[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 56 (Tuesday, April 8, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4920-S4922]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page S4920]]
                       HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES

  Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, today I am going to continue what the 
Senate has been doing since our troops started the invasion of Iraq, 
and that is to take the first period before we go on to the business of 
the day to salute the troops who are in the field protecting our 
freedom.
  Today, I want to salute the members of the 507th Maintenance Company. 
This is the company out of Fort Bliss in El Paso, TX, who really were 
the first to be captured, the first prisoners of war shown on Iraqi 
television. Some of them have now been recovered, but there are still 
five missing.
  The rescue of PFC Jessica Lynch was a moment of triumph but also 
sadness, as the celebration was tempered by the recovery of the remains 
of fallen soldiers who were later identified as her comrades in arms. 
General Renuart at CENTCOM described the rescue this way: A special ops 
soldier called to Private Lynch saying:

       Jessica Lynch, we're United States soldiers and we're here 
     to protect you and take you home. . . .

  As he walked over to her bed, took his helmet off, she looked up to 
him and said:

       I'm an American soldier, too.

  General Renuart also described the recovery of the remains of the 
soldiers who had been killed because they were told by the same sources 
that there were remains of other soldiers on the ground outside the 
hospital where Jessica lay. He said:

       At the same time, the team was led to a burial site, where, 
     in fact, they did find a number of bodies that they believed 
     could be Americans missing in action. They did not have 
     shovels in order to dig those graves up, so they dug them up 
     with their hands. And they wanted to do that very rapidly so 
     they could race the sun and be off the site before the sun 
     came up; a great testament to the will and desire of 
     coalition forces to bring their own home.

  That one line says all you will ever need to know about the character 
of the young men and women in the military today, who refuse to leave 
their fallen comrades behind: They dug them up with their hands, and 
raced the sun.
  On Friday evening, the families of those whose remains were recovered 
were officially notified that their loved ones had been killed in 
action. We mourn their loss.
  They were PFC Lori Ann Piestewa, the first American woman soldier 
killed in the Iraq war. This is a picture showing the two friends, PFC 
Jessica Lynch and PFC Lori Piestewa. They were at Fort Bliss the day of 
their deployment. They were roommates and friends.
  Private First Class Piestewa was a Hopi Indian, one of the few 
American Indian women serving in the military. She was PFC Jessica 
Lynch's good friend and roommate.
  ``Our family is proud of her; she is our hero,'' her brother Wayland 
said Saturday. ``We are going to hold that in our hearts. She will not 
be forgotten. It gives us comfort to know that she is at peace right 
now.''
  Behind me are the pictures of some who have died in action, and I am 
going to speak about each of them.
  In Texas, there is a town called Comfort that lived up to its name by 
embracing and comforting the parents of SP James Kiehl. In Comfort, TX, 
the parents of SP James M. Kiehl are being comforted by their friends 
and neighbors. The 6-foot 8-inch soldier was a high school basketball 
player and a member of the band. The people of Comfort, moved by James' 
death, created an impromptu memorial where basketballs, flower 
arrangements, personal notes, and even baseball bats have been left as 
tributes to James. His father summed up the family's feelings this way:

       We just want everyone to know we support the President and 
     the troops, and we believe in what James went over there for.

  James Kiehl's wife, Jill, is staying with her parents in Des Moines, 
IA, and is expecting their first child next month.
  In Mobile, AL, Rev. Howard Johnson, Sr., buried his son, Army PFC 
Howard Johnson, Jr., from the same pulpit of the Truevine Baptist 
Church where he had stood so many times offering words of comfort to 
his congregation. Reverend Johnson said of his son:

       Howard, you out ran me, but I'll see you in the morning.

  SGT Donald Walters of Kansas City, MO, fought in Operation Desert 
Storm and had followed in his father's footsteps by joining the 
military. His father, Norman Walters, is an Air Force veteran and said 
this about his son:

       He was a patriotic guy. He felt it was his duty to serve 
     his country.

  Sergeant Walters leaves behind a wife and three daughters.
  MSG Robert Dowdy and PVT Brandon Sloan were both from Cleveland, OH. 
Master Sergeant Dowdy's brother-in-law had this to say about the career 
soldier:

       He was ready to accept the challenge. That's the type of 
     person he was. He knew going in what he was in store for and 
     who he was and what he was about.

