[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 72 (Thursday, May 20, 2004)]
[House]
[Pages H3499-H3523]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             FALLEN HEROES

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hastert) is recognized for 5 minutes.

  Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join with my colleagues in 
paying tribute to all of our fallen citizens who have lost their lives 
defending freedom in the war against terror.
  I want to thank Jim Walsh and Charlie Rangel for working together to 
come up with this tribute to those who have died defending freedom.
  This Memorial Day, we all need to take an extra moment to remember 
those who made the ultimate sacrifice as we remember those who are 
separated from their families and fighting in distant lands to defend 
freedom.
  I especially want to call attention to the sacrifices of two of my 
constituents who died in the service of their Nation: Staff Sgt. Jacob 
Frazier and Marine 1st Lt. Timothy Ryan.
  Staff Sgt. Jacob Frazier, 24, of St. Charles Township, was killed in 
March 2003, when his patrol unit was ambushed in Afghanistan. Frazier 
joined the Illinois Air National Guard in 1998, a year after graduating 
from Central High School in Burlington. The oldest of James and Joyce 
Frazier's five children, he was a wrestler, all-conference football 
player and a member of the choir in high school. He was engaged to be 
married. Frazier was assigned to the 169th Air Support Operations 
Squadron of the 182nd Airlift Wing of the National Guard, and had been 
working with U.S. Army Special Forces in Afghanistan since January 
2003. He was proud to serve his country, and often told friends and 
family ``I'm going to hunt bad guys,''--a reference to the terrorist 
attacks of Sept. 11.
  Marine 1st Lt. Timothy Ryan, 30, of North Aurora, died in May 2003, 
when his helicopter crashed into a canal in Iraq. The son of Judith and 
Michael Ryan, Tim Ryan grew up with his older brother in Montgomery and 
Aurora, graduating from West Aurora High School. A music

[[Page H3500]]

major, he began playing the drums when he was in 4th grade and was a 
member of the marching band at West Aurora High. He attended Illinois 
State University, where he met his wife, Michelle. He graduated, was 
married, and enlisted in the Marines during a single month in 1997. 
Ryan joined the Marines to be a part of its drum and bugle corps, but 
changed course after two years because he wanted to be a pilot. He was 
stationed at Camp Pendleton, near San Diego, and deployed to Kuwait in 
February 2003.
  May God bless these two men who died so that we could live in 
freedom. And may God continue to bless the United States of America.
  Mr. MOORE. Mr. Speaker, I stood on the House floor on May 20, 2004, 
and observed a moment of silence to remember the brave men and women 
who fought and died for our freedom. During this time, images flashed 
in my mind of the heroic Kansans I visited at the Walter Reed Army 
Medical Center and the men and women I spoke with when I traveled to 
Iraq in January. These images culminated into a feeling of pride, a 
feeling I know each and every American feels when they think of what 
America means to them.
  As a Nation on Memorial Day we honor the men and women who through 
the history of our country gave their lives in battle to defend the 
freedom and liberty that makes these American States united. From the 
Revolutionary War to Operation Iraqi Freedom, we honor these brave 
souls in unison as one people on this day. The Memorial Day weekend has 
also come to symbolize a time for family and friends to come together; 
during this time it becomes abundantly clear who is missing. Please 
join me in thanking these families for their sacrifice as well.
  In times of crisis, our Nation looks to the men and women of the 
armed forces. They have never hesitated in answering their Nation's 
call, giving of their time, service and in many cases their lives. Our 
Nation owes them a debt that we can never repay. The dedication and 
valor displayed by those who served in the armed services deserves the 
gratitude of the entire Nation.
  As the number of veterans growing older increases, the responsibility 
of providing adequate care and compensation to their families will 
become a higher priority for the Federal Government.
  After making a sacrifice for our country, our veterans should not 
have to be concerned that the Veterans Administration will not provide 
the services or benefits they have earned.
  As a veteran myself, it saddens me to see how some of our Nation's 
finest citizens are being treated. We owe it to all of our veterans--
whether they fought on the front lines or served here at home--to keep 
the promise America made to them. Veterans should not be financially 
punished in the name of fiscal responsibility. Even in difficult budget 
times, there is no excuse for cutting already under-funded veterans' 
programs to pay for tax cuts.
  I will continue to urge my colleagues in Congress to rethink these 
cuts. We must work together from both sides of the aisle to ensure that 
these cuts are restored to honor our nation's commitment to care for 
its defenders. I will fight to see that Congress makes adequate funding 
for the Veterans Administration a priority--not an afterthought.
  Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the brave men and 
women of our military personnel who have made the ultimate sacrifice 
and lost their lives in service to their country. To the families and 
friends of these fallen soldiers, I offer my condolences in their time 
of grief. Please know that we all share in your sorrow.
  I would like to recognize the soldiers from the Sacramento area who 
have lost their lives while serving their country. SP Keicia Coleman 
Hines, of Sacramento, was a member of the 108th Military Police Combat 
Support Company when she died while serving on a base near Mosul in 
Iraq. She was her mother Beverly Coleman's only child. Ms. Coleman has 
said she is extremely proud of her daughter, and that she was an 
honorable person. I share Ms. Coleman's pride in her daughter and in 
the work she chose to do. Keicia is also survived by her husband, who 
she met at basic training. They had planned to start their own family 
when Keicia returned from Iraq. She was 27 years old.
  SP Adam G. Kinser, was assigned to the 304th Psychological Operations 
Company, United States Army Reserve, and serving in Afghanistan when he 
died of injuries from the explosion of a weapons cache. He had a soft 
spot in his heart for the children of Iraq, and would often ask friends 
and family to send crayons and coloring books for the kids. At the time 
of his death, he was just one month away from being sent home to be 
with his wife, who was about to have their first child. His family 
lives in Sacramento and Rio Vista.
  U.S. Army MAJ Gerald Compton, son of MSG Gerald Compton, U.S. Army, 
retired, and Sue Joe Compton of Sacramento, was training cadets at West 
Point when he passed away of natural causes. Major Compton had 
dedicated his life to the Army and passed on his sense of dedication to 
the cadets he trained. His cadets and colleagues will remember Major 
Compton as a skilled officer, a leader and friend to all who knew him.
  Words cannot begin to express our gratitude to these brave soldiers. 
Nor can words describe the debt we owe their families. Instead, today 
we honor the soldiers and their families through a moment of silence. 
Our thoughts and prayers are with all those who bear this burden.
  Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise with my colleagues today 
to observe a moment of silence in honor of our fallen soldiers, 
including the nearly 800 U.S. troops who gave their lives in Iraq.
  As Memorial Day approaches, we pause to honor each of the soldiers, 
sailors, airmen and Marines who gave their lives to defend our freedom. 
We will always remember their valor and sacrifices for America. We also 
pause to mourn with their families and friends who go on without their 
loved ones.
  Today, more than 135,000 brave men and women remain in harm's way. 
Our continued attention should be focused on our troops, the success of 
their mission, and their safe return to their families.
  I was proud to cast my vote for the defense authorization bill 
earlier today as a measure that honors their service and delivers much-
needed relief. This legislation meets immediate warfighting needs, 
expands quality of life initiatives, and makes up for readiness 
shortfalls.
  I am pleased to support a much deserved 3.5 percent pay raise for our 
troops, hardship duty pay increases, and a restored Survivors Benefit. 
I also strongly support the bill's increased production for armored 
Humvees and body armor as well as improvements to family housing, 
military medical facilities and schools.
  I salute the brave men and women in uniform who will become our 
Nation's newest veterans upon their return. Now that over 14 months 
have passed since U.S. troops were deployed to Iraq, we wish them all a 
safe return and will work to ensure they have all the resources they 
need to accomplish the mission and bring them home safely to their 
families.
  Mr. Speaker, our fallen troops will always remain in our thoughts and 
prayers. We will remember their sacrifices this Memorial Day and 
beyond, and we will do all that we can to support our troops currently 
deployed and to ensure their safe return.
  Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, across this great Nation, Americans designate 
the last Monday in May to honor those who have fallen in battle 
protecting our freedom. Memorial Day this year is especially important 
as we are reminded almost daily of the great sacrifices that the men 
and women of the Armed Services make to defend our way of life. Those 
who served, and those who continue to serve in the Army, Navy, Air 
Force, Marines, and Coast Guard took an oath to uphold and protect the 
Constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic, and we can never 
forget the importance of their commitment to our Nation.
  North Carolina, particularly the 8th District, has long played a key 
role in our Nation's military forces. Troops from Fort Bragg and Pope 
Air Force Base are nobly answering the call of duty, separated from 
their families, friends, and loved ones. Currently serving alongside 
the active component in Iraq is the North Carolina National Guard. 
These individuals who put their lives on hold to answer the call of 
duty are the pinnacle of American patriotism. To prosecute the war on 
terrorism, the State of North Carolina has deployed 3,500 guardsmen, 
the largest deployment in the State's history. While putting themselves 
in harms' way, the men and women in uniform, whether part of the active 
or reserve component, seek to root out the evil that seeks America's 
destruction. Their mission is clear and they will succeed. I cannot 
express how proud I am of them and the entire military for their 
service, selfless attitude and sacrifice.
  Of all the recent publicity the war on terrorism has garnered, 
sometimes overlooked is the support of our troops by their valiant 
spouses and families. The support they provide and the hardship that 
they are enduring are to be recognized and commended. Without such 
support in place, our troops would not be as ready or prepared to fight 
the battle.
  While we continue to pray for those who are deployed and their 
families, we must hold a special place in our hearts for their fallen 
comrades. The men and women who have paid the ultimate sacrifice 
safeguarding our great Nation must be honored and remembered. Freedom 
is not free, and many have given all they have--their lives--for its 
and our defense. May we as a Nation be eternally grateful for their 
sacrifice and remember their families in our prayers. May God bless the 
families of our fallen heroes, watch over their families, and may He 
bless and protect those who continue to serve. May God bless our U.S. 
Armed Forces and the United States of America.

[[Page H3501]]

  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise in support of our troops. I 
rise in support of all of our men and women serving in our armed 
forces, and especially the 300,000 brave men and women that have been 
serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
  To our young countrymen and women serving their country in 
Afghanistan and Iraq, I salute you and I offer you the following:
  As our Nation once again honors those who have served, I pray that 
this Memorial Day finds you healthy and well.
  Some of you may know that, although, I supported our action against 
al Qaeda in Afghanistan, I voted against President Bush's demand for 
advance congressional authorization to use military force against Iraq.
  In the absence of a clearly demonstrated imminent danger to this 
Nation, I concluded, giving the President a ``blank check'' for war 
would be an abdication of my constitutional duty as a Member of the 
Congress. Further, I believed it would put our young men and women into 
a conflict that would yield enduring unfavorable outcomes. Once Saddam 
Hussein was toppled, for what and with whom would we be fighting? Where 
is the proof of WMDs or the presence of al Qaeda in Iraq? These were 
just a few of the many questions I and many Members of Congress wanted 
to ask. But in the administration's rush to war and its subsequent 
insolence, these and many questions remain unanswered.
  Today, my reasoning for that conviction remains unchanged. There is 
not today--nor has there ever been any dispositive proof that Iraq is 
an imminent danger to our country. Like the majority of the 
international community, I believe ``imminent danger'' is the proper 
litmus test for waging a preemptive war. The current administration 
does not and ignored warnings from many countries who were friends in 
our fight against terrorism. I ask the Commander-in-Chief, who suffers 
and will continue to suffer as a result of this affront to the 
international rules of engagement? The answer is that we all do, but it 
is our troops who bear the blunt of this suffering.
  There has been a tragic loss of life--both among our American troops 
and among Iraq's civilian population. I knew the human losses would be 
too great and I did not want our families--or the Iraqi people--to 
experience the overwhelming grief and remorse that accompanies waging 
war unnecessarily.
  The moral authority of the United States has been undermined--
establishing a devastating international precedent that we may well see 
echoed within other troubled regions. I believe that the Middle East 
region has been destabilized, harming the international cooperation 
that we desperately need to defend this Nation against terrorism.
  We must now contemplate the prospect of American troops remaining in 
Iraq for an indefinite period of time, at great cost to the lives and 
treasure of our Nation, while its government regroups a country that 
has been involuntarily bowed.
  Tragically, none of these cautions about war prevailed, and hundreds 
of thousands of young Americans now struggle to survive in harm's way.
  With so many questions about the wisdom and consequences of this war 
left unanswered, what can America say to you--the young men and women 
who have been called upon to risk your lives?
  What can we say to your wives and husbands--or to your parents and 
children--that could possibly justify your sacrifice?
  The current administration that waged this war must search for his 
own answers to these soul-wrenching questions--and I must speak to you 
in my own way.
  Young people, I hope that these words reach you in Iraq.
  You have a right to expect encouragement and support at this 
difficult and dangerous time. I encourage you and commend you for your 
bravery. I know you are dealing with circumstances beyond our 
comprehension.
  Nevertheless, you stand at the brink of eternity--and you deserve an 
honest appraisal. You are doing your duty, just as we in the Congress 
must do everything within our power to protect you.
  So, I will continue to call for clear and convincing evidence that 
war was necessary and I will continue to support the Federal funding 
that has helped to make you the best trained and equipped military 
force in the world. You deserve nothing less.
  Human life is too precious to allow anything less.
  I am among those whom the administration has not convinced about the 
wisdom of war in Iraq. Yet, I want you to know that I support you 
wholeheartedly. You are there to protect and defend and you are serving 
and have served valiantly.
  You are honorable young Americans.
  When the President committed your lives to battle, you went to war 
with your Nation's prayers and unconditional support. I pledge that we 
will not allow this Nation's response to your service degenerate into 
the shameful neglect that followed U.S. efforts in Vietnam. We will not 
blame the failures of our generation upon yours.
  Indeed, you have my undying respect.
  Neither President Bush nor I have ever been required to risk our own 
lives in battle. We have not been forced to move forward against the 
mechanized hell of modern warfare. We have not endured the screams of 
tormented friends who have fallen at our side.
  War leaders of old did not direct war from the safety of their homes. 
There was great wisdom in the ancient custom that required a leader who 
ordered others into battle to, himself, fight on the front lines. The 
danger is not real when it's second-hand.
  You are honorable young Americans--you are our young women and men 
who now stand at the brink of eternity. Over 700 of your brethren and 
of the Allied Forces have perished. Over 4,500 of you have been injured 
or maimed. At least 10 claim Maryland as their home State and I have 
attached their names in memoriam and in recognition of their brave 
service to our country.
  May those who lead America today regain wisdom and bring the rest of 
you home safely. May our actions from this day forward live up to the 
example of your sacrifice.
  And may God bless you and keep you in His hands.

