risk presented by the war
to those who are innocent. I think it is important for us to note that
our men and women in the armed services are incurring this greater risk
because of our commitment and theirs to make sure that we do not injure
one unnecessary person as we conduct this war.
You can see here a young grimy soldier in full battle gear. You can
see the level of concern on his face as he carries this wounded young
Iraqi boy to safety. What is the story behind this picture? As I have
indicated, Joseph Dwyer is 26, and he is still with the 3rd Infantry
Division in Iraq. Until just a few days ago, he didn't really have a
clue how famous he was. His name was misidentified in the first prints
of the picture. By the time he was identified, his picture was one that
people around the world had seen. When he was told about it, his
reaction was that he laughed out loud. For a few moments, he could not
stop laughing. He said afterward that he was both amused and
embarrassed at the notoriety he had achieved. ``Really, I was just one
of a group of guys. I wasn't standing out more than anyone else,'' he
said during this telephone conversation during some rare down time.
Dwyer has lived for the past 6 years in Wagram, NC, where his parents
moved after his father retired as a New York transit policeman. This
young man's family has been in law enforcement. His father is a retired
policeman. He grew up in Mt. Sinai on New York's Long Island. His three
older brothers are New York City policemen. If you think about that and
remember 9/11, he had three brothers who were New York City policemen
when he found out the news about what was happening on 9/11. None of
his brothers was lost on 9/11, but one of them lost a partner on 9/11.
That is how close the casualties came to his personal family.
He said: ``I mean everybody lost someone, a lot of good people.'' He
said he was sure for a long time that he had lost someone too. He
believed one of his brothers had probably been killed. He said: ``I
thought he was gone.'' But when he talked to his brother on the night
of September 11 and learned he was safe, Dwyer said: ``I knew I had to
do something.'' So 2 days later he enlisted in the Army and became a
medic. He said: ``It was just what I could do at the time.''
People from across America jumped in and did what they could after 9/
11. This young man joined the Army to help protect and defend the
United States interests and is now doing that in Iraq. On Tuesday
morning, when the now-famous image of Dwyer was taken, his unit, the
3rd Squadron of the 7th Cavalry Regiment, had been ambushed repeatedly
the night before as they worked their way along the north side of the
Euphrates River. Just as the Sun was rising, they were ambushed again
by Iraqi troops firing from tree lines on both sides of the road. The
Americans fired back with everything they had and called in airstrikes
to help them. In the middle of this firefight, an Iraqi family was
caught in the crossfire. When the fighting stopped, the father of the
family came running out screaming that his family needed help. Dwyer
says: ``It came over that there was a family that had some injuries. We
went down there. It was kind of hectic at first. . . . We didn't know
what was going on. Who was friendly and who wasn't.''
Here is an example of how our troops are putting themselves in harm's
way because of their interest in making sure that we reduce the
casualties to innocent people.
``We didn't want to get too close to the village, knowing that there
could be possible enemy there,'' he went on. ``We saw him with the
child. He came running out to where we had the hospital set up.''
Then he and some other soldiers, guns at the ready, bolted from their
cover to help. Dwyer reached the father and grabbed his son from him,
cradling the young boy in a protective embrace as he raced back to
safer ground. That is when Army Times photographer Warren Zinn snapped
this picture.
The boy, who is about 4 years old, ``grabbed right onto me, that was
the weird thing,'' Dwyer said. ``The kid was doing all right. I could
feel him breathing real hard, and I was just carrying him and he didn't
cry one bit and you know he was a cute little kid. He was scared,
though, you could tell. You know, for the father to trust us to take
his child over and know that we would take care of him, maybe it's just
me being optimistic, but I think it was a good feeling knowing he
trusted us to take his child. It was a little kid. I have little nieces
and nephews back home. . . . It was just a kid, it wasn't an enemy.
This is what I signed up to do, to help people.''
That day was the first time Dwyer treated any wounded. The little boy
had a broken left leg, but Dwyer says he is going to make a quick
recovery. Though gratifying as the encounter may have been, it left him
with lingering concerns. He wishes he could talk to the family.
