[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 176 (Tuesday, December 9, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2498]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             CAPT GEORGE A. WOOD--A NATION MOURNS HIS LOSS

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. SHERWOOD BOEHLERT

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, December 8, 2003

  Mr. BOEHLERT.  Mr. Speaker, the people of New York's 24th 
Congressional District and America suffered a terrible loss on November 
20, 2003. U.S. Army Captain George A. Wood, originally of Marcy, New 
York, died while valiantly serving his country in the War in Iraq. He 
paid the ultimate price to ensure our liberty. He gave his life so that 
the people of Iraq could live without repression and fear--and he gave 
his life so that Americans could feel safe to live their lives under a 
blanket of freedom. That freedom comes with a high price and we are 
eternally grateful for his dedication and commitment to the ideals that 
we hold dear.
  Captain Wood personified the qualities and dedication that make our 
U.S. military the greatest armed forces in the world. As a young man in 
the Mohawk Valley, Captain Wood excelled in both academics and 
athletics. He was known as a ``history buff,'' going on to earn a 
bachelor's degree from the Ivy League's Cornell University. He 
continued his education by earning master's degrees at both State 
University of New York-Cortland and State University of New York-
Albany. Captain Wood's athletic endeavors led him to captain the Notre 
Dame Junior-Senior High School football team in his senior year. He 
hoped to one day share his love of football as a coach at the West 
Point Military Academy.
  Captain Wood was assigned to the Army's 4th Infantry Division based 
in Fort Hood, Texas. He was killed while on patrol when his tank rolled 
over an improvised explosive device.
  I ask my colleagues in the House, and all Americans, to extend our 
prayers and sympathy to his wife Lisa and their 3-year old daughter 
Maria, Captain Wood's mother and stepfather Maria and Michael Babula of 
Marcy, New York, as well as the rest of his family. Together we honor 
this fallen American hero.

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