  In Memoriam and in recognition of brave service to our Country--
Operation Iraqi Freedom: Jakia Sheree Cannon, Brandon Lee Davis, Jason 
Christopher Ford, Cornell Winston Gilmore I, Jason David Mileo, George 
Arthur Mitchell, Jr., Adam Garber Mooney, Bryan Nicholas Spry, Jeffery 
Calvin Walker, Kendall Damon Waters-Bey.
  Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, it is altogether fitting and proper that 
the U.S. House of Representatives holds this moment of silence on 
behalf of our fallen warriors in Iraq and Afghanistan. On the last 
legislative day before America observes Memorial Day, it is appropriate 
for us to pause from our business to pay our respects to those who have 
made the ultimate sacrifice in those important and difficult theatres 
of war.
  As the Representative of North Carolina's Second Congressional 
District, I have the honor of serving the military families of the 
Army's Fort Bragg, Pope Air Force Base, and numerous National Guard and 
Reserve units. I have observed our troops training for combat, and I 
have visited soldiers wounded in the battlefield in their recovery at 
Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, DC.
  Last month, I had the opportunity to travel to Iraq to witness 
firsthand the daily struggle our soldiers wage in that war-torn 
country. The work they are doing is vitally important to bring peace 
and stability in Iraq and allow for the growth of a just and open 
democracy in a place that has never really known such conditions that 
we take for granted. Previously, I visited Afghanistan to investigate 
our progress in taking the war against terrorism into the sanctuary of 
the terrorists. Our troops are dedicated, professional and motivated by 
their love of America and the folks back home who pray for their safety 
and their speedy return.
  Mr. Speaker, this moment of silence on behalf of our fallen heroes is 
an important opportunity to state once and for all that the American 
people and the Congress of the United States strongly support our men 
and women in the Armed Forces.
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to 
honor our soldiers who have died in the service of our country in Iraq 
and Afghanistan.
  As of May 19, 2004, 783 American men and women had lost their lives 
as a part of Operation Iraqi Freedom and 123 American men and women had 
lost their lives as a part of Operation Enduring Freedom.
  I am forever indebted to these courageous men and women because the 
fight for freedom is not without loss.
  I fully support the military families of these heroes who have 
sacrificed their lives in the service of our country.
  In my State of Texas, we have lost 84 men and women defending 
America's dream of democracy and freedom for all.
  I am sure all Texans join me in letting their families know that we 
consider all of them heroes because they died answering the call of our 
country.
  It is because of them we enjoy our freedom and live in the greatest 
country there is.
  Father Dennis Edward O'Brien of the USMC wrote the following poem 
honoring our soldiers:

     It is the soldier, not the reporter,
     Who has given us freedom of the press.

     It is the soldier, not the poet,
     Who has given us the freedom of speech.

     It is the soldier, not the campus organizer, Who has given us 
           the freedom to demonstrate.

     It is the soldier
     Who salutes the flag,
     Who serves beneath the flag
     And whose coffin is draped by the flag.
     Who allows the protester to burn the flag.


[[Page H3502]]


  Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the names of the fallen 
Texas soldiers be printed in the Record. May God grant strength and 
peace to those who mourn and God bless America.

                          Texas Fallen Heroes


                        OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM

       Marine Cpl. Daniel R. Amaya died from hostile fire in Al 
     Anbar Province, Iraq. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 4th 
     Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Force, 
     Twentynine Palms, California. Died on April 11, 2004.
       Army Spc. Edward J. Anguiano, 24, of Brownsville, Texas. 
     Spc. Anguiano was in a six-vehicle convoy on Highway 7 in 
     Iraq when enemy forces ambushed them on March 23. His remains 
     were recovered on April 24. Anguiano was assigned to 3rd 
     Forward Support Battalion, Fort Stewart, Georgia.
       Marine CWO Andrew Todd Arnold, 30, of Spring, Texas. Killed 
     in a non-hostile accident with two other soldiers when a 
     rocket-propelled grenade launcher they were firing for 
     familiarization malfunctioned on a firing range near the city 
     of Al Kut, Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 10th 
     Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, Camp 
     Lejeune, North Carolina. Died on April 22, 2003.
       Army Spc. Richard Arriaga, 20, of Ganado, Texas. Arriaga 
     was killed in an ambush by small arms fire and rocket 
     propelled grenade in Tikrit, Iraq. He was assigned to 
     Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 4th Battalion, 42nd 
     Field Artillery Regiment, Fort Hood, Texas. Died on September 
     18, 2003.
       Army Spc. Robert R. Arsiaga, 25, of San Antonio, Texas. 
     Arsiaga died in Baghdad, Iraq, when his unit was attacked 
     with rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire. He was 
     assigned to 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry 
     Division, Fort Hood, Texas. Died on April 4, 2004.
       Marine Lance Cpl. Aaron C. Austin, 21, of Sunray, Texas. 
     Austin died due to hostile fire in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. 
     He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st 
     Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp 
     Pendleton, California. Died on April 26, 2004.
       Marine Pfc. Chad E. Bales, 20, of Coahoma, Texas. Killed in 
     a non-hostile vehicle accident during convoy operations east 
     of Ash Shahin, Iraq. He was assigned to 1st Transportation 
     Support Battalion, 1st Force Service Support Group, Camp 
     Pendleton, California. Died on April 3, 2003.
       Army Sgt. Michael Paul Barrera, 26, of Von Ormy, Texas. 
     Barrea was fatally injured when his tank was hit with an 
     improvised explosive device in Baqubah, Iraq. Barrera was 
     assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment, Fort 
     Hood, Texas. Died on October 28, 2003.
       Army Capt. Ernesto M. Blanco, 28, of Texas. Blanco was 
     conducting a support mission when an improvised explosive 
     device hit his vehicle in Qaryat Ash Shababi, Iraq. He was 
     assigned to 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 
     82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Died on 
     December 28, 2003.
       Army CW4 Clarence E. Boone, 50, of Fort Worth Texas. Boone 
     died as a result of a non-combat related injury in Kuwait 
     City, Kuwait. He was assigned to Headquarters and 
     Headquarters Company, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, 
     Texas. Died on December 2, 2003.
       Army Spc. Philip D. Brown, 21, of El Paso, Texas. Brown 
     died in Balad, Iraq, from injuries sustained by an improvised 
     explosive device west of Samarra. He was assigned to the Army 
     National Guard's Company B, 141st Engineer Combat Battalion, 
     Jamestown, North Dakota. Died on May 8, 2004.
       Army Spc. Adolfo C. Carballo, 20, of Houston, Texas. 
     Carballo died in Baghdad, Iraq, when shrapnel struck him. He 
     was assigned to 1st Battalion, 21st Field Artillery Regiment, 
     1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. Died on April 10, 
     2004.
       Marine Lance Cpl. James A. Casper, 20, of Coolidge, Texas. 
     Casper died due to a non-combat related incident at Al Asad, 
     Iraq. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 11th Marines, 1st 
     Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp 
     Pendleton, California. Died on March 25, 2004.
       Army Staff Sgt. Roland L. Castro, 26, of San Antonio, 
     Texas. Castro died of a non-hostile gunshot wound in Camp 
     Cedar II, Iraq. He was assigned to Battery A, 1st Battalion, 
     12th Field Artillery, Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Died on January 
     16, 2004.
       Army Staff Sgt. Gary L. Collins, 32, of Hardin, Texas. 
     Collins was riding in a Bradley Fighting Vehicle when it hit 
     an improvised explosive device in Fallujah, Iraq. He was 
     assigned to 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st 
     Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kansas. Died on November 8, 
     2003.
       Army Spc. Zeferino E. Colunga, 20, of Bellville, Texas. 
     Colunga was initially evacuated to the 28th Combat Support 
     Hospital in Iraq on Aug. 4. He was then evacuated to 
     Landstuhl Army Regional Medical Center and later to Homburg 
     University Hospital in Germany for further evaluation. He 
     remained at Homburg until his death. His death was unrelated 
     to the recent cases of pneumonia in Southwest Asia. Colunga 
     was assigned to 4th Squadron, 2nd Armored Calvary Regiment, 
     Fort Polk, Louisiana. Died on August 6, 2003.
       Army Pfc. Rey D. Cuervo, 24, of Laguna Vista, Texas. Cuervo 
     was on a mounted patrol in Baghdad, Iraq when an improvised 
     explosive device hit his vehicle. He was assigned to 1st 
     Squadron, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Polk, Louisiana. 
     Died on December 28, 2003.
       Air Force Capt. Eric B. Das, 30, of Amarillo, Texas. Das 
     was the pilot of an F-15E that went down during a combat 
     mission in Iraq. He was assigned to the 333rd Fighter 
     Squadron, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina. 
     Died on April 7, 2003.
       Army Pfc. Ervin Dervishi, 21, of Fort Worth, Texas. 
     Dervishi died in Baji, Iraq, during a combat patrol when a 
     rocket-propelled grenade hit the Bradley Fighting Vehicle in 
     which he was traveling. He was evacuated to the 28th Combat 
     Support Hospital where he later died. Dervishi was assigned 
     to Company B, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 4th 
     Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. Died on January 24, 
     2004.
       Army Staff Sgt. Joe L. Dunigan, Jr., 37, of Belton, Texas. 
     Dunigan died in Fallujah, Iraq, when his vehicle was hit by 
     an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st 
     Battalion, 16th Infantry Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Fort 
     Riley, Kansas. Died on March 11, 2004.
       Army Sgt. William C. Eckhart, 25, of Rocksprings, Texas. 
     Eckhart died in Baqubah, Iraq when he was on an anti-mortar 
     mission and there was an explosion of unknown origin. He was 
     assigned to 4th Cavalry, 1st Infantry Division, Schweinfurt, 
     Germany. Died on April 10, 2004.
       Army Pfc. Analaura Esparza-Gutierrez, 21, of Houston, 
     Texas. Esparza-Gutierrez was in a convoy that was hit by an 
     improvised explosive device and rocket propelled grenades in 
     Tikrit, Iraq. Esparza-Gutierrez died of her injuries. She was 
     assigned to A Company, 4th Forward Support Battalion, Fort 
     Hood, Texas. Died on October 1, 2003.
       Army Pvt. Ruben Estrella-Soto, 18, of El Paso, Texas. 
     Killed in action after his convoy was ambushed in Iraq on 
     March 23. He was assigned to the 507th Maintenance Company, 
     Fort Bliss, Texas.
       Army Master Sgt. George A. Fernandez, 36, of El Paso, 
     Texas. Killed in action in northern Iraq. He was assigned to 
     Headquarters, U.S. Army Special Operations Command, Fort 
     Bragg, North Carolina. Died on Apri12, 2003.
       Army Chief Warrant Officer Wesley C. Fortenberry, 38, of 
     Woodville, Texas. Fortenberry died in Baghdad, Iraq when his 
     helicopter was shot down. He was assigned to the 1st 
     Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, 
     Fort Hood, Texas. Died on April 11, 2004.
       Army Pvt. Robert L. Frantz, 19, of San Antonio, Texas. 
     Frantz was on guard duty when a local resident threw a 
     grenade over the wall. Frantz died of his injuries in 
     Baghdad, Iraq. He was assigned to Company B, 1st Battalion, 
     36th Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Division, Ray Barracks, 
     Germany. Died on June 17, 2003.
       Army Spc. Israel Garza, 25, of Lubbock, Texas. Garza died 
     in Baghdad, Iraq, when his unit was attacked with rocket-
     propelled grenades and small arms fire. He was assigned to 
     2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, 
     Fort Hood, Texas. Died on April 4, 2004.
       Army 1st Sgt. Joe J. Garza, 43, of Robstown, Texas. Garza 
     was riding in a HMMWV that swerved to avoid a civilian 
     vehicle in Baghdad, Iraq. Graza fell out and was struck by a 
     civilian vehicle. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 30th 
     Infantry Regiment, Fort Benning, Georgia. Died on April 28, 
     2003.
       Marine Lance Cpl. Shane L. Goldman, 20, of Orange, Texas. 
     Goldman died due to injuries received from hostile fire in Al 
     Anbar Province, Iraq. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 5th 
     Marines, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, 
     Camp Pendleton, California. Died on April 5, 2004.
       Marine Cpl. Jeffrey G. Green, 20, of Dallas, Texas. Green 
     was found deceased on May 5, 2004 in the Euphrates River, in 
     Al Anbar Province, Iraq. Cause of death is under 
     investigation. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine 
     Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, 
     Camp Pendleton, California.
       Army Pfc. Clayton W. Henson, 20, of Stanton, Texas. Henson 
     died when his convoy was ambushed in Dwaniyan, Iraq. He was 
     assigned to 1st Squadron, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort 
     Polk, Louisiana. Died on April 17, 2004.
       Army Master Sgt. Kelly L. Hornbeck, 36, of Fort Worth, 
     Texas. Hornbeck sustained injuries on January 16 when an 
     improvised explosive device hit his vehicle, south of 
     Samarra, Iraq. He was initially evacuated to the 21st Combat 
     Support Hospital and then moved to the 28th CSH for further 
     treatment where he later died. Hornbeck was assigned to 
     Company C, 3rd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group, Fort 
     Carson, Colorado. Died on January 18, 2004.
       Army 1st Lt. Doyle M. Hufstedler, 25, of Abilene, Texas. 
     Hufstedler died in Habbaniyah, Iraq, when an improvised 
     explosive device hit his armored personnel carrier. He was 
     assigned to the Army's 1st Engineer Battalion, 1st Brigade, 
     1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kansas. Died on March 31, 
     2004.
       Army Spc. Ray J. Hutchinson, 20, of League City, Texas. 
     Hutchinson was returning from a patrol when an improvised 
     explosive device hit his vehicle in Mosul, Iraq. He was 
     assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 101st 
     Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Kentucky. 
     Died on December 7, 2003.
       Army CW2 Scott Jamar, 32, of Sweetwater, Texas. Killed when 
     his UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crashed in central Iraq. He 
     was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment, 
     Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia. Died on April 2, 2003.