``I wonder how they felt about us,'' he said. ``I mean, if I was in
their position and this was going on, I'd be mad at me, you know, for
being here. I don't know. I wouldn't mind being able to talk to him,
that's for sure.''
Dwyer nevertheless is glad to be in Iraq. ``I know that people are
going to be better for it. The whole world will be. I hope being here
is positive because we are a caring group of people out here. If they
find out, that would be great. Maybe they'd stop shooting.''
Mr. President, here we have one more specific example of an act of
bravery, heroism, which is happening time and time again in Iraq. As we
see the scenes on TV of the bombs exploding and the troops moving, we
think about our troops being engaged in battle, but we don't think
about the fact that, as they are engaged in battle, they are also doing
everything they can to help those who are innocent, who didn't start or
cause this war, to be protected from harm's way.
I conclude my remarks by again expressing on my behalf, and I believe
on behalf of the entire Senate and the Congress, and, frankly, the
United States people, our thanks to our men and women in the armed
services for the service they are giving.
I spoke in the Chamber a few days ago about an Idahoan who has given
the extreme sacrifice. He lost his life in this battle. We will have,
unfortunately, more stories like that. As a nation, we give our
thoughts and our prayers and our grateful thanks to the men and women
in our Armed Forces who are putting their lives on the line for our
freedom.
Mr. President, I yield the remainder of my time to the Senator from
Texas.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Texas is recognized.
Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, I thank the Senator from Idaho for
sharing that story with us. It reminds us of what is being done that we
might not see over here, but it is those one-on-one things that that
Iraqi father is going to remember.
I want to do another story from the field. This one is written by
Julian Barnes of U.S. News and World Report. He is with the 101st
Airmobile Division Apache Pilots. Here we have the picture of an Apache
helicopter firing an antimissile flare. This was taken April 7. The
story:
Chief Warrant Officer Ted Hazen has been flying attack
helicopters for years. Last week, he finally flew one into
combat. ``It was everything I expected,'' he says, ``and not
anything like I expected.'' It was the first deep-strike
attack by the 101st Airborne Division, and Hazen was at the
controls of the command chopper, helping direct the fleet of
Apache Longbows into battle some 50 miles south of Baghdad.
In front of him, the other pilots locked on the Republican
Guard tanks and armored vehicles and let loose their hellfire
missiles. ``I saw that first shot go out and bang, hit,'' he
says. ``Then there was a hellacious secondary explosion.
Flames went 100 feet into the air.''
After engaging the first tank, the Apaches' fuel began
running low. A squadron of British Harrier jets continued the
attack as the Apaches turned south, back to base. But heading
home is almost as tough as attacking. Powerful tailwinds can
cause blinding brownouts. The first two of the 101st's
Apaches crashed while trying to land. Hazen is philosophical.
After all, it's tricky business trying to land a big chopper
totally blind. How tricky? ``The best thing to say,'' Hazen
mused, ``is open your garage door,
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turn your lights off, line yourself up, go 20 miles per hour
and hit your brakes and see if you stop in time.''
That sort of thing brings it home.
I wish to read an article about the 173rd Airborne Brigade. This is a
picture of the paratroopers who took the airfield in northern Iraq. A
U.S. soldier stands guard next to his colleagues digging in near the
Harir airstrip. They are excavating earth into trucks northeast of
Arbil in northern Iraq. Harir airfield is in Kurdish-controlled
northern Iraq where U.S. soldiers from the 173rd Airborne unit
parachuted into position.
The article is by Bay Fang, U.S. News & World Report. He is with the
173rd Airborne Brigade:
The man is covered in mud. ``I landed in a puddle,'' he
says sheepishly. ``It was a great landing, other than where I
landed.'' He and the other members of the 173rd Airborne
Brigade dropped into northern Iraq the night before, but they
still have not had a chance to clean up. They are fanned out
across the airstrip here, dun-colored figures dotting the
lush green fields, diggings foxholes, setting up their guns.
Another paratrooper checks a jeep-mounted machine gun and
gestures at the fields and mountains shrouded in mist. ``I
have total sympathy for the men in Vietnam, walking through
the rice paddies,'' he says. ``I don't see how they did it.
This isn't half as bad. And it's tough, this terrain out
here.''
