[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 107 (Friday, July 18, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1523]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E1523]]
  HONORING CORPORAL TONY BARR, USMC, ON HIS SAFE RETURN HOME FROM IRAQ

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN D. DINGELL

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 17, 2003

  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, today, it is with great pride and 
patriotism that I rise to welcome home one of our nation's great 
heroes, Corporal Tony Barr.
  Corporal Barr served in the First Marine Division, 3rd Battalion, 
Fifth Marines, Weapons Company, CART Platoon. Cpl. Barr was originally 
scheduled to be discharged from the Marine Corps on February 28, 2003, 
but was given orders for Iraq the week before his discharge. Cpl. Barr 
could have chosen to avoid going to Iraq because he is the only male 
Barr currently living, but he instead, chose to stay with his fellow 
Marines and was deployed to Iraq.
  Cpl. Barr's division suffered the first casualty of the war as they 
traveled from Kuwait to Baghdad. After Baghdad, Cpl. Barr's Division 
traveled to Tikrit which I am told is the furthest any Marine Division 
has ever traveled into the interior of an enemy country. Once his 
Division left Tikrit, they traveled south to Diwaniyeh, a Baath Party 
stronghold, to set up a compound to train local Iraqis to become 
police. Most of Cpl. Barr's unit still remains in Diwaniyeh today.
  While we celebrate the safe return of Corporal Tony Barr to his home 
in Allen Park, Michigan, we continue to pray for the safety of all of 
our sons and daughters who are still proudly serving the United States 
in the newly liberated Iraq.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in extending the 
appreciation of the U.S. House of Representatives to Corporal Tony 
Barr, USMC, for his brave and outstanding service to the United States 
of America and join me in praying for the safe return of all of our 
troops who are in harm's way in Iraq, Afghanistan, and all other parts 
of the world.

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