[[Page H3503]]

       Army Spc. John P. Johnson, 24, of Houston, Texas. Johnson 
     died of non-combat related injuries in Baghdad, Iraq. He was 
     assigned to 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored 
     Division, Baumholder, Germany. Died on October 22, 2003.
       Army Spc. Michael G. Karr, Jr., 23, of San Antonio, Texas. 
     Karr died in Habbaniyah, Iraq, when an improvised explosive 
     device hit his armored personnel carrier. He was assigned to 
     the Army's 1st Engineer Battalion, 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry 
     Division, Fort Riley, Kansas. Died on March 31, 2004.
       Marine Cpl. Brian Matthew Kennedy, 25, of Houston, Texas. 
     Killed in a CH-46E helicopter crash in Kuwait. He was 
     assigned to the Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron--268, 3rd 
     Marine Aircraft Wing, Marine Corps Air Station, Camp 
     Pendleton, California. Died on March 20, 2003.
       Army Spc. James M. Kiehl, 22, of Comfort, Texas. Killed in 
     action after his convoy was ambushed in Iraq on March 23. He 
     was assigned to the 507th Maintenance Company, Fort Bliss, 
     Texas.
       Army Spc. Scott Q. Larson, Jr., 22, of Houston, Texas. 
     Larson died in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries sustained when his 
     convoy was ambushed. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 37th 
     Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Armor Division, Ray 
     Barracks, Friedberg, Germany. Died on April 5, 2004.
       Army Staff Sgt. Rene Ledesma, 34, of Abelene, Texas. 
     Ledesma died in Baghdad, Iraq, when an improvised explosive 
     device exploded near his Bradley Fighting Vehicle. He was 
     assigned to 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry 
     Division, Fort Hood, Texas. Died on May 15, 2004.
       Army Pfc. Jason C. Ludlam, 22, of Arlington, Texas. Ludlam 
     died in Ba'qubah, Iraq, when he was electrocuted while laying 
     telephone wires. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 2nd 
     Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, based in Vilseck, 
     Germany. Died on March 19, 2004.
       Army Chief Warrant Officer Johnny Villareal Mata, 35, of 
     Pecos, Texas. Killed in action after his convoy was ambushed 
     in Iraq on March 23. He was assigned to the 507th Maintenance 
     Company, Fort Bliss, Texas.
       Marine Cpl. Matthew E. Matula, 20, of Spicewood, Texas. 
     Matula died from hostile fire in Iraq. He was assigned to 2nd 
     Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division, I Marine 
     Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, California. Died on 
     April 9, 2004.
       Marine Cpl. Jesus Martin Antonio Medellin, 21, of Fort 
     Worth, Texas. Killed in Central Iraq when an enemy artillery 
     round struck the Amphibious Assault Vehicle in which he was 
     riding. He was assigned to the 3rd Assault Amphibian 
     Battalion, 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, California. 
     Died on April 7, 2003.
       Army Sgt. Daniel K. Methvin, 22, of Belton, Texas. Methvin 
     was killed as a result of a grenade being thrown from a 
     window of an Iraqi civilian hospital that he was guarding in 
     Ba'qubah, Iraq. He was assigned to Headquarters and 
     Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment, 4th 
     Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. Died on July 26, 2003.
       Army Pfc. Anthony S. Miller, 19, of San Antonio, Texas. 
     Killed by enemy indirect fire in Iraq. He was assigned to 
     Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Infantry Division, 
     2nd Brigade, Fort Stewart, Georgia. Died on April 7, 2003.
       Army Pfc. Stuart W. Moore, 21, of Livingston, Texas. Moore 
     died in Baghdad, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device 
     struck his convoy. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd 
     Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Armored Division, based in 
     Giessen, Germany. Died on December 22, 2003.
       Army Sgt. Gerardo Moreno, 23, of Terrell, Texas. Moreno 
     died in Ashula, Iraq, when his unit was ambushed by 
     individuals who fired a rocket-propelled grenade. He was 
     assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry 
     Division, Fort Hood, Texas. Died on April 6, 2004.
       Marine Pfc. Ricky A. Morris, Jr., 20, of Lubbock, Texas. 
     Morris died as a result of enemy action in Al Qaim, Iraq. He 
     was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st 
     Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine 
     Palms, California. Died on March 18, 2004.
       Army Sgt. Keelan L. Moss, 23, of Houston, Texas. Moss was 
     on board a CH-47 Chinook Helicopter when it went down in Al 
     Fallujah, Iraq. The cause of the incident is unknown and an 
     investigation is underway. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 
     5th Field Artillery Regiment, Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Died on 
     November 2, 2003.
       Army Spc. Joseph C. Norquist, 26, of San Antonio, Texas. 
     Norquist was in a convoy that came under attack from rocket 
     propelled grenades and small arms fire in Baqubah, Iraq. 
     Norquist was fatally injured in the incident. He was assigned 
     to the 588th Engineer Battalion, Fort Hood, Texas. Died on 
     October 9, 2003.
       Army Capt. Eric T. Paliwoda, 28, of Texas. Paliwoda was in 
     his command post in Balad, Iraq when it came under mortar 
     attack. He was assigned to 4th Engineer Battalion, 3rd 
     Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division (Mechanized), Fort 
     Carson, Colorado. Died on January 2, 2004.
       Army Pfc. James D. Parker, 20, of Bryan, Texas. Parker died 
     in a mortar attack on a forward operating base near Ba'qubah. 
     He was assigned to the 588th Engineer Battalion (Heavy), 4th 
     Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. Died on January 21, 
     2004.
       Army Staff Sgt. Hector R. Perez, 40, of Corpus Christi, 
     Texas. Killed north of Al Hawd, Iraq, when his military 
     convoy came under enemy fire. Perez was assigned to Company 
     A, 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry, 101st Airborne Division, 
     Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Died on July 24, 2003.
       Army Spc. Jose A. Perez III, 22, of San Diego, Texas. Perez 
     was in a convoy that was ambushed in Taji, Iraq. He was 
     assigned to 6th Battalion, 27th Field Artillery Regiment, 
     Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Died on May 28, 2003.
       Army Spc. Larry E. Polley, Jr., 20, of Center, Texas. 
     Polley was killed when his Bradley Fighting Vehicle struck an 
     improvised explosive device and overturned north of Taji, 
     Iraq. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 20th Field 
     Artillery Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. 
     Died on January 17, 2004.
       Army Sgt. Christopher Ramirez, 34, of McAllen, Texas. 
     Ramirez died in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, from injuries 
     sustained during combat operations. He was assigned to the 
     1st Battalion, 16th Infantry, 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry 
     Division, Fort Riley, Kansas. Died on April 14, 2004.
       Army Sgt. Ariel Rico, 25, of El Paso, Texas. Rico died of 
     injuries sustained during an enemy mortar attack in Mosul, 
     Iraq. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery 
     Regiment, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort 
     Campbell, Kentucky. Died on November 28, 2003.
       Army 1st Lt. Jonathan D. Rozier, 25, of Katy, Texas. 
     Rozier's unit was fired upon by rocket-propelled grenades and 
     small arms fire while manning a vehicle checkpoint in 
     Baghdad, Iraq. Rozier was assigned to B Company, 2-70th Armor 
     Battalion (1st Armored Division), Fort Riley, Kansas. Died on 
     July 19, 2003.
       Army Spc. Isela Rubalcava, 25, of El Paso, Texas. Rubalcava 
     died in Mosul, Iraq, when a mortar round hit near her. She 
     was assigned to the 296th Combat Support Battalion, 3rd 
     Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), 
     Fort Lewis, Washington. Died on May 8, 2004.
       Army Sgt. John W. Russell, 26, of Portland, Texas. Russell 
     died when two 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) UH-60 
     Black Hawk helicopters crashed in Mosul, Iraq. He was 
     assigned to the 4th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, 101st 
     Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Kentucky. 
     Died on November 15, 2003.
       Marine Pfc. Leroy Sandoval, Jr., 21, of Houston, Texas. 
     Sandoval died due to hostile fire in the Al Anbar Province, 
     Iraq. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 
     1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp 
     Pendleton, California. Died on March 26, 2004.
       Army Spc. Christian C. Schulz, 20, of Colleyville, Texas. 
     Schulz died as a result of non-combat injuries in Baqubah, 
     Iraq. Schulz was assigned to the 3rd Troop, 67th Armor 
     Battalion, Fort Hood, Texas. Died on July 11, 2003.
       Marine Pfc. Dustin M. Sekula, 18, of Edinburg, Texas. 
     Sekula died due to injuries sustained from enemy fire in Al 
     Anbar Province, Iraq. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 7th 
     Marines, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, 
     Twentynine Palms, California. Died on April 1, 2004.
       Army Pfc. Armando Soriano, 20, of Houston, Texas. Soriano 
     was traveling in a two-vehicle convoy on a supply route when 
     weather conditions caused his vehicle to slide off the road 
     and roll over. He died as a result of his injuries in 
     Haditha, Iraq. Soriano was assigned to the howitzer battery, 
     3rd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Carson, 
     Colorado. The unit is currently attached to the 82nd Airborne 
     Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Died on February 1, 
     2004.
       Army Cpl. Tomas Sotelo, Jr., 20, of Houston, Texas. Sotelo 
     was traveling in a convoy when a rocket propelled grenade 
     struck his vehicle in Baghdad, Iraq. Sotelo was assigned to 
     Headquarters Troop, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Polk, 
     Louisiana. Died on June 27, 2003.
       Army Spc. Joseph D. Suell, 24, of Lufkin, Texas. Suell died 
     from a non-combat related cause in Todjie, Iraq. Suell was 
     assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters and Service 
     Battery, 5th Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment, Fort 
     Sill, Oklahoma. Died on June 16, 2003.
       Marine Lance Cpl. Elias Torrez III, 21, of Veribest, Texas. 
     Torrez died from hostile fire in Iraq. He was assigned to 3rd 
     Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, I Marine 
     Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, California. Died on 
     April 9, 2004.
       Marine Lance Cpl. Ruben Valdez, Jr., 21, of San Diego, 
     Texas. Valdez died due to injuries received from enemy action 
     in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 
     7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine 
     Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, California. Died on 
     April 17, 2004.
       Army Sgt. Melissa Valles, 26, of Eagle Pass, Texas. Valles 
     died in Balad, Iraq as a result of non-combat injuries. She 
     was assigned to B Company, 64th Forward Support Battalion, 
     Fort Carson, Colorado. Died on July 9, 2003.
       Marine Lance Cpl. Michael B. Wafford, 20, of Spring, Texas. 
     Wafford died due to injuries received from hostile fire in Al 
     Anbar Province, Iraq. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 5th 
     Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary 
     Force, Camp Pendleton, California. Died on April 8, 2004.
       Navy Lt. Nathan D. White, 30, of Abilene, Texas. Killed in 
     action. White was the pilot of an F/A-18C Hornet lost over 
     Iraq. He was assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron One Nine 
     Five (VFA 195), based in Atsugi, Japan,