Up the road, a special forces officer haggles over a
truckload of wood his men need for heat. They chose to send
the troops in by parachute rather than plane, he says, for
reasons of both efficiency and psychological impact. ``It
sends a dramatic message to the whole region that U.S. forces
are here,'' he says. ``I think we can say that the northern
front is already underway.''
The north has indeed begun to move. Late that afternoon, I
hear that Iraqi forces have pulled back from the ridge
overlooking Chamchamal, the frontline town where I have been
staying, to positions just outside Kirkuk. Kurdish fighters,
known as peshmerga--
Described as ``those who face death''--
and curious townspeople have rushed up the mountainside. Some
are here to inspect the area inhabited by their enemy for the
past 12 years. Some have come to loot. But most are simply
tourists, hoping to visit places once forbidden to them.
Arivan Ahmed stands on the remains of a hilltop bunker. He
used to pass through this place every day on his smuggling
run from Kirkuk to Chamchamal and bribe the soldiers at what
was called the Challenger checkpoint. ``They sometimes took
my shoes from me, so I would have to go back barefoot to
Chamchamal,'' he says. That was before the American bombing
started and all traffic stopped. ``I used to be very afraid
every time I came through here. Now I am just happy to stand
here on this ground.'' He holds a rusty hammerhead in his
fist that he scrounged from the rubble, and says that is
enough of a memento for him.
The road is now open 12 miles deep into what was Iraqi
territory. All along it, I see scenes of defiance and
celebration. A man drives a bulldozer into a cement plaque in
the middle of the road. It bears pictures of Saddam Hussein--
wearing a western-style suit on one side, and Kurdish dress
on the other. It takes him 15 minutes to topple the plaque,
and he wipes the sweat off his forehead with a laugh. ``It is
very strong--he spent all of Iraq's money on plaques like
these!'' he says. I just wish I could go to Baghdad and do
the same to the man himself.''
The peshmerga express the same impatience with beginning
the drive down south. But their commanders, sensitive
about being seen to cooperate with America, make sure we
understand that their forces will not move in
unilaterally. It is not the peshmerga taking the newly
vacated regions, they say, it is the people themselves.
``These areas we are moving into, they belong to us,''
says Gen. Rostam Hamid Rahim, the top peshmerga commander
from Kirkuk. ``The citizens have moved back to the
liberated area, and we are just protecting them.''
At the end of the newly opened road, Kirkuk shimmers like a
mirage on the horizon, still about 12 miles away. ``It is the
Jerusalem of Kurdistan, and we would like to be free,'' says
the mayor of Chamchamal, walking briskly toward it as the sun
sets. He and everyone else here want to return soon, fighting
their way through if necessary. But they have a new phrase
for their suppressed hopes: Instead of inshallah, meaning
``God willing,'' it is Insha-Bush.''
This is the picture taken that first day after the paratroopers
landed in the north of Iraq.
I will show a few more pictures because I do believe that pictures
say a thousand words. A lot of people have seen the pictures from the
field of our troops in combat doing everyday activities. I want to show
some pictures about what life is like over there for our soldiers.
Here our soldiers are sleeping next to their tanks on a highway that
they have taken. They just laid down on the cement, covered their
heads, and are taking what I am sure is a long hoped for respite right
in the middle of the day because they have been moving at night. They
are taking the rest when they can get it. We see a couple of soldiers
just cannot sleep. They are awake and talking. But some of them are
sleeping with their rifles on and their boots on the ground.
This is another picture showing soldiers sleeping. This was during
that sandstorm that many of us saw. These soldiers are wrapped up,
trying to protect their faces, their noses from inhaling that dust and
sand. We see one soldier sleeping sitting up with a rifle on his lap,
and we see another soldier laying down also with a face mask on trying
to protect from that dust. Clearly, they are so tired that they will
sleep anywhere.
These are troops digging trenches, trying to set up for potential
warfare. They, too, are trying to rest before the battle that might
ensue. We see them sleeping in their trenches, standing in their
trenches that they just worked so hard to dig. We see the trucks that
are lined up to protect them in case there is an enemy out there.