  Private Sloan's father, the Rev. Tandy Sloan, proudly said his son 
``was very committed to the cause of country.''
  PVT Ruben Estrella-Soto was from El Paso, TX. This is his graduation 
picture. His father said his son

     had a lot of desire to do something with his life, and wanted 
     to go into the military so he could get education.

  CWO Johnny Villareal Mata was from Amarillo, TX. He played football 
on the Pecos High School Eagles football team and graduated in 1986. 
Soon thereafter he joined the Army. The family remembered him this way:

       Our hearts are saddened, and we share the pain with the 
     other families. He will be deeply missed and will never be 
     forgotten.

  SP Jamaal Addison of Roswell, GA, is remembered by his step-
grandmother as ``a mild-mannered, quiet child'' who attended Bible 
study every Wednesday night before joining the Army.
  The 507th Maintenance Company still has five soldiers who are 
prisoners of war. They are SP Shoshana Johnson, SP Edgar Hernandez, SP 
Joseph Hudson, PFC Patrick Miller, and SGT James Riley. I have talked 
with Claude Johnson, Shoshana's father, several times. He and his wife 
Eunice are caring for Shoshana's 2-year-old daughter.
  These five have not been seen publicly since several hours after they 
were taken prisoner March 23, and the International Committee of the 
Red Cross has not yet been able to visit them in captivity. We join all 
Americans in urging the Iraqi Government to treat those prisoners in 
accordance with the Geneva Convention, just as we have treated the 
thousands of Iraqi prisoners we hold.
  We pray those prisoners of war from the 507th Maintenance Company 
will be returned safely to their families. We pay tribute to them today 
for the sacrifices they have made.
  I thank the Chair. I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Arkansas.
  Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, I come to the floor today to pay tribute to 
our men and women in uniform serving at home and abroad and honor their 
service to this Nation. Our service men and women have risen to the 
call in the fight against terrorism. They have risen to the call to 
ensure peace and stability in the world. And they have risen to the 
call to provide humanitarian aid to those in need.
  One of the great aspects about America is our military. We have a 
history in our armed services, a rich and deep history of honor and 
integrity, and we see that firsthand in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
  I wish to acknowledge the ultimate sacrifice of two of our servicemen 
who fell in the line of duty: Hospital Corpsman Michael Vann Johnson, 
Jr., a 25-year-old Navy medic serving in the 3rd Battalion of the 5th 
Marine Expeditionary Force. Michael was born in Little Rock where his 
mother still lives. I talked with her by phone the other day. She is a 
soldier in her own right.
  LCpl Thomas Blair was a 24-year-old marine whose father, Al Blair, 
resides in Gravette, AR.
  They died very bravely, both serving their country and both trying to 
make life better for mankind. I pray for their families, and I honor 
them as brave and selfless men who put their lives on the line to make 
the world safer for others.
  I also pray for Iraq and the Iraqi people. I pray that after Saddam 
Hussein leaves power and that regime ends, the next government in Iraq 
will be peaceful; that it will not be oppressive of its own people; 
that it will not be aggressive toward its neighbors; that Iraq will 
become a solid rock in the Middle East and in that part of the world 
and a model of stability.
  I also honor the service of LCpl James, or as we know him, ``Jason,''

[[Page S4921]]