[[Page H3504]]

     and currently deployed with Carrier Air Wing Five (CVW 5) 
     aboard USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63). Died on April 2, 2003.
       Army Sgt. Steven W. White, 29, of Fruitvale, Texas. White 
     died of injuries sustained when his M113 armored personnel 
     carrier hit an antitank mine in Tikrit, Iraq. White was 
     assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 4th 
     Battalion, 42nd Field Artillery Regiment, Fort Hood, Texas. 
     Died on August 13, 2003.
       Army Spc. James C. Wright, 27, of Morgan, Texas. Wright was 
     killed in an ambush by small arms fire and rocket propelled 
     grenade in Tikrit, Iraq. He was assigned to Headquarters and 
     Headquarters Battery, 4th Battalion, 42nd Field Artillery 
     Regiment, Fort Hood, Texas. Died on September 18, 2003.
       Army Pfc. Stephen E. Wyatt, 19, of Kilgore, Texas. Wyatt 
     was in a convoy that was hit by an improvised explosive 
     device and small arms fire in Balad, Iraq. Wyatt was assigned 
     to C Battery, 1st Battalion, 17th Field Artillery Regiment, 
     Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Died on October 13, 2003.
       Army Staff Sgt. Henry Ybarra III, 32, of Austin, Texas. 
     Ybarra was changing the tire on a Heavy Expanded Mobility 
     Tactical Truck in Balad, Iraq when the tire exploded. Ybarra 
     died of his injuries. Ybarra was assigned to D Troop, 6th 
     Squadron, 6th Cavalry, Illesheim, Germany. Died on September 
     11, 2003.


                       OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM

       Air Force Tech. Sgt. John A. Chapman, 36, of Waco, Texas. 
     Killed in action in eastern Afghanistan during Operation 
     Anaconda. Died on March 4, 2002.
       Army Sgt. 1st Class Nathan R. Chapman, 31, of San Antonio, 
     Texas. Died in Afghanistan. Died on January 4, 2002.
       Army Staff Sgt. Brian T. Craig, 27, of Texas. Craig died as 
     the result of an explosion during explosive clearing 
     operations in Qandahar, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 710th 
     Explosive Ordnance Detachment, San Diego, California. Died on 
     April 15, 2002.
       Army Spc. Rodrigo Gonzalez-Garza, 26, of Texas. Died in 
     Kuwait. Died on February 24, 2003.
       Air Force Airman 1st Class Raymond Losano, 24, of Del Rio, 
     Texas. Losano was a tactical air command and control 
     specialist assigned to the 14th Air Support Operation 
     Squadron, Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina. Died on April 
     25, 2003.
       Army Sgt. 1st Class John E. Taylor, 31, of Wichita Falls, 
     Texas. Taylor suffered a heart attack after completing 
     physical training in Kabul, Afghanistan. Taylor was assigned 
     to 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, North 
     Carolina. Died on May 17, 2003.
       Air Force Staff Sgt. John Teal, 29, of Dallas, Texas. Teal 
     died in an HH-60 Pave Hawk accident in Afghanistan. He was 
     assigned to the 41st Rescue Squadron, Moody Air Force Base, 
     Georgia. Died on March 23, 2003.
  Mr. BOSWELL. Mr. Speaker, at the close of business this week, we will 
journey back home to our districts. There, we will meet with our 
constituents and hear their concerns so that we may better serve them. 
We will also celebrate Memorial Day with them. Memorial Day is a very 
special day for me and my family, as I am sure it is for millions of 
other families across our great nation.
  Prior to my years in public office, I proudly served my country in 
the United States Army. During my twenty years as a soldier, I served a 
number of overseas tours, including two tours in Vietnam. The years I 
spent wearing the uniform of my country will always be special to me, 
and the brave Americans I knew as a result of my service will always 
have a special place in my heart.
  I would like to take this opportunity today to reflect upon the 
sacrifices our brave servicemen and women have made in the past and are 
making today as they honorably serve overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan. 
I know what it is like to serve in a hostile environment far away from 
the comforts of home, separated from your loved ones. I also know the 
joy they will feel when they return home to their families. However, 
war does not promise that everyone who serves will return home. War 
does not promise that families will see their brave soldiers again.
  This Memorial Day, Iowans will join together with the rest of the 
nation as we honor those soldiers who gave the ultimate sacrifice to 
defend the United States, uphold our Constitution, and advance the 
cause of freedom around the world. We will honor GySgt. Jeffrey Bohr, 
Lance Cpl. Ben Carman, Pvt. Michael Deutsch, PO Trace Dossett, Sgt. 
Paul Fisher, Pvt. Kurt Frosheiser, Pfc. David Kirchhoff, Spc. Joshua 
Knowles, Sgt. Bradley Korthaus, Pvt. Kenneth Nalley, Spc. Aaron Sissel, 
CW4 Bruce Smith, Cpl. Michael R. Speer, and Pfc. Brandon Sturdy, brave 
Iowans who lost their lives serving in Iraq. I thank them for their 
sacrifice, and I, along with the rest of our nation, offer my deepest 
condolences to their families.
  God bless our brave and honorable servicemen and women and their 
families. Your sacrifices will never be forgotten.
  Mr. PEARCE. Mr. Speaker. From the troops still in the field today in 
the deserts of Iraq and mountains of Afghanistan, to the scores of 
veterans who have served in different theaters and eras, Memorial Day 
is a time to honor these American heroes and celebrate the freedoms 
that their sacrifices have secured.
  This Memorial Day we stand victorious in liberating Iraq and 
Afghanistan, and our soldiers have struck another blow against 
international terrorism. These patriots and their families are making 
great sacrifices on behalf of this nation, this world and all of 
humanity.
  This is also a time for our nation to remember the high price of 
freedom, as we mourn with the families whose loved ones do not return 
from the front lines. Memorial Day is a time to honor their lives and 
their sacrifice.
  New Mexico has been reminded that freedom isn't free, as we have laid 
to rest four of our bravest sons and daughters.
  Air Force 1st Lt. Tamara Archuleta, 23 years old, of Los Lunas, New 
Mexico died on March 23, 2003 in an HH-60 Pave Hawk accident in 
Afghanistan. She was assigned to the 41st Rescue Squadron, Moody Air 
Force Base, Georgia.
  Army Sgt. Lee D. Todacheene, 29 years old from Farmington, New 
Mexico, was killed April 6, 2004 when mortar fire hit his guard post in 
Balad, Iraq. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 77th Armored Regiment, 
1st Infantry Division, Germany
  Marine Corp Pfc. Christopher Ramos, 26 years old from Albuquerque, 
New Mexico, was killed April 5, 2004 by hostile fire in Anbar province, 
Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine 
Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, CA.
  Marine Lance Corporal Aaron Austin, 21 years old from Lovington, NM. 
He was killed April 26, 2004 by hostile fire in Anbar province, Iraq. 
He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine 
Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, at Camp Pendleton, CA.
  I ask for a Moment of Silence from this Body, to honor them, and 
their memory.
  Mr. Speaker, Memorial Day is May 31st this year. But each day we live 
in freedom is a Memorial Day, and an opportunity to thank our brave 
members of the United States Military, as well as our Veterans. They 
have the eternal thanks for a grateful nation.
  The time we spend with our families and friends over Memorial Day 
weekend is a time for us to turn back toward what is truly important: 
our faith, our families, and our precious freedom.
  May God Continue to Bless America.
  Mr. OSBORNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memories of eight 
brave soldiers from the Third District of Nebraska who gave the 
ultimate sacrifice for the freedom of our country.
  Spc. Dennis B. Morgan, 22, of Valentine, Nebrask; Pvt. Noah L. Boye, 
21, of Grand Island, Nebraska; Sgt. Cory R. Mracek, 26, of Hay Springs, 
Nebraska; Sgt. Dennis A. Corral, 33, of Kearney, Nebraska; Spc. James 
R. Wolf, 21, of Scottsbluff, Nebraska; Spc. Blake C. Kelly, 21 of 
Columbus, Nebraska; Petty Officer 3rd Class David J. Moreno, 26, 
Gering, Nebraska; and Capt. Travis A. Ford, 30, of Ogallala, Nebraska.
  Having been in Iraq and Afghanistan just a few months ago, I fully 
appreciate the character and commitment of our troops.
  We are truly blessed to have this quality of soldiers protecting our 
country.
  We will never be able to express to these families our appreciation 
for what their loved ones have sacrificed for our freedom.
  I know that words cannot lessen the grief that each family is 
experiencing.
  I want you to know that I share some of that grief, because all of us 
in Congress feel deeply responsible for our troops.
  I can assure you that these eight soldiers have not been lost in 
vain.
  All of us are resolved to see this matter through to a successful 
conclusion, so that Dennis; Noah; Cory; Dennis; James; Blake; David; 
and Travis sacrifice and memory are honored.
  Mr. Speaker, may we all take a moment this Memorial Day to remember 
that our freedom has been bought with a price.
  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the brave soldiers who 
have given their lives while serving our great Nation during war. For 
136 years American citizens have used Memorial Day as a special day to 
honor the servicemen and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for 
our country. Flowers and candles are lit on the graves of our heroes, 
ceremonies are held and Americans all over the country recognize the 
fallen soldiers in silence and solemnity.
  Memorial Day is also a day where we should think about our values and 
appreciate how lucky we are to live in a free and democratic country. 
We should remember Franklin D. Roosevelt's words of January 6, 1941 
when he outlined his hopes for a better future for the world. ``In the 
future days, which we seek to make secure, we look forward to a world 
founded upon four essential human freedoms. The first is freedom of 
speech and expression--everywhere in the world. The second is freedom 
of every person to worship God in his own way--everywhere in the world. 
The third is freedom from want--which, translated into world terms, 
means economic understandings

[[Page H3505]]

which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its 
inhabitants--everywhere in the world. The fourth is freedom from fear--
which, translated into world terms, means a world-wide reduction of 
armaments to such a point and in such a thorough fashion that no nation 
will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against 
any neighhbor--anywhere in the world.''
  Memorial Day is a day when we should remember that there are still 
nations in the world which do not have these four freedoms. American 
soldiers are still fighting abroad to help people free themselves from 
oppression.
  Sadly, this Memorial Day we also have to remember that we are a 
nation at war. But whatever we think about this war should not 
undermine our unity in support of the brave troops fighting in Iraq. 
America stands behind the servicemen and women who, day after day, risk 
their lives. Almost 800 U.S. men and women in uniform have been killed 
in Iraq to the current date. I submit a list of the names of these 
heroes to be entered into the Congressional Record.
  Let us use Memorial Day to show our deep appreciation for these 
heroes. I again want to offer my sincerest sympathy to the families of 
the fallen soldiers. It is hard to imagine the pain these families are 
going through. But they can be assured that Americans will forever 
remember their loved ones with pride and gratefulness.
  I have founded the Iraq Fallen Heroes Caucus to honor the fallen 
heroes and to actively support their families. Seventy-three Members of 
Congress--Democrats as well as Republicans--are already members of this 
caucus and I hope that more will join.
  I again want to commend our soldiers for their great courage and 
willingness to fight for our country and encourage all Americans to use 
Memorial Day to honor our troops and remember those who have given 
their lives for the United States.