That is a fitting end to showing what our troops are enduring every
day as they are on the front lines fighting for every one of us,
fighting for our way of life, fighting for our right to speak on the
Senate floor, the right to be in the Galleries listening, the right to
watch C-SPAN2 cover the Senate every day. They are fighting for the
right of each of us to kiss our babies in the morning as we go off to
our jobs or as we give them the chance to play with some of their
friends. Every one of the activities we are doing every day is being
protected by those men and women in the field as we speak today.
We are starting the Senate every morning with 1 hour of tribute to
our troops, talking about something that has happened that shows
American values shining through to the people of the world. We are
doing this to honor our troops, to let their families know we will not
forget them for 1 minute, and that we appreciate what they are doing
every single minute of the day.
We will do this every day our troops are in the field in Iraq, until
this war is over.
I yield the floor.
Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, I want to speak briefly about the miraculous
rescue of a young West Virginian. Today, a community in West Virginia
is celebrating amazing news. For many days, the people of the small
town of Palestine--very appropriate--in Wirt County, WV, have been
gripped with concern for PFC Jessica Lynch. She is part of the Army's
507th Maintenance Company convoy that was ambushed near the southern
Iraqi town of Nasiriyah on March 23. Since that day, no word had been
heard from PFC Jessica Lynch. The Army did not know where she was. The
Defense Department did not know where she was. Her family did not know
where she was. Her family could only be told that she was missing.
For each painstaking hour, over each nerve-racking day, the family
and friends of Jessica Lynch awaited word. They held on to each other,
they prayed together, they grasped for hope, and they held on to faith.
Then last night, in the afternoon late, the telephone rang. Good
news. Amazing news. A miracle had happened: PFC Jessica Lynch has been
found in a hospital in Iraq. She was rescued in a daring effort by the
brave Army Rangers and Navy SEALS. Today, she is safe--safe once again.
Her State of West Virginia is relieved. Her community is exuberant.
Her family is overjoyed. I spoke with Jessica Lynch's father last
evening and shared with him our thoughts. The news of Jessica's rescue
spread through the county and throughout the State like wildfire. Wirt
County has fewer than 6,000 residents, and it appeared as though every
one of those people were out honking horns and hugging neighbors last
night. Jessica Lynch's parents and siblings were not alone. Jessica has
become a part of everyone's family.
As a nation, while we celebrate this rescue, we remain steadfast in
our concern for the other members of the armed services who are listed
as missing or captured. We look forward to
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one day celebrating their safe rescue and return.
We also pray for those families whose loved ones will not be coming
home. When we say we pray for them, that is what we mean. Jessica Lynch
was found and is safe today. She was preserved. She lived because of
the prayers that went up to Heaven from the people of the community and
from people all over the Nation.
Hundreds of people gathered yesterday for the funeral service of West
Hamlim, WV, native Therrel Shane Childers, a U.S. marine who became the
first American combat casualty in the war in Iraq. The Chaplain at the
service yesterday noted that First Lieutenant Childers ``emanated a
courageous sense about him, that nothing scared him.''
We must continue to wrap our arms around the hundreds of thousands of
families of those men and women engaged in military action. Each day,
each hour they struggle with worry and concern. They do not struggle
alone. To those families, know that the Nation is with you at each step
and at every turn. May God have mercy on your loved ones and may He
bring them safely home.
I yield the floor.
Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, today I want to recognize Oklahoma's first
loss in the fight for our country's security and our country's freedom
and future.
LCpl Thomas ``Tommy'' Alan Blair from Broken Arrow, OK, was killed in
the line of duty on or about March 23. Lance Corporal Blair was
described as a born leader, an enthusiastic student, and a confident
young man who loved Oklahoma and his country.
I remember him well when I went out and talked to him and some of the
others before their deployment. All of them were enthusiastic, all of
them were courageous, but all of them knew they were risking their
lives.
He was killed when an enemy rocket-propelled grenade hit and
destroyed his amphibious assault vehicle as it was traveling near
Nasiriyah, Iraq.
