[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 170 (Friday, November 21, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S15396-S15397]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES

  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I rise today in honor of a fellow Iowan 
and a true American hero PVT Kurt R. Frosheiser. Private Frosheiser was 
killed while serving our country in Operation Iraqi Freedom on November 
8, 2003, when his humvee was struck by an improvised explosive device 
in Baghdad. Private Frosheiser was only 22 years old at the time of his 
death.
  I ask my colleagues in the Senate, my fellow Iowans, and all 
Americans to join me today in paying tribute to Private Frosheiser for 
his bravery and for his dedication to the cause of freedom. Private 
Frosheiser had a deep desire to serve his country, and we are all 
indebted to him for his service and for his sacrifice.
  In an interview with the Des Moines Register, Private Frosheiser's 
mother, Jeanie Hudson, said the following about her son: ``He loved 
this land and its principles. He loved Iowa. It's an honor to give my 
son to preserve our way of life.''
  Throughout our history, we have found extraordinary men and women who 
are willing to give their lives to defend our country and families 
willing sacrifice those who they love most to the cause of freedom. It 
is with great sadness, but also great pride, that I honor one such 
patriot today on the floor of the Senate, PVT Kurt Frosheiser.
  Today we honor a fallen patriot, but we must also remember to pay 
tribute to the loved ones whose grief we share. My deepest sympathy 
goes out to the members of Private Frosheiser's family, to his friends, 
and to all those who have been touched by his untimely passing. May his 
mother, Jeanie, his father, Chris, his step-father, Daniel, his sister, 
Erin, and his twin brother, Joel, be comforted with the knowledge that 
they are in the thoughts and prayers of many Americans, and that they 
have the eternal gratitude of an entire nation.
  Kurt Frosheiser did not die in vain. He died defending the country he 
loved. May he always be remembered as a true American hero.


                          Sgt Ross A. Pennanen

  Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I rise to pay homage to Sergeant Ross 
Pennanen, who, in the words of his father, ``gave the ultimate 
sacrifice for his country--his life.'' Sergeant Pennanen, or ``Penn'', 
as his friends called him, was a dedicated defender of America who 
learned the value of serving his country from his father's example in 
the United States Air Force. For his service and his sacrifice, I am 
proud to honor him on the Senate floor today.
  Sergeant Pennanen was assigned to C Battery, 2nd Battalion, 5th Field 
Artillery Regiment, III Corps Artillery at Fort Sill, OK. A native 
Oklahoman whose mother and father live in Ada and Midwest City, 
respectively, Sergeant Pennanen grew up in McLoud and joined the Army 2 
years ago at the age of 34 in hopes of improving himself and emulating 
his father. He was himself a good father who spent a lot of time with 
his 7-year-old son, Gage.
  Sergeant Pennanen died tragically on November 2 when a CH-47 Chinook 
helicopter in which he was riding crashed in Fallujah, Iraq. He was a 
good soldier: he received the Army Commendation Medal two days before 
his death. Despite questions about his age, Sergeant Pennanen proved a 
``gung-ho'' example for his fellow soldiers. According to his 
stepmother, ``He didn't keep up with them. He set the pace out in front 
of them.''
  On behalf of the U.S. Senate, I ask that we pay tribute to Sergeant 
Pennanen and the men and women like him, who know the true meaning of 
service and sacrifice. These men and women have tasted freedom, and 
wish to ensure that freedom for those who have never experienced it. I 
honor the memory of our sons and daughters who have died for this noble 
cause.
  We could not have asked for a better soldier or diplomat of humanity 
than Sergeant Ross Pennanen. I am proud of him, and proud of the 
commitment he showed to winning the freedom of those he did not know. 
My prayers are with his family for the loss of such a special man.


                           PVT JASON M. WARD

  Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I rise today to honor the memory of a 
courageous young Oklahoman who died

[[Page S15397]]

while defending his Nation. Private Jason M. Ward grew up in the great 
State of Oklahoma, and was a 1997 graduate of Broken Arrow High School.
  Private Ward joined the military in April 2002, although he had been 
seriously considering military service for years. He married his high 
school sweetheart after graduating, and when Jason and Jordan welcomed 
their first son shortly thereafter, the duties of fatherhood took 
priority. After having another son 4 years later, Jason and Jordan 
began discussing Jason's longtime military aspirations and decided that 
it would be a good time for him to pursue a lifelong career in the 
military.
  Private Ward was a member of the 1st Armored Division, stationed at 
Fort Riley, KS. His unit was sent to the Middle East in March to 
protect the freedom of this fellow Americans, and he was highly 
involved in the outstanding and courageous work of that unit. 
Unfortunately, Private Ward fell ill, and was scheduled to return to 
the U.S. for treatment when he unexpectedly passed away. His sudden 
death has left his young family with questions that none of us can 
answer, but we can tell them with confidence that Private Ward was 
serving his Nation with honor until this tragedy took his life.
  Private Ward was only 25 years old when he died. I hope his friends 
and family know that he died a true hero, worthy of the respect and 
gratitude of every American because of his contribution to defending 
his country. His loved ones will miss him dearly, and our thoughts and 
prayers are with them today. And though we are all grieved by the loss 
of this man, we will never cease to be proud of him--Oklahoma's son and 
America's hero--Private Jason M. Ward.


                         spec dustin k. mcgaugh

  Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I stand today to honor the memory of a 
brave young American who gave his life defending the Nation. He felt a 
call to serve his country, to be part of something bigger than himself, 
and ultimately, paid the highest price.
  SPEC Dustin K. McGaugh, of Derby, KS, was a firing specialist 
assigned to the Army's 17th Field Artillery Brigade stationed in Fort 
Sill, OK. His mother, Marina Hayes, lives in Tulsa, OK, where he 
graduated from high school in 2001.
  On September 30 in Balad, Iraq, he died tragically from a non-hostile 
gunshot wound. He gave his life for the freedom of millions of 
Americans, and also for the peace and prosperity of the Iraqi people 
crippled by a totalitarian regime.
  Specialist McGaugh had a heart for the less fortunate. According to 
his fellow soldiers, he would leave the safety of his Jeep and give 
candy to the Iraqi children. Imagine an American soldier who truly 
cared for the least among us, and performed simple acts of kindness to 
his fellow humans. Imagine an American soldier who represented America 
with a noble heart, and reminded us all of the freedoms we take for 
granted. Specialist McGaugh was that soldier.
  His compassion is a microcosm of the American spirit, the spirit that 
drives us to fight oppression around the world. The Iraqi people are an 
oppressed people, and Specialist McGaugh showed us how our inherent 
humanity can overcome even the broadest of differences. He refused to 
sit idly and watch the tyranny in Iraq take place any longer. It is for 
the sake of these broken, defeated people that Specialist McGaugh 
risked his life on a daily basis. It is for these people that he gave 
his life in the end. He was a true American hero.
  His twin sister Windy said that her ``kid brother'' became her hero. 
Specialist McGaugh should not only be his sister's hero, but the 
Nation's hero as well. He set a high example of what it means to be an 
American and what it means to be human. It is for men like Specialist 
McGaugh that I am proud to be a part of this great country. He was a 
special soldier, but more importantly, a special man.

                          ____________________