                                   U.S. CASUALTIES IN IRAQ AS OF MAY 17, 2004
                                         [Sorted by State of Residence]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Date             Branch                  Rank and name              Age      State           Hometown
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
23-Mar-03.....  Army..............  Pfc. Howard Johnson II...........       21  AL.......  Mobile.
6-Apr-03......  Army..............  Pvt. Kelley S. Prewitt...........       24  AL.......  Birmingham.
14-Apr-03.....  Army..............  Pfc. John E. Brown...............       21  AL.......  Troy.
22-Apr-03.....  Army..............  Chief Warrant Officer Robert            36  AL.......  Tuscaloosa.
                                     William Channell, Jr.
24-Jun-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Cedric L. Lennon............       32  AL.......  West Blocton.
28-Jun-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. Timothy M. Conneway.........       22  AL.......  Enterprise.
20-Jul-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. 1st Class Christopher R.           29  AL.......  Phenix City.
                                     Willoughby.
4-Sept-03.....  Air Force.........  Tech. Sgt. Bruce E. Brown........       32  AL.......  Coatopa.
21-Oct-03.....  Army..............  Pfc. Paul J. Bueche..............       19  AL.......  Daphne.
27-Oct-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. Aubrey D. Bell..............       33  AL.......  Tuskegee.
26-Dec-03.....  Army..............  Spc Charles G. Haight............       23  AL.......  Jacksonville.
8-Jan-04......  Army..............  Chief Warrant Officer Philip A.         31  AL.......  Mobile.
                                     Johnson, Jr.
23-Jan-04.....  Army..............  Chief Warrant Officer Brian D.          29  AL.......  Fort Rucker.
                                     Hazelgrove.
16-Feb-04.....  Army..............  Spc. Christopher M. Taylor.......       25  AL.......  Daphne.
4-Apr-04......  Army..............  Spc. Ahmed A. Cason..............       24  AL.......  McCalla.
4-Apr-04......  Army..............  Spc. Stephen D. Hiller...........       25  AL.......  Opelika.
10-Apr-04.....  Marine............  Lance Cpl. John T. Sims, Jr......       21  AL.......  Alexander City.
25-Mar-03.....  Navy..............  Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class             25  AR.......  Little Rock.
                                     Michael Vann Johnson.
26-Jul-03.....  Army..............  Pfc. Jonathan M. Cheatham........       19  AR.......  Camden.
12-Sep-03.....  Army..............  Master Sgt. Kevin N. Morehead....       33  AR.......  Little Rock.
18-Mar-04.....  Marine............  Pfc. Brandon C. Smith............       20  AR.......  Washington.
6-Apr-04......  Army..............  Sgt. 1st Class William W.               45  AR.......  Bauxite.
                                     Labadie, Jr.
24-Apr-04.....  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Stacy C. Brandon......       35  AR.......  Hazen.
24-Apr-04.....  Army..............  Capt. Arthur L. Felder...........       36  AR.......  Lewisville.
24-Apr-04.....  Army..............  Chief Warrant Officer Patrick W.        49  AR.......  North Little Rock.
                                     Kordsmeier.
24-Apr-04.....  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Billy J. Orton........       41  AR.......  Humnoke.
6-May-04......  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Hesley Box............       24  AR.......  Nashville.
23-Mar-03.....  Army..............  Pfc. Lori Ann Piestewa...........       23  AZ.......  Tuba City.
28-Mar-03.....  Marine............  Sgt. Fernando Padilla-Ramirez....       26  AZ.......  Yuma.
2-Apr-03......  Navy..............  Lt. Nathan D. White..............       30  AZ.......  Mesa.
18-Jun-03.....  Army..............  Staff Sgt. William T. Latham.....       29  AZ.......  Kingman.
26-Jun-03.....  Navy..............  Seaman Joshua McIntosh...........       22  AZ.......  Kingman.
30-Aug-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. Sean K. Cataudella..........       28  AZ.......  Tucson.
15-Sep-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Alyssa R. Peterson..........       27  AZ.......  Flagstaff.
6-Oct-03......  Army..............  Spc. Spencer T. Karol............       20  AZ.......  Woodruff.
17-Oct-03.....  Marine............  Lance Cpl. Michael J. Williams...       31  AZ.......  Yuma.
28-Oct-03.....  Army..............  Spec. Issac Campoy...............       21  AZ.......  Douglas.
24-Dec-03.....  Army..............  Command Sgt. Major Eric F. Cooke.       43  AZ.......  Scottsdale.
9-Feb-04......  Army..............  Sgt. Elijah Tai Wah Wong.........       42  AZ.......  Mesa.
17-Feb-04.....  Army..............  Spc. Michael M. Merila...........       23  AZ.......  Sierra Vista.
25-Feb-04.....  Army..............  Chief Warrant Officer Matthew C.        32  AZ.......  Phoenix.
                                     Laskowski.
12-Apr-04.....  Marine............  Lance Cpl. Robert P. Zurheide, Jr       20  AZ.......  Tucson.
21-Mar-03.....  Marine............  Lance Cpl. Jose Gutierrez........       22  CA.......  Los Angeles.
22-Mar-03.....  Navy..............  Lt. Thomas Mullen Adams..........       27  CA.......  La Mesa.
23-Mar-03.....  Marine............  Cpl Randal Kent Rosacker.........       21  CA.......  San Diego.
23-Mar-03.....  Marine............  Sgt. Michael E. Bitz.............       31  CA.......  Ventura.
23-Mar-03.....  Marine............  Cpl Jose A. Garibay..............       21  CA.......  Costa Mesa.
23-Mar-03.....  Marine............  Cpl. Jorge A. Gonzalez...........       20  CA.......  Los Angeles.
25-Mar-03.....  Marine............  Lance Cpl. Patrick T. O'Day......       20  CA.......  Sonoma.
25-Mar-03.....  Marine............  Pfc. Francisco A. Martinez-Flores       21  CA.......  Los Angeles.
27-Mar-03.....  Marine............  Gunnery Sgt. Joseph Menusa.......       33  CA.......  San Jose.
27-Mar-03.....  Marine............  Lance Cpl. Jesus A. Suarez del          20  CA.......  Escondido.
                                     Solar.
3-Apr-03......  Marine............  Cpl. Erik H. Silva...............       22  CA.......  Chula Vista.
4-Apr-03......  Army..............  Pvt. Devon D. Jones..............       19  CA.......  San Diego.
8-Apr-03......  Army..............  Sgt. 1st Class John W. Marshall..       50  CA.......  Los Angeles.
12-Apr-03.....  Marine............  Cpl. Jesus A. Gonzalez...........       22  CA.......  Indio.
24-Apr-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. Troy David Jenkins..........       25  CA.......  Ridgecrest.
25-Apr-03.....  Army..............  1st Lt. Osbaldo Orozco...........       26  CA.......  Delano.
12-May-03.....  Marine............  Pfc. Jose Franci Gonzalez               19  CA.......  Norwalk.
                                     Rodriguez.
18-May-03.....  Marine............  Cpl. Douglas Jose Marencoreyes...       28  CA.......  Chino.
19-May-03.....  Marine............  Capt. Andrew David La Mont.......       31  CA.......  Eureka.
19-May-03.....  Marine............  Lance Cpl. Jason William Moore...       21  CA.......  San Marcos.
3-Jun-03......  Army..............  Sgt. Atanacio Haro Marin.........       27  CA.......  Baldwin Park.
19-Jun-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Paul T. Nakamura............       21  CA.......  Santa Fe Springs.
25-Jun-03.....  Army..............  Spec. Andrew F. Chris............       25  CA.......  San Diego.
9-Jul-03......  Marine............  Lance Cpl. Jason Andrew Tetrault.       20  CA.......  Moreno Valley.
15-Jul-03.....  Marine............  Lance Cpl. Cory Ryan Geurin......       18  CA.......  Santee.
24-Jul-03.....  Army..............  Cpl. Evan Asa Ashcraft...........       24  CA.......  Los Angeles.
10-Aug-03.....  Army..............  Staff Sgt. David S. Perry........       36  CA.......  Bakersfield.
12-Aug-03.....  Army..............  Pfc. Daniel R. Parker............       18  CA.......  Lake Elsinore.
21-Aug-03.....  Navy..............  Lt. Kylan A. Jones-Huffman.......       31  CA.......  Aptos.
25-Aug-03.....  Army..............  Pfc. Pablo Manzano...............       19  CA.......  Heber.
9-Oct-03......  Army..............  Pvt. Sean A. Silva...............       23  CA.......  Roseville.
13-Oct-03.....  Army..............  Pfc. Jose Casanova...............       23  CA.......  El Monte.
16-Oct-03.....  Army..............  Cpl. Sean R. Grilley.............       24  CA.......  San Bernardino.
24-Oct-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Jose L. Mora................       26  CA.......  Bell Gardens.
24-Oct-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. Michael S. Hancock..........       29  CA.......  Yreka.
26-Oct-03.....  Army..............  Pfc. Steven Acosta...............       19  CA.......  Calexico.
31-Oct-03.....  Army..............  2nd Lt. Todd J. Bryant...........       23  CA.......  Riverside.
2-Nov-03......  Army..............  Pfc. Karina S. Lau...............       20  CA.......  Livingston.
2-Nov-03......  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Paul A. Velazquez.....       29  CA.......  San Diego.
11-Nov-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Genaro Acosta...............       26  CA.......  Fair Oaks.
15-Nov-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. 1st Class Kelly Bolor.......       37  CA.......  Whittier.
23-Nov-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Rel A. Ravago IV............       21  CA.......  Glendale.
23-Nov-03.....  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Eddie E. Menyweather..       35  CA.......  Los Angeles.
23-Nov-03.....  Army..............  CW2 Christopher G. Nason.........       39  CA.......  Los Angeles.

[[Page H3506]]