This battle was described as the sharpest battle in the war to date,
and Lance Corporal Blair paid the ultimate price--his life. Let me say
again, he gave his life. Why would a person pay this price? Why would a
person risk facing this fear and die in combat? Lance Corporal Blair
fought and died because he was an American, he was a marine, and he
knew what freedom really means--the freedom most Iraqis have never
known, and a freedom most Americans take for granted.
He fought for Americans who have already forgotten our freedoms were
attacked on 9/11. He fought for the pundits who think this war is about
oil. He fought for the protesters who have always had the freedom to
express their opinions but never considered what it requires to protect
and secure these freedoms for the future.
Expressing your opinion in Iraq may cost your tongue being cut out of
your mouth, it may cost your wife being raped in front of your
children, or your family may just disappear. If you are lucky, it may
only cost a bullet in your head without the suffering.
How could such a place void of these fundamental freedoms exist on
God's green Earth? This place does exist. It is Iraq under the rule of
Saddam Hussein.
Does the average American consider life without these freedoms? Does
the average American consider the life of an Iraqi? Does the average
American know the bravery Lance Corporal Blair felt in the last seconds
of his life? I would say not.
Lance Corporal Blair considered these freedoms and he considered them
important enough to join the Marine Corps, serve his country, and
eventually sacrifice his life. He gave his life for the continued
freedom and security of the American people. He gave his life for the
new freedom the Iraqi people will enjoy.
I do remember talking to his group. Many of the people at that time
were saying: Why are we so concerned about Iraq? Why not go after Osama
bin Laden or some of the other areas? They forget what we are going
through now is not a war, it is a battle in Iraq. The war was declared
by the President of the United States at 8:30 in the evening on
September 11, that fateful day. This is the No. 1 terrorist out there,
by any measure. How many people has he tortured? How many people has he
murdered? He is the premier terrorist of our time and has to be
eradicated.
I ask us and all Americans to think about the freedoms we take for
granted, to think about the fear the Iraqi people feel every day, and
think about the sacrifice LCpl Thomas Blair and his fellow countrymen
have made to ensure we will always enjoy these fundamental freedoms.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his family as they deal with the
tragic loss of their son, LCpl Thomas Alan Blair.
Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Madam President, last night, an extraordinary event
happened in Iraq: The extraction and rescue of PFC Jessica Lynch of
West Virginia who comes from the small town of Palestine in Wirt County
with a population of about 5,800. She was in a hospital in Nasiriyah,
with others, where she had been held captive.
Through superb coordination of the Navy SEALs, Marines, and Army
Rangers, U.S. forces went in, created diversions, rescued her, and
brought her to safety. She is now on a C-17 on her way to Ramstein Air
Force Base where she will receive treatment. She has many broken bones
and other injuries, but none of them are life threatening.
She was part of the Army's 507th Ordnance Maintenance Company and was
moving with the 3rd Infantry Division north toward Baghdad. It was that
classic case where the group made a right turn instead of going
straight ahead, and they were captured. Not all of her fellow soldiers
were so lucky, but she is known to be in very good spirits. I have seen
pictures of her, as I think we all have, and I have spoken with her
parents to express my thoughts of her being rescued.
I have to say that in a time of great stress, worry, and loss in this
country, there do come high points and this is one of them. This
private is 19 years old. She wants to be a teacher. She was rescued by
people who showed the most extraordinary skill and heroism.
What is interesting is her desire to be a teacher. Even when she went
overseas, she told a kindergarten class in her hometown of Palestine,
WV, that she wanted to have a pen pal relationship with them from the
field. By having this communication, she believed they could get a
better sense of what war was like rather than just watching TV, reading
the newspapers, or listening to the radio.
As my senior colleague, Senator Byrd, knows well, Palestine is a very
friendly, very proud place where people struggle hard in a rural county
to give the best possible life for their daughters and sons. I think
Jessica Lynch has already started her role as a teacher. She has taught
all of us. The Nation took her to heart because of the innocence and
the beauty of her young face. The Nation prayed over her, worried over
her, as we all did. She was rescued. She was delivered back to us, so
to speak. So I think her career, in being inspiring to all of us, has
already begun as a teacher. She has taught us enormously. Then again,
so did those who rescued her teach us, because they took extraordinary
skill and courage and used the proper techniques. They were under fire
and brought her home safely to an ambulance.