Smedley of the U.S. Marine Corps. Jason was wounded in combat and, by 
the grace of God, he is returning to us now. When not fighting for his 
country, he serves in the office of my colleague from Arkansas, Senator 
Blanche Lincoln, assisting Arkansans. We look forward to having Jason 
back, around and helping Arkansans in the many ways he does.
  Military service is not a job; it is a calling. It takes a special 
person to pledge to serve their country, risking life and limb in doing 
so. It takes courage, commitment, and a true sense of self to be 
prepared to deploy and fight for America.
  I have two young children, ages 7 and 9, and I think about the 
children of our military men and women. I think about the boys and 
girls whose fathers and mothers are far from home or working long hours 
in the United States. I want them to know we appreciate the sacrifices 
they are making, that we admire their valor in keeping their spirits 
up, and that their parents are doing a job that epitomizes the best in 
human character.
  I pray to God for peace, for world peace, and for the safe return of 
our troops, and I thank God. I thank God for allowing me to serve the 
people of this Nation in this way. As a Senator and a member of the 
Armed Services Committee, I stand ready to work with my colleagues and 
the President to provide any and all support possible to ensure the 
success of our military forces conducting these operations.
  Our Nation is one of diverse views, diverse ideologies, and diverse 
opinions. That is one of the aspects that make America great. We might 
not all agree on how we got to this point; nonetheless, we come 
together as one country to support the service men and women who are 
currently risking life and limb for this great Nation. They put 
themselves in harm's way not for personal aggrandizement or advancement 
but for immense love of country, liberty, and family.
  If they can hear me today, I say be assured that the American people 
are behind you.
  When appearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee a few weeks 
ago, GEN John Keane, Vice Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army, testified to 
the courage of our military personnel. He said, when asked what is 
their greatest challenge, his division commanders replied: Keeping our 
soldiers from being too brave. They are brave, but we want them to 
return home.
  This is not just for our regular Armed Forces but also for our 
Reserves and our members of the National Guard. They all play a very 
key role in maintaining strong national defense. Just as we should 
thank our military overseas and at home, we should also thank our first 
responders who protect our hometowns. Firefighters, police, health care 
personnel, they risk their lives every day and sacrifice precious time 
with their families every day to keep us safe from those who would try 
to do us harm. Their commitment and contributions to national security 
and homeland security should not be forgotten. We all salute their 
spirit.
  I urge all Americans to pray for our troops, their families and our 
President, as we defend our Nation and the world from those who seek to 
do us harm.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Minnesota.
  Mr. COLEMAN. Mr. President, as I stand on the floor of the Senate, it 
is crystal clear that the reign of the dictator of Iraq is quickly 
coming to an end. In fact, he may already have fallen as a result of 
yesterday's bombings. There is no question that his death grip around 
the throats of the Iraqi people is being lifted; his fingers pried by 
American, British, and other coalition forces at places such as Basra, 
Mosul, and Baghdad. But the freedom of Iraq has come at a loss, a loss 
of American, British, and Iraqi lives. I mourn the death of each and 
every one of our sons and daughters, folks who volunteered to stand in 
harm's way for freedom and liberties we wish for all people. They are 
sons and daughters of a great American revolution that never ends. The 
cause of freedom and liberty never ends.
  We see pictures every day of uncommon valor, the soldiers who rescued 
a young Jessica Lynch from her captors, the young men and women who 
dashed hundreds of miles from Iraq to the borders of Baghdad to 
liberate the people of that oppressed nation, or the soldiers--and 
there was one scene I watched on the news of three soldiers with a 
reporter. They had enough juice in a cell phone to make one call. One 
of the soldier's wives was pregnant, but instead of calling their 
families, they chose to call the parents of a fallen comrade to see how 
his mom and dad were doing.
  There are dozens of pictures of American soldiers comforting the 
people of Iraq, bringing them food and offering them compassion. These 
are America's sons and daughters. They are the pictures of America that 
the world sees today. They are the pictures of America that bring hope 
to oppressed people of the world. They are SPC Joshua Sams of St. 
Francis, MN, a paratrooper in the 173rd Airborne Brigade. Following in 
the boot steps of a military family, Joshua's father was in the Army 
during the Korean war. Two of his brothers are in the Army now and one 
is in the National Guard awaiting deployment. Joshua joined the 
National Guard at the age of 17. After 2 years, he wanted to do more 
for his country, and Joshua's mom said her son had trained hard for 
months and was anxious to go to Iraq, was ready to go to Iraq, ready to 
heed the call of duty. Two weeks ago today, Joshua was among the brave 
paratroopers who leapt into northern Iraq and remains there today 
guarding a vital airstrip. Thank you, Joshua, for your service, for 
your commitment and for your bravery.
  I would also like to take a moment to pay tribute to David Bloom, a 
Minnesotan. Like millions of Americans, I watched the broadcasts of 
David Bloom of NBC from Iraq, a young man full of promise with a young 
vibrant family. This dedicated reporter left all of us much too soon. 
It is a long way from the shady streets of Edina, MN, David Bloom's 
hometown, to the outskirts of Baghdad. We are heartbroken at the death 
of David Bloom.
  Like every other American, he was there as a volunteer. His job was 
not to fight but to help tell the world the truth about the courage and 
integrity of our country, even at war. He turned out to be an 
outstanding representative of these qualities himself.
  Americans have always known that freedom and security come at a 
terribly high price. It humbles and inspires us all how many are 
willing to pay it for us. David Bloom made Minnesotans proud and he 
served his profession and his Nation with great valor. Our prayers and 
support will be with his spouse and his daughters.
  I would like to use the words of some of his colleagues and friends 
to demonstrate the professionalism and humanism of this wonderful 
reporter. The following remarks were on MSNBC recently. Tom Brokaw 
said:

       David was the consummate reporter. He'd land in my office 
     without knocking, slide the chair up to my desk and then 
     begin to suck all the oxygen out of the room asking questions 
     how to cover the story or who should he be contacting. And 
     then, in a flash, he'd be gone.