 
29-Nov-03.....  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Stephen A. Bertolino..       40  CA.......  Orange.
2-Dec-03......  Army..............  Sgt. Ryan C. Young...............       21  CA.......  Corona.
5-Dec-03......  Army..............  Spc. Arron R. Clark..............       20  CA.......  Chico.
8-Dec-03......  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Steven H. Bridges.....       33  CA.......  Tracy.
10-Dec-03.....  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Richard A. Burdick....       24  CA.......  National City.
26-Dec-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Michael G. Mihalakis........       18  CA.......  San Jose.
30-Dec-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Justin W. Pollard...........       21  CA.......  Foothill Ranch.
7-Jan-04......  Army..............  Pfc. Jesse D. Mizener............       24  CA.......  Auburn.
8-Jan-04......  Army..............  Spc. Michael A. Diraimondo.......       22  CA.......  Simi Valley.
14-Jan-04.....  Army..............  Sgt. Keicia M. Hines.............       27  CA.......  Citrus Heights.
24-Jan-04.....  Army..............  Spc. Jason K. Chappell...........       22  CA.......  Hemet.
31-Jan-04.....  Army..............  Sgt. Eliu A. Miersandoval........       27  CA.......  San Clemente.
10-Feb-04.....  Air Force.........  Master Sgt. Jude C. Mariano......       39  CA.......  Vallejo.
11-Feb-04.....  Army..............  Sgt. Patrick S. Tainsh...........       33  CA.......  Oceanside.
12-Feb-04.....  Army..............  Spc. Eric U. Ramirez.............       31  CA.......  San Diego.
11-Mar-04.....  Army..............  Spc. Christopher K. Hill.........       26  CA.......  Ventura.
13-Mar-04.....  Army..............  Pfc. Joel K. Brattain............       21  CA.......  Santa Ana.
20-Mar-04.....  Army..............  Maj. Mark D. Taylor..............       41  CA.......  Stockton.
20-Mar-04.....  Army..............  1st Lt. Michael W. Vega..........       41  CA.......  Lathrop.
22-Mar-04.....  Marine............  Lance Cpl. Andrew S. Dang........       20  CA.......  Foster City.
30-Mar-04.....  Marine............  Lance Cpl. William J. Wiscowiche.       20  CA.......  Victorville.
4-Apr-04......  Army..............  Sgt. Michael W. Mitchell.........       25  CA.......  Porterville.
4-Apr-04......  Army..............  Spc. Casey Sheehan...............       24  CA.......  Vacaville.
6-Apr-04......  Marine............  Lance Cpl. Marcus M. Cherry......       18  CA.......  Imperial.
6-Apr-04......  Marine............  Lance Cpl. Kyle D. Crowley.......       18  CA.......  San Ramon.
6-Apr-04......  Marine............  Lance Cpl. Travis J. Layfield....       19  CA.......  Fremont.
6-Apr-04......  Marine............  Staff Sgt. Allan K. Walker.......       28  CA.......  Lancaster.
8-Apr-04......  Marine............  Staff Sgt. William M. Harrell....       30  CA.......  Placentia.
8-Apr-04......  Marine............  1st Lt. Joshua M. Palmer.........       25  CA.......  Banning.
9-Apr-04......  Marine............  Pfc. Eric A. Ayon................       26  CA.......  Arleta.
11-Apr-04.....  Marine............  1st Lt. Oscar Jimenez............       34  CA.......  San Diego.
11-Apr-04.....  Marine............  Pfc. George D. Torres............       23  CA.......  Long Beach.
12-Apr-04.....  Marine............  Lance Cpl. Brad S. Shuder........       21  CA.......  El Dorado.
13-Apr-04.....  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Victor A.                    29  CA.......  Westminister.
                                     Rosaleslomeli.
15-Apr-04.....  Marine............  Staff Sgt. Jimmy J. Arroyave.....       30  CA.......  Woodland.
16-Apr-04.....  Army..............  Sgt. Brian M. Wood...............       21  CA.......  Torrence.
17-Apr-04.....  Marine............  Capt. Richard J. Gannon II.......       31  CA.......  Escondido.
18-Apr-04.....  Marine............  Cpl. Christopher A. Gibson.......       23  CA.......  Simi Valley.
20-Apr-04.....  Army..............  Pfc. Leroy Harris-Kelly..........       20  CA.......  Azusa.
27-Apr-04.....  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Abraham D. Penamedina.       32  CA.......  Los Angeles.
29-Apr-04.....  Army..............  Spc. James L. Beckstrand.........       27  CA.......  Escondido.
29-Apr-04.....  Army..............  Sgt. Adam W. Estep...............       23  CA.......  Campbell.
1-May-04......  Army..............  Spc. Ramon C. Ojeda..............       22  CA.......  Ramona.
1-May-04......  Army..............  Spc. Trevor A. Win'E.............       22  CA.......  Orange.
3-May-04......  Army..............  Pfc. Lyndon A. Marcus, Jr........       21  CA.......  Long Beach.
3-May-04......  Army..............  Sgt. Marvin R. Sprayberry III....       24  CA.......  Tehachapi.
13-May-04.....  Marine............  Pfc. Brian K. Cutter.............       19  CA.......  Riverside.
14-May-04.....  Army..............  Sgt. Brud J. Cronkrite...........       22  CA.......  Spring Valley.
14-May-04.....  Army..............  Pfc. Michael A. Mora.............       19  CA.......  Arroyo Grande.
23-Mar-03.....  Marine............  Lance Cpl. Thomas J. Slocum......       22  CO.......  Thornton.
3-Apr-03......  Army..............  Capt. Russell B. Rippetoe........       27  CO.......  Arvada.
3-Apr-03......  Army..............  Sgt. 1st Class Randall S. Rehn...       36  CO.......  Longmont.
27-May-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. Thomas F. Broomhead.........       34  CO.......  Canon City.
7-Jul-03......  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Barry Sandford Sr.....       46  CO.......  Aurora.
29-Aug-03.....  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Mark A. Lawton........       41  CO.......  Hayden.
24-Dec-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. Michael E. Yashinski........       24  CO.......  Monument.
9-Apr-04......  Marine............  Pfc. Chance R. Phelps............       19  CO.......  Clifton.
29-Apr-04.....  Army..............  Pfc. Ryan E. Reed................       20  CO.......  Colorado Springs.
23-Mar-03.....  Marine............  Staff Sgt. Phillip A. Jordan.....       42  CT.......  Enfield.
23-Mar-03.....  Marine............  Cpl. Kemaphoom A. Chanawongse....       22  CT.......  Waterford.
20-Jul-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. Jason D. Jordan.............       24  CT.......  Enfield.
26-Jul-03.....  Army..............  Pfc. Wilfredo Perez, Jr..........       24  CT.......  Norwalk.
12-Aug-03.....  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Richard S. Eaton, Jr..       37  CT.......  Guilford.
2-Nov-03......  Army..............  Pfc. Anthony D. D'Agostino.......       20  CT.......  Waterbury.
12-Dec-03.....  Army..............  Pfc. Jeffrey F. Braun............       19  CT.......  Stafford.
7-Apr-04......  Army..............  Spc. Tyanna S. Felder............       22  CT.......  Bridgeport.
9-Apr-04......  Army..............  Sgt. Felix M. Delgreco...........       22  CT.......  Simsbury.
25-Jun-03.....  Marine............  Lance Cpl. Gregory E. MacDonald..       29  DC.......  Washington.
26-Aug-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Darryl T. Dent..............       21  DC.......  Washington.
30-Mar-03.....  Marine............  Sgt. Brian McGinnis..............       23  DE.......  Saint Georges.
3-Apr-03......  Army..............  Spc. Ryan P. Long................       21  DE.......  Seaford.
7-Sep-03......  Army..............  Spc. Jarrett B. Thompson.........       27  DE.......  Dover.
6-Apr-04......  Marine............  Lance Cpl. Anthony P. Roberts....       18  DE.......  Bear.
23-Mar-03.....  Marine............  Lance Cpl. Brian Rory Buesing....       20  FL.......  Cedar Key.
3-Apr-03......  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Wilbert Davis.........       40  FL.......  Tampa.
4-Apr-03......  Army..............  Sgt. 1st Class Paul R. Smith.....       33  FL.......  Tampa.
7-Apr-03......  Marine............  Lance Cpl. Andrew Julian Aviles..       18  FL.......  Palm Beach.
14-Apr-03.....  Marine............  Cpl. Armando Ariel Gonzalez......       25  FL.......  Hialeah.
17-Apr-03.....  Army..............  Cpl. John T. Rivero..............       23  FL.......  Tampa.
26-May-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. Keman L. Mitchell...........       24  FL.......  Hilliard.
27-May-03.....  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Michael B. Quinn......       37  FL.......  Tampa.
6-Jul-03......  Army..............  Spc. Jeffrey M. Wershow..........       22  FL.......  Gainesville.
3-Oct-03......  Army..............  Pfc. Charles M. Sims.............       18  FL.......  Miami.
12-Nov-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Robert A. Wise..............       21  FL.......  Tallahassee.
20-Nov-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Robert D. Roberts...........       21  FL.......  Winter Park.
8-Jan-04......  Army..............  Chief Warrant Officer Aaron A.          32  FL.......  Inverness.
                                     Weaver.
8-Jan-04......  Army..............  Chief Warrant Officer Ian D.            23  FL.......  .....................
                                     Manuel.
17-Jan-04.....  Army..............  Pfc. Cody J. Orr.................       21  FL.......  Ruskin.
17-Jan-04.....  Army..............  Sgt. Edmond L. Randle............       26  FL.......  Miami.
1-Mar-04......  Army..............  Spc. Michael R. Woodliff.........       22  FL.......  Port Charlotte.
17-Mar-04.....  Army..............  Spc. Tracy L. Laramore...........       30  FL.......  Okaloosa.
24-Mar-04.....  Army..............  SSgt. Wentz Jerome Henry                33  FL.......  Naples.
                                     Shanaberger III.
6-Apr-04......  Marine............  Pfc. Christopher R. Cobb.........       19  FL.......  Brandenton.
9-Apr-04......  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Raymond E. Jones, Jr..       31  FL.......  Gainesville.
17-Apr-04.....  Army..............  Sgt. Jonathan N. Hartman.........       27  FL.......  Jacksonville.
20-Apr-04.....  Army..............  Sgt. 1st Class Bradley C. Fox....       34  FL.......  Orlando.
29-Apr-04.....  Army..............  Pfc. Jeremy Ricardo Ewing........       22  FL.......  Miami.
29-Apr-04.....  Army..............  Spc. Justin B. Schmidt...........       23  FL.......  Bradenton.
30-Apr-04.....  Navy..............  Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class            31  FL.......  Apopka.
                                     Jason B. Dwelley.
2-May-04......  Navy..............  Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael         36  FL.......  Daytona
                                     C. Anderson.
2-May-04......  Navy..............  Petty Officer 2nd Class Trace W.        37  FL.......  Orlando.
                                     Dossett.
2-May-04......  Navy..............  Petty Officer 3rd Class Ronald A.       37  FL.......  Auburndale.
                                     Ginther.
2-May-04......  Navy..............  Petty Officer 2nd Class Robert B.       35  FL.......  Stuart.
                                     Jenkins.
2-May-04......  Navy..............  Petty Officer 2nd Class Scott R.        33  FL.......  Boca Raton.
                                     Mchugh.
2-May-04......  Army..............  Capt. John E. Tipton.............       32  FL.......  Fort Walton Beach.
3-May-04......  Army..............  1st Lt. Christopher J. Kenny.....       32  FL.......  Miami.
6-May-04......  Marine............  Cpl. Dustin H. Schrage...........       20  FL.......  Brevard.
8-May-05......  Marine............  Cpl. Ronald R. Payne, Jr.........       23  FL.......  Lakeland.
23-Mar-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Jamaal R. Addison...........       22  GA.......  Roswell.
29-Mar-03.....  Army..............  Pfc. Diego Fernando Rincon.......       19  GA.......  Conyers.

[[Page H3507]]