There are still others who are missing, of course, and we worry about
them. I know she does, even as she hurts with her wounds. For now, for
this moment, and in West Virginia for a long time to come, we can
rejoice about this extraordinary miracle of Jessica Lynch. She would
like to know and surely can know that all Members of the Senate join
their colleagues in other bodies of Government, and Americans in
general, in offering our warmest congratulations to her as a person, to
her family, and to her neighbors who, in fact, became her family and
always had been her family.
Jessica Lynch's story has lifted our hearts, and I think her rescue
is a cause for rejoicing throughout our land.
I yield the floor.
Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, I rise today to speak about a brave
New Jersey resident, 31 year old Sgt. James Riley, one of the prisoners
of war now being held in Iraq. On behalf of the Senate, I would like to
express my support for his family and for the families of the other
American POWs being held in Iraq.
On March 23, 12 members of the 507th Maintenance Co, part of the
111th Air
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Defense Artillery Brigade stationed in Fort Bliss, Texas, took a wrong
turn near An Nasiriyah, a key battle ground city on the Euphrates River
in southern Iraq. Iraqi forces ambushed their unit. Five soldiers,
including Riley, were taken prisoner of war. The remainder were most
likely killed, although their deaths have not been confirmed.
Subsequently, Iraqi state-run television aired a gruesome videotape of
interviews with Sgt. Riley and the other POWs, and displayed chilling
shots of four murdered American servicemen and women. This videotape
was then broadcast by television networks all over the world, including
the influential Qatar-based Al Jazeera.
Sgt. Riley's family, including his parents Athol and Jane Riley, are
waiting anxiously for information on their son's condition. The Rileys
have experienced a tremendous loss this week; their daughter, age 29,
died last Friday after suffering from a rare neurological illness that
had left her in a coma since late January. My heart goes out to the
Rileys and their friends and family during this painful time.
James Riley moved to New Jersey from New Zealand when he was 10 years
old. He attended West Field Friends Grade School and he graduated from
the Pennsauken High School in 1990. According to his parents, he had
always dreamed of serving in the Army and he enlisted immediately after
he graduated from high school.
I am confident that our superior military will find and rescue the
American POWs. In the meantime, I pledge my support for all service men
and women serving in the Persian Gulf and for their anxious families at
home.
I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record a moving story
about James Riley printed in the New York Times on April 2, 2003. This
story illuminates the quiet courage displayed by the Rileys as they
wait for news of their son, as well as the communal support extended to
them by their neighbors.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in
the Record, as follows:
[From the New York Times, Apr. 2, 2003]
A.P.O.W. Brings War Close to Home
(By Matthew Purdy)
Pennsauken, N.J.--In the 10 days since he was taken
prisoner in Iraq, Sgt. James Riley has become something of a
symbol in this working-class town where he grew up--a
homegrown argument for or against the war, depending upon who
is talking.
Joseph McCollum, a maintenance worker who lives next to the
Rileys, said that when he heard the news, ``I said `Maybe we
should go over there and drop the bomb and suffer the
consequences.' ''
``Since 9/11, I think we needed the war,'' Mr. McCollum
said. ``This makes me feel like we really have to get them.''
Around the corner, Charlene Walls, a school aide, said the
capture of Sergeant Riley, 31, perfectly illustrated why she
opposed invading Iraq: ``It's just people losing people.''
``We've already lost too many people for something no one
can tell you why we're in there,'' Ms. Walls said.
If people are being made to think twice by the war's
unexpected difficulties, they seem to be coming down even
more firmly where they were already standing.
Antiwar protests are growing in vigor, while polls show the
country supports the war as much as ever. Everyone is
rallying around the flag, or a banner.
When Sergeant Riley's maintenance company was ambushed
outside Nasiriya, yellow ribbons blossomed amid the red,
white and blue in this South Jersey town. Even the giant
water tower that rises behind the houses has a yellow bow on
it.
There's also a big yellow bow outside the local tavern
Bryson's Pub. Inside, Tom McVeigh, a landscaper, said that
Sergeant Riley's capture only brought home the cost of the
war in people and world opinion. ``We look like a bully,'' he
said.