  Tim Russert, one of David's mentors, says:

       He had a sense of decency and civility. He didn't go for 
     the cheap shot. You fuse that with professionalism, and he 
     had something viewers wanted to watch, embrace.

  Yes, the sacrifice of our troops and their families must never be 
forgotten. But we must also remember the outpouring of love back at 
home and the countless acts of kindness and support on behalf of our 
fighting men and women. I think of the small Catholic grade school in 
Hampton, MN, that has just 57 students in the entire school. The 
schoolchildren came up with a wonderful way to show their affection and 
appreciation for our troops on the battlefield.
  They issued a ``penny challenge'' last week. Each class was given a 
pail and children were asked to drop pennies, do what they can, even on 
a small scale to show their support. Administrators were amazed at how 
much money they raised, more than $1,000 with the money going for care 
packages to U.S. troops in Iraq. Parents were very supportive as well, 
but the smallest children were the ones who collected the most money, 
the kindergartners.
  Another show of support came from the magic of television. Believe it 
or

[[Page S4922]]

not, the first pitch of the Minnesota Twins's home opener this week was 
thrown out from the Middle East by a group of Minnesota soldiers. Josh 
Tverger, a U.S. Army specialist from Norwood Young America, MN, threw 
out the first pitch from the Kuwaiti desert. In the Metro Dome, Army SP 
Greta Lind of Le Sueur, MN, was on the receiving end. It was all 
accomplished through the spectacular technical satellite links similar 
to what our military has put to such stunning use on the battlefield, 
and now on the ballfield.
  Yes, there is much love at home. There is also much sadness in many 
homes and villages of those who have given their lives. We thank them. 
Our thoughts and prayers are with those who are on the front line 
today. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who have 
given the ultimate sacrifice. If we could hug every one of them, moms 
and dads and sisters and brothers, I would do it and I know the Senator 
from Georgia would do the same.
  They have our love. They have our prayers. They have our thoughts. 
God bless them all.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Texas.
  Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, I thank the Senator from Minnesota for 
a wonderful statement. Certainly, every single life that is lost over 
there is appreciated and will be appreciated forever in the hearts of 
Americans because those young men and women are protecting the freedom 
we enjoy.
  David Bloom, a constituent of the Senator from Minnesota, was also 
protecting our way of life. He was protecting the freedom of the press. 
He was serving so well to do that. I knew David personally, as most 
Members did, because he was such a special person and he did his job, 
worked hard, and was here a lot. We very much miss him and we know so 
many of his colleagues miss him, as well.
  Mr. President, I wish to talk about T.R. Fehrenbach, a constituent of 
mine, who wrote what many think is the definitive book on the Korean 
war called ``This Kind of War.'' It is appropriate today. We have been 
amazed at the technological capability of our military in the war in 
Iraq. They have launched missiles, dropped bombs, and delivered other 
ordnance on the battlefield with pinpoint accuracy. I came across a 
picture today reminiscent of our soldiers from an earlier era that 
reminds me of some basic truths that apply no matter how much 
technological capability we might acquire.
  I have a picture of American troops from the Army's 101st Airborne 
Division marching into Bastogne during World War II. This was the 
counterattack against the Germans. We see the 101st Airborne Division. 
I have another picture taken last week of the 101st Airborne Division, 
nearly 60 years later--a column from the First Brigade march into 
Najaf, Iraq, on Wednesday, April 2, 2003, doing basically the same 
thing.
  These photographs demonstrate an old axiom about military operations 
that was written by Ted Fehrenbach in ``This Kind of War,'' a book 
about the Korean war:

       Americans in 1950 rediscovered something that since 
     Hiroshima they had forgotten: You may fly over a land 
     forever; you may bomb it, atomize it, pulverize it and wipe 
     it clean of life--but if you desire to defend it, protect it, 
     and keep it for civilization, you must do this on the ground, 
     the way the Roman legions did, by putting your young men into 
     the mud.

  I know Ted Fehrenbach and I know he would have said today, by putting 
your brave young soldiers and marines in the mud, because what he is 
saying essentially is the same today as it was in 1950. And that is, if 
you want to protect a land and keep it for civilization, you must have 
our young men and women willing to go in on the ground. The truth is 
still the same today.
  I yield the floor.

                          ____________________