 
29-Mar-03.....  Army..............  Pfc. Michael Russell Creighton          20  GA.......  Conyers.
                                     Weldon.
3-Apr-03......  Army..............  Capt. Edward J. Korn.............       31  GA.......  Savannah.
14-May-03.....  Army..............  Spc. David T. Nutt...............       32  GA.......  Blackshear.
12-Jun-03.....  Army..............  Spc. John K. Klinesmith, Jr......       25  GA.......  Stockbridge.
14-Jul-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. Michael T. Crockett.........       27  GA.......  Soperton.
28-Jul-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. Nathaniel Hart, Jr..........       29  GA.......  Valdosta.
20-Aug-03.....  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Bobby C. Franklin.....       38  GA.......  Mineral Bluff.
13-Oct-03.....  Army..............  Pvt. Benjamin L. Freeman.........       19  GA.......  Valdosta.
23-Nov-03.....  Army..............  Command Sgt. Maj. Jerry L. Wilson       45  GA.......  Thomson.
11-Dec-03.....  Army..............  Spec. Marshall L. Edgerton.......       27  GA.......  Rocky Face.
17-Dec-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Christopher J. Holland......       26  GA.......  Brunswick.
8-Jan-04......  Army..............  Spc. Nathaniel H. Johnson........       22  GA.......  Augusta.
12-Jan-04.....  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Ricky L. Crockett.....       37  GA.......  Broxton.
15-Mar-04.....  Army..............  Sgt. William J. Normandy.........       42  GA.......  Augusta.
16-Mar-04.....  Army..............  Master Sgt. Thomas R. Thigpen, Sr       52  GA.......  Augusta.
2-Apr-2004....  Army..............  Pfc. William R. Strange..........       19  GA.......  Adrian.
10-Apr-04.....  Air Force.........  Airman 1st Class Antoine J. Holt.       20  GA.......  Kennesaw.
10-Apr-04.....  Army..............  Spc. Justin W. Johnson...........       22  GA.......  Rome.
17-Apr-04.....  Army..............  Spc. Marvin A. Camposiles........       25  GA.......  Austell.
27-Apr-04.....  Army..............  Pfc. Marquis A. Whitaker.........       20  GA.......  Columbus.
30-Apr-04.....  Navy..............  Petty Officer 3rd Class                 33  GA.......  Eastman.
                                     Christopher M. Dickerson.
1-Sep-03......  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Cameron B. Sarno......       43  HI.......  Waipahu.
24-Mar-03.....  Marine............  Sgt. Bradley S. Korthaus.........       28  IA.......  Davenport.
10-Apr-03.....  Marine............  Gunnery Sgt. Jeffrey E. Bohr, Jr.       39  IA.......  Ossian.
26-May-03.....  Army..............  Pvt. Kenneth A. Nalley...........       19  IA.......  Hamburg.
31-Jul-03.....  Army..............  Pvt. Michael J. Deutsch..........       21  IA.......  Dubuque.
14-Aug-03.....  Army..............  Pfc. David M. Kirchhoff..........       31  IA.......  Cedar Rapds.
2-Nov-03......  Army..............  Chief Warrant Officer Bruce A.          41  IA.......  West Liberty.
                                     Smith.
6-Nov-03......  Army..............  Sgt. Paul F. Fisher..............       39  IA.......  Cedar Rapids.
8-Nov-03......  Army..............  Pvt. Kurt R. Frosheiser..........       22  IA.......  Des Moines.
29-Nov-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Aaron J. Sissel.............       22  IA.......  Tipton.
5-Feb-04......  Army..............  Spc. Joshua Knowles..............       23  IA.......  Sheffield.
6-Apr-04......  Marine............  Pfc. Benjamin R. Carman..........       20  IA.......  Jefferson.
9-Apr-04......  Marine............  Cpl. Michael R. Speer............       24  IA.......  Davenport.
13-Mar-04.....  Marine............  Pfc. Brandon C. Sturdy...........       19  IA.......  Urbandale.
24-Mar-03.....  Air National Guard  Maj. Gregory Stone...............       40  ID.......  Boise.
9-May-03......  Army..............  Cpl. Richard P. Carl.............       26  ID.......  Glenns Ferry.
10-Dec-03.....  Army..............  Pfc. Jerrick M. Petty............       25  ID.......  Idaho Falls.
31-Mar-04.....  Army..............  Pfc. Cleston C. Raney............       20  ID.......  Rupert.
20-Mar-03.....  Marine............  Capt. Ryan Anthony Beaupre.......       30  IL.......  Bloomington.
23-Mar-03.....  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Andrew R. Pokorny.....       30  IL.......  Naperville.
23-Mar-03.....  Marine............  Pvt. Jonathan L. Gifford.........       30  IL.......  Decatur.
24-Mar-03.....  Marine............  Cpl. Evan T. James...............       20  IL.......  La Harpe.
31-Mar-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Brandon J. Rowe.............       20  IL.......  Roscoe.
5-Apr-03......  Marine............  1st Sgt. Edward Smith............       38  IL.......  Chicago.
7-Apr-03......  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Lincoln D. Hollinsaid.       27  IL.......  Malden.
12-May-03.....  Marine............  Lance Cpl. Jakub Henryk Kowalik..       21  IL.......  Schaumburg.
13-May-03.....  Marine............  Lance Cpl. Nicholas Brian               19  IL.......  Irvington.
                                     Kleiboeker.
19-May-03.....  Marine............  1st Lt. Timothy Louis Ryan.......       30  IL.......  Aurora.
26-Jun-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Corey A. Hubbell............       20  IL.......  Urbana.
8-Aug-03......  Army..............  Pfc. Brandon Ramsey..............       21  IL.......  Calumet City.
8-Aug-03......  Army..............  Pvt. Matthew D. Bush.............       20  IL.......  East Alton.
2-Sep-03......  Army..............  Pfc. Christopher A. Sisson.......       20  IL.......  Oak Park.
9-Sep-03......  Army..............  Spc. Ryan G. Carlock.............       25  IL.......  Macomb.
2-Nov-03......  Army..............  1st Lt. Brian D. Slavenas........       30  IL.......  Genoa
15-Nov-03.....  Army..............  Spc. William D. Dusenbery........       30  IL.......  Fairview Heights.
15-Nov-03.....  Army..............  Spc. John R. Sullivan............       26  IL.......  Countryside.
20-Nov-03.....  Army..............  Pvt. Scott M. Tyrrell............       21  IL.......  Sterling.
1-Dec-03......  Army..............  Spc. Uday Singh..................       21  IL.......  Lake Forest.
26-Dec-03.....  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Michael Sutter........       28  IL.......  Tinley Park.
17-Mar-04.....  Army..............  Sgt. Ivory L. Phipps.............       44  IL.......  Chicago.
4-Apr-04......  Army..............  Cpl. Forest J. Jostes............       22  IL.......  Albion.
4-Apr-04......  Marine............  Pfc. Geoffery S. Morris..........       19  IL.......  Gurnee.
8-Apr-04......  Marine............  Lance Cpl. Phillip E. Frank......       20  IL.......  Elk Grove.
9-Apr-04......  Army..............  Pfc. Gregory R. Goodrich.........       37  IL.......  Bartonville.
11-Apr-04.....  Marine............  Lance Cpl. Torrey L. Gray........       19  IL.......  Patoka.
23-Apr-04.....  Army..............  Pfc. Shawn C. Edwards............       20  IL.......  Bensenville.
29-Apr-04.....  Army..............  Sgt. Landis W. Garrison..........       23  IL.......  Rapids City.
1-May-04......  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Oscar D. Vargas-Medina       32  IL.......  Chicago.
23-Mar-03.....  Marine............  Lance Cpl. David K. Fribley......       26  IN.......  Warsaw.
24-Mar-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Gregory P. Sanders..........       19  IN.......  Hobart.
26-Mar-03.....  Army..............  Spc. William A. Jeffries.........       39  IN.......  Evansville.
4-Apr-03......  Marine............  Sgt. Duane R. Rios...............       25  IN.......  Griffith.
22-Apr-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Roy Russell Buckley.........       24  IN.......  Portage.
10-May-03.....  Marine............  Lance Cpl. Matthew R. Smith......       20  IN.......  Anderson.
7-Jun-03......  Army..............  Pvt. Jesse M. Halling............       19  IN.......  Indianapolis.
16-Jun-03.....  Army..............  Pvt. Shawn D. Pahnke.............       25  IN.......  Shelbyville.
7-Jul-03......  Army..............  Spc. Chad L. Keith...............       21  IN.......  Batesville.
8-Jul-03......  Army..............  Pvt. Robert L. McKinley..........       23  IN.......  Kokomo.
8-Jul-03......  Army..............  Sgt. 1st Class Craig A. Boling...       38  IN.......  Elkhart.
5-Aug-03......  Army..............  Spc. Ronald D. Allen Jr..........       22  IN.......  Mitchell.
20-Sep-03.....  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Frederick L. Miller,         27  IN.......  Hagerstown.
                                     Jr.
2-Nov-03......  Army..............  Spc. Brian H. Penisten...........       28  IN.......  Fort Wayne.
6-Nov-03......  Army..............  Spc. James A. Chance III.........       25  IN.......  KoKomo.
23-Nov-03.....  Army..............  Cpl. Darrell Smith...............       28  IN.......  Otwell.
12-Dec-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. Jarrod W. Black.............       26  IN.......  Peru.
5-Jan-04......  Army..............  Spc. Luke P. Frist...............       20  IN.......  West Lafayette.
21-Mar-04.....  Army..............  Pfc. Christopher E. Hudson.......       21  IN.......  Carmel.
4-4-2004......  Army..............  Pfc. John D. Amos II.............       22  IN.......  Valparaiso.
6-Apr-04......  Marine............  Pfc. Deryk L. Hallal.............       24  IN.......  Indianapolis.
1-Apr-03......  Army..............  Sgt. Jacob L. Butler.............       24  KS.......  Wellsville.
15-Jun-03.....  Marine............  Pfc. Ryan R. Cox.................       19  KS.......  Derby.
25-Sep-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Kyle G. Thomas..............       23  KS.......  Topeka.
30-Sep-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Dustin K. McGaugh...........       20  KS.......  Derby.
20-Nov-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Joseph L. Lister............       22  KS.......  Pleasanton.
31-Jan-04.....  Army..............  Cpt. Juan C. Cabralbanuelos......       25  KS.......  Emporia.
21-Mar-04.....  Army..............  Pvt. Dustin L. Kreider...........       19  KS.......  Riverton.
8-Apr-04......  Marine............  Lance Cpl. Christopher B. Wasser.       21  KS.......  Ottawa.
2-May-04......  Army..............  Pvt. Jeremy L. Drexler...........       23  KS.......  Topeka.
29-Sep-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. Darrin K. Potter............       24  KY.......  Louisville.
12-Oct-03.....  Army..............  Spc. James E. Powell.............       26  KY.......  Radcliff.
15-Nov-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. Michael D. Acklin II........       25  KY.......  Louisville.
21-Nov-03.....  Army..............  Cpl. Gary B. Coleman.............       24  KY.......  Pikeville.
27-Jan-04.....  Army..............  Sgt. James T. Hoffman............       41  KY.......  Whitesburg.
19-Feb-04.....  Army..............  2nd Lt. Jeffrey C. Graham........       24  KY.......  Elizabethtown.
7-Apr-04......  Army..............  Staff Sgt. George S. Rentschler..       31  KY.......  Louisville.
8-Apr-04......  Marine............  Cpl. Nicholas J. Dieruf..........       21  KY.......  Versailles.
17-Apr-04.....  Army..............  1st Lt. Robert L. Henderson II...       33  KY.......  Alvaton.
14-May-04.....  Army..............  Sgt. James W. Harlan.............       44  KY.......  Owensboro.
4-Apr-03......  Army..............  Pfc. Wilfred D. Bellard..........       20  LA.......  Lake Charles.

[[Page H3508]]

 
9-Aug-03......  Army..............  Spc. Levi B. Kinchen.............       21  LA.......  Tickfaw.
9-Aug-03......  Army..............  Sgt. Floyd G. Knighten, Jr.......       55  LA.......  Olla.
12-Aug-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. Taft V. Williams............       29  LA.......  New Orleans.
29-Sep-03.....  Army..............  Pfc. Kristian E. Parker..........       23  LA.......  Slidell.
8-Jan-04......  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Craig Davis...........       37  LA.......  Opelousas.
7-Mar-04......  Army..............  Capt. Gussie M. Jones............       41  LA.......  .....................
9-Apr-04......  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Toby W. Mallet........       26  LA.......  Kaplan.
14-May-04.....  Army..............  Command Sgt. Maj. Edward C.             50  LA.......  Shreveport.
                                     Barnhill.
2-Apr-03......  Army..............  Spc. Mathew G. Boule.............       22  MA.......  Dracut.
4-Apr-03......  Marine............  Capt. Benjamin W. Sammis.........       29  MA.......  Rehoboth.
4-Apr-03......  Marine............  1st Lt. Brian M. McPhillips......       25  MA.......  Pembroke.
20-Jul-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. Justin W. Garvey............       23  MA.......  Townsend.
1-Sep-03......  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Joseph Camara.........       40  MA.......  New Bedford.
16-Oct-03.....  Staff.............  Sgt. Joseph P. Bellavia..........       28  MA.......  Wakefield.
18-Oct-03.....  Army..............  Pfc. John D. Hart................       20  MA.......  Bedford.
7-Nov-03......  Army..............  Chief Warrant Officer Kyran E.          43  MA.......  Boston.
                                     Kennedy.
18-Dec-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. Glenn R. Allison............       24  MA.......  Pittsfield.
23-Dec-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. Theodore L. Perreault.......       33  MA.......  Webster.
21-Jan-04.....  Army..............  Spc. Gabriel T. Palacios.........       22  MA.......  Lynn.
25-Feb-04.....  Army..............  Chief Warrant Officer Stephen M.        29  MA.......  Egremont.
                                     Wells.
13-Mar-04.....  Army..............  Sgt. Daniel J. Londono...........       22  MA.......  Boston.
19-Mar-04.....  Marine............  Cpl. David M. Vicente............       25  MA.......  Methuen.
25-Mar-04.....  Marine............  LCpl. Jeffrey C. Burgess.........       20  MA.......  Plymouth.
9-Apr-04......  Army..............  Spc. Peter G. Enos...............       24  MA.......  South Dartmouth.
29-Apr-04.....  Army..............  Pfc. Norman Darling..............       29  MA.......  Middleboro.
20-Mar-03.....  Marine............  Staff Sgt. Kendall Dannon Waters-       29  MD.......  Baltimore.
                                     Bey.
7-Apr-03......  Army..............  Spc. George A. Mitchell..........       35  MD.......  Rawlings.
14-Apr-03.....  Marine............  Cpl. Jason David Mileo...........       20  MD.......  Centreville.
8-Nov-03......  Army..............  Command Sgt. Maj. Cornell W.            45  MD.......  Baltimore.
                                     Gilmore I.
8-Jan-04......  Army..............  Sgt. Jeffrey C. Walker...........       33  MD.......  Havre de Grace.
25-Jan-04.....  Army..............  Lt. Adam G. Mooney...............       28  MD.......  Cambridge.
13-Feb-04.....  Army..............  Pvt. Bryan N. Spry...............       19  MD.......  Chestertown.
13-Mar-04.....  Army..............  Spc. Jason C. Ford...............       21  MD.......  Bowie.
3/31/2004.....  Army..............  Pvt. Brandon L. Davis............       20  MD.......  Cumberland.
15-May-04.....  Army..............  Chief Warrant Officer Bruce E.          37  MD.......  .....................
                                     Price.
20-Mar-03.....  Marine............  Maj. Jay Thomas Aubin............       36  ME.......  Waterville.
4-Apr-03......  Army..............  Spc. Daniel Francis J. Cunningham       33  ME.......  Lewiston.
7-Nov-03......  Army..............  Chief Warrant Officer Sharon T.         43  ME.......  Litchfield.
                                     Swartworth.
3/29/2004.....  Army..............  Spc. Jeremiah J. Holmes..........       27  ME.......  North Berwick.
20-Apr-04.....  Army..............  Spc. Christopher D. Gelineau.....       23  ME.......  Portland.
26-Apr-04.....  Army..............  Sgt. Lawrence A. Roukey..........       33  ME.......  Westbrook.
26-Mar-03.....  Marine............  Maj. Kevin Nave..................       36  MI.......  Union.
2-Apr-03......  Army..............  Sgt. Michael F. Pedersen.........       26  MI.......  Flint.
3-Apr-03......  Army..............  Sgt. Todd J. Robbins.............       33  MI.......  Pentwater.
8-Apr-03......  Army..............  Pfc. Jason M. Meyer..............       23  MI.......  Swartz Creek.
8-Apr-03......  Air Force.........  Staff Sgt. Scott D. Sather.......       29  MI.......  Clio.
8-Apr-03......  Marine............  Pfc. Juan Guadalupe Garza, Jr....       20  MI.......  Temperance.
14-Apr-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Richard A. Goward...........       32  MI.......  Midland.
3-May-03......  Army..............  Sgt. Sean C. Reynolds............       25  MI.......  East Lansing.
16-May-03.....  Army..............  Master Sgt. William L. Payne.....       46  MI.......  Otsego.
26-May-03.....  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Brett J. Petriken.....       30  MI.......  Flint.
13-Jul-03.....  Army..............  Capt. Paul J. Cassidy............       36  MI.......  Laingsburg.
6-Aug-03......  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Brian R. Hellermann...       35  MI.......  Freeport.
14-Sep-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. Trevor A. Blumberg..........       22  MI.......  Canton.
13-Oct-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Donald L. Wheeler...........       22  MI.......  Concord.
20-Oct-03.....  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Paul J. Johnson.......       29  MI.......  Calumet.
24-Oct-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Artimus D. Brassfield.......       22  MI.......  Flint.
8-Nov-03......  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Mark D. Vasquez.......       35  MI.......  Port Huron.
22-Nov-03.....  Army..............  Pfc. Damian S. Bushart...........       22  MI.......  Waterford.
8-Dec-03......  Army..............  Pfc. Jason G. Wright.............       19  MI.......  Luzerne.
25-Dec-03.....  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Thomas W. Christensen.       42  MI.......  Atlantic Mine.
25-Dec-03.....  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Stephen C. Hattamer...       43  MI.......  Gwinn.
31-Jan-04.....  Army..............  Pfc. Holly J. McGeogh............       19  MI.......  Taylor.
14-Apr-04.....  Army..............  Spc. Richard K. Trevithick.......       20  MI.......  Gaines.
3-Jul-03......  Army..............  Pfc. Edward J. Herrgott..........       20  MN.......  Shakopee.
17-Nov-03.....  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Dale A. Panchot.......       26  MN.......  Northome.
25-Jan-04.....  Army..............  Chief Warrant Officer Patrick D.        32  MN.......  Elk River.
                                     Dorff.
8-Mar-04......  Marine............  Pfc. Matthew G. Milczark.........       18  MN.......  Kettle River.
4/4/2004......  Marine............  Cpl. Tyler R. Fey................       22  MN.......  Eden Prarie.
4/5/2004......  Marine............  Pfc. Moises A. Langhorst.........       19  MN.......  Moose Lake.
8-Apr-04......  Marine............  Lance Cpl. Levi T. Angell........       20  MN.......  Saint Louis.
8-May-0?......  Army..............  Spc. James J. Holmes.............       28  MN.......  East Grand Forks.
22-Mar-03.....  Marine............  Sgt. Nicholas M. Hodson..........       22  MO.......  Smithville.
1-May-03......  Army..............  Pfc. Jesse A. Givens.............       34  MO.......  Springfield.
26-May-03.....  Army..............  Pfc. Jeremiah D. Smith...........       25  MO.......  Odessa.
6-Jun-03......  Army..............  Sgt. Travis L. Burkhardt.........       26  MO.......  Edina.
12-Jul-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Joshua M. Neusche...........       20  MO.......  Montreal.
18-Jul-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Joel L. Bertoldie...........       20  MO.......  Independence.
26-Jul-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Jonathan P. Barnes..........       21  MO.......  Anderson.
26-Oct-03.....  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Jamie L. Huggins......       26  MO.......  Hume.
7-Nov-03......  Army..............  Capt. Joseph B. Smith............       29  MO.......  Monroe City.
23-Jan-04.....  Army..............  Chief Warrant Officer Michael T.        29  MO.......  Macon.
                                     Blaise.
9-Mar-04......  Army..............  Sgt. 1st Class Richard S.               42  MO.......  Lake Ozark.
                                     Gottfried.
25-Apr-04.....  Army..............  Spc. Kenneth A. Melton...........       30  MO.......  Westplains.
29-Apr-04.....  Army..............  Sgt. Ryan M. Campbell............       25  MO.......  Kirksville.
21-Mar-03.....  Marine............  2nd Lt. Therrel S. Childers......       30  MS.......  Harrison County.
5-Apr-03......  Army..............  Cpl. Henry L. Brown..............       22  MS.......  Natchez.
8-Apr-03......  Army..............  Spc. Larry K. Brown..............       22  MS.......  Jackson.
28-May-03.....  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Kenneth R. Bradley....       39  MS.......  Utica.
1-Jun-03......  Marine............  Sgt. Jonathan W. Lambert.........       28  MS.......  New Site.
2-Nov-03......  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Joe N. Wilson.........       30  MS.......  Crystal Springs.
15-Nov-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Jeremy DiGiovanni...........       21  MS.......  Tylertown.
15-Nov-03.....  Army..............  Pfc. Damian L. Heidelberg........       21  MS.......  Batesville.
2-Dec-03......  Army..............  Spc. Raphael S. Davis............       24  MS.......  Tutwiler.
13-Mar-04.....  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Clint D. Ferrin.......       31  MS.......  Picayune.
7-Apr-04......  Marine............  Pfc. Christpher D. Mabry.........       19  MS.......  Chunky.
29-Apr-04.....  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Jeffrey F. Dayton.....       27  MS.......  Caledonia.
1-May-04......  Army..............  Sgt. Joshua S. Ladd..............       20  MS.......  Port Gibson.
22-Dec-03.....  Army..............  1st Lt. Edward M. Saltz..........       27  MT.......  Bigfork.
28-Mar-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. Roderic A. Solomon..........       32  NC.......  Fayetteville.
2-Apr-03......  Marine............  Lance Cpl. Brian E. Anderson.....       26  NC.......  Durham.
22-Apr-03.....  Marine............  Lance Cpl. Alan Dinh Lam.........       19  NC.......  Snow Camp.
17-Jun-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. Michael L. Tosto............       24  NC.......  Apex.
6-Jul-03......  Army..............  Sgt. David B. Parson.............       30  NC.......  Kannapolis.
21-Jul-03.....  Army..............  Cpl. Mark A. Bibby...............       25  NC.......  Watha.
31-Jul-03.....  Army..............  Spc. James I. Lambert III........       22  NC.......  Raleigh.
6-Aug-03......  Army..............  Sgt. Leonard D. Simmons..........       33  NC.......  New Bern.
20-Sep-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Lunsford B. Brown II........       27  NC.......  Creedmoor.
26-Oct-03.....  Army..............  Pvt. Joseph R. Guerrera..........       20  NC.......  Dunn.
26-Oct-03.....  Army..............  Lt. Col. Charles H. Buehring.....       40  NC.......  Fayetteville.