But few people in the neighborhood appear to question the
war.
Ed Russell, who works in finance for I.B.M., trusts what
the Bush administration says about Saddam Hussein. ``I don't
think it's in the nature of the American people to go out and
start a war,'' he said. ``They must have critical evidence
that something bad was about to happen and they needed to
stop this guy.''
Mr. Russell said he hardly knew the Rileys, but Pat Dimter,
who grew up down the street from James Riley, sees her
friend's capture as more justification to fight. The United
States treated the Iraqis ``like they're our own people,''
she said. ``And it's not fair what they're doing to us
with 9/11 and how they're treating our P.O.W.'s.''
Greg Sassone, an eighth grader, was walking through the
neighborhood park on Monday when he picked up a piece of
yellow ribbon from the ground and tied it to a tree. One of
Sergeant Riley's sisters was his baby sitter, and the ordeal
has hit too close to home.
Greg's father is in the Air Force Reserves. ``If my dad
gets called, he could get captured,'' he said. And his 20-
year-old brother could get called if there were a draft, he
said. ``My mom says she would move him to Canada.''
At school, students fear another terrorist attack, Greg
said. That's why, despite Sergeant Riley's capture, he
supports the war against Saddam. ``We have to get rid of him
before it's too late,'' he said.
It's hard to find someone without an angle on Sergeant
Riley's capture.
Monday night, at the close of a stirring vigil detected to
Sergeant Riley, the Rev. Guenther Fritsch pulled out a Bible
to show what the enemy ``is all about.'' He read a passage
about Ishmael, from whom Arabs are said to be descended: ``He
will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against
everyone.''
The only people who seemed to find no larger significance
in Sergeant Riley's capture were his parents.
Athol Riley, a building inspector, was calm and simple when
he addressed the crowd. He said that in addition to his son's
being captured, a daughter had died on Friday after a long
illness. Mr. Riley thanked the township that employs him, the
publishing company where his wife works, the store where his
surviving daughter works, and the family that runs the
McDonald's where his deceased daughter had worked. ``I would
like to thank everyone for the show of support,'' he said.
Afterward, mobbed by television cameras and reporters, he
was asked how he felt about the course of the war. Mr. Riley
expressed no thoughts about Saddam Hussein or George Bush.
A stout man in a dark coat, Mr. Riley obliged the cameras
only when he was asked if he had a message for his son. A sad
smile on his face, Mr. Riley had no angle, only words from
the heart: ``Hang in there, and hurry home.''
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Pennsylvania.
Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, in the absence of the arrival of the
chairman of the Appropriations Committee, I ask unanimous consent to
speak for up to 5 minutes.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. SPECTER. First, I thank the distinguished Senator from Texas for
her comments and recognition of the valor of our troops. There was very
good news yesterday concerning the rescue of a female soldier. There
was great pursuit by her fellow comrades to bring her back. I think it
is very important, as the war proceeds, to put the Iraqis on special
notice that war crimes will be prosecuted and that when the war ends,
it will not be over for those who have violated the requirements of the
Hague and Geneva Conventions.
Last Saturday, when four U.S. soldiers were murdered with a car bomb
by an Iraqi soldier masquerading as a civilian, that constituted a war
crime. Then Tariq Aziz, the Deputy Prime Minister, appeared on
international television boasting about the incident and saying there
would be many more who would come forward, with reports of some 4,000
volunteers willing to engage in such suicide bombing. It is important
to put Tariq Aziz on notice that such conduct is a violation of
international law, and it will be prosecuted. Similarly, it is
important to put Iraqi Vice President Taha Yasin Ramadan on notice that
this is a violation of international law.
Today in the Hague the former President of Yugoslavia, Slobodan
Milosevic, is on trial. In an international jail, the former leader of
Rwanda is serving a life sentence for violation of international law.
On Monday, I filed a resolution at the first available date to put the
Iraqi leaders, as well as the Iraqi followers, on notice they will be
liable for prosecution as war criminals. It is not a defense for the
followers to say they have been operating under orders.
I see the distinguished President pro tempore, the chairman of the
Appropriations Committee, is in the Chamber.
I yield the floor.
____________________