[[Page H3509]]

 
7-Nov-03......  Army..............  Sgt. Scott C. Rose...............       30  NC.......  Fayetteville.
15-Nov-03.....  Army..............  Joey Whitener....................       19  NC.......  Nebo.
20-Feb-04.....  Army..............  Sgt. 1st Class Henry A. Bacon....       45  NC.......  Wagram.
13-Mar-04.....  Army..............  Spc. Jocelyn L. Carrasquillo.....       28  NC.......  Wrightsville Beach.
7-Apr-04......  Army..............  Sgt. 1st Class Marvin L. Miller..       38  NC.......  Dunn.
9-Apr-04......  Army..............  Sgt. Elmer C. Krause.............       40  NC.......  Greensboro.
3-May-04......  Army..............  Sgt. Gregory L. Wahl.............       30  NC.......  Salisbury.
9-May-05......  Army..............  Sgt. Rodney A. Murray............       28  NC.......  Ayden.
22-Jul-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Jon P. Fettig...............       30  ND.......  Dickinson.
15-Nov-03.....  Army..............  Pfc. Sheldon R. Hawk Eagle.......       21  ND.......  Grand Forks.
27-Nov-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Thomas J. Sweet II..........       23  ND.......  Bismarck.
24-Jan-04.....  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Kenneth W. Hendrickson       41  ND.......  Bismarck.
8-May-05......  Army..............  Spc. Philip D. Brown.............       21  ND.......  Jamestown.
4-Apr-03......  Marine............  Capt. Travis A. Ford.............       30  NE.......  Ogallala.
21-May-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Nathaniel A. Caldwell.......       27  NE.......  Omaha.
17-Jul-03.....  Navy..............  Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class David       26  NE.......  Gering.
                                     J. Moreno.
9-Oct-03......  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Christopher W. Swisher       26  NE.......  Lincoln.
2-Nov-03......  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Daniel Bader..........       28  NE.......  York.
6-Nov-03......  Army..............  Spc. James R. Wolf...............       21  NE.......  Scottsbluff.
1-Jan-04......  Army..............  Sgt. Dennis A. Corral............       33  NE.......  Kearney.
27-Jan-04.....  Army..............  Sgt. Cory R. Mracek..............       26  NE.......  Hay Springs.
13-Apr-04.....  Marine............  Pvt. Noah L. Boye................       21  NE.......  Grand Island.
17-Apr-04.....  Army..............  Spc. Dennis B. Morgan............       22  NE.......  Valentine.
25-Sep-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. 1st Class Robert E. Rooney..       43  NH.......  Nashua.
24-Jan-04.....  Army..............  Sgt. Rany S. Rosenberg...........       23  NH.......  Berlin.
3/30/2004.....  Army..............  Master Sgt. Richard L. Ferguson..       45  NH.......  Conway.
29-Mar-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Michael Edward Curtin.......       23  NJ.......  Howell.
10-Apr-03.....  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Terry W. Hemingway....       39  NJ.......  Willingboro.
13-Apr-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Gil Mercado.................       25  NJ.......  Paterson.
25-Apr-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Narson B. Sullivan..........       21  NJ.......  North Brunswick.
30-May-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Kyle A. Griffin.............       20  NJ.......  Emerson.
28-Jun-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. 1st Class Gladimir Philippe.       37  NJ.......  Linden.
16-Jul-03.....  Army..............  2nd Lt. Richard Torres...........       25  NJ.......  .....................
1-Oct-03......  Army..............  Spc. Simeon Hunte................       23  NJ.......  Essex.
11-Nov-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Marlon P. Jackson...........       25  NJ.......  Jersey City.
15-Nov-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Ryan T. Baker...............       24  NJ.......  Brown Mills.
2-Jan-04......  Army..............  Spc. Marc S. Seiden..............       26  NJ.......  Brigantine.
3-Feb-04......  Army..............  2nd Lt. Seth J. Dvorin...........       24  NJ.......  East Brunswick.
22-Mar-04.....  Army..............  Pfc. Bruce Miller, Jr............       23  NJ.......  Orange.
25-Mar-04.....  Army..............  Spc. Adam D. Froelich............       21  NJ.......  Pine Hill.
6-Apr-04......  Marine............  2nd Lt. John T. Wroblewski.......       25  NJ.......  Oak Ridge.
14-May-04.....  Army..............  Spc. Philip I. Spakosky..........       25  NJ.......  Browns Mill.
4-Oct-03......  Army..............  Spc. James H. Pirtle.............       27  NM.......  Le Mesa.
4-5-04........  Marine............  Pfc. Christopher Ramos...........       26  NM.......  Albuquerque.
6-Apr-04......  Army..............  Sgt. Lee D. Todacheene...........       29  NM.......  Farmington.
23-Mar-03.....  Marine............  Lance Cpl. Donald J. Cline, Jr...       21  NV.......  Washoe Valley.
13-Jun-03.....  Marine............  2nd Lt. Frederick E. Pokorney, Jr       31  NV.......  Tonopah.
23-Jul-03.....  Army..............  Capt. Joshua T. Byers............       29  NV.......  Sparks.
22-Mar-03.....  Marine............  Lance Cpl. Eric J. Orlowski......       26  NY.......  Buffalo.
23-Mar-03.....  Marine............  Pfc. Tamario D. Burkett..........       21  NY.......  Buffalo.
23-Mar-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Michael L. Williams.........       46  NY.......  Buffalo.
27-Mar-03.....  Marine............  Cpl. Robert M. Rodriguez.........       21  NY.......  Queens.
29-Mar-03.....  Marine............  Lance Cpl. William W. White......       24  NY.......  Brooklyn.
29-Mar-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. Eugene Williams.............       24  NY.......  Highland.
2-Apr-03......  Army..............  Chief Warrant Officer Eric A.           41  NY.......  Rochester.
                                     Smith.
4-Apr-03......  Marine............  Cpl. Bernard G. Gooden...........       22  NY.......  Mount Vernon.
6-Apr-03......  Army..............  Pfc. Gregory P. Huxley, Jr.......       19  NY.......  Forestport.
11-Apr-03.....  Marine............  Staff Sgt. Riayan A. Tejeda......       26  NY.......  New York.
18-May-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Rasheed Sahib...............       22  NY.......  Brooklyn.
25-May-03.....  Army..............  Pvt. David Evans, Jr.............       18  NY.......  Buffalo.
24-Jul-03.....  Army..............  Pfc. Raheen Tyson Heighter.......       22  NY.......  Bay Shore.
27-Jul-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. Heath A. McMillin...........       29  NY.......  Canandaigua.
10-Sep-03.....  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Joseph E. Robsky, Jr..       31  NY.......  Elizaville.
15-Sep-03.....  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Kevin C. Kimmerly.....       31  NY.......  North Creek.
20-Sep-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. David T. Friedrich..........       26  NY.......  Hammond.
3-Nov-03......  Army..............  Pfc. Rayshawn S. Johnson.........       20  NY.......  Brooklyn.
13-Nov-03.....  Army..............  Pfc. Jacob S. Fletcher...........       28  NY.......  Bay Shore.
14-Nov-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Irving Medina...............       22  NY.......  Middletown.
20-Nov-03.....  Army..............  Capt. George A. Wood.............       33  NY.......  New York.
19-Dec-03.....  Army..............  Pfc. Charles E. Bush, Jr.........       43  NY.......  Buffalo.
29-Jan-04.....  Army..............  Pfc. Luis A. Moreno..............       19  NY.......  Bronx.
9-Feb-04......  Army..............  Sgt. Thomas D. Robbins...........       27  NY.......  Schenectady.
19-Feb-04.....  Army..............  Spc. Roger G. Ling...............       20  NY.......  Douglaston.
18-Mar-04.....  Army..............  Spec. Doron Chan.................       20  NY.......  Highland.
27-Mar-2004...  Marine............  Master Sgt. Timothy Toney........       37  NY.......  Manhattan.
4-5-2004......  Army..............  Spc. David M. McKeever...........       25  NY.......  Buffalo.
8-Apr-04......  Army..............  Spc. Isaac Michael Nieves........       20  NY.......  Unadilla.
11-Apr-04.....  Army..............  Pfc. Nathan P. Brown.............       21  NY.......  South Glens Falls.
13-Apr-04.....  Marine............  Cpl. Kevin T. Kolm...............       23  NY.......  Hicksville.
18-Apr-04.....  Marine............  Cpl. Jason L. Dunham.............       22  NY.......  Allegany.
24-Apr-04.....  Coast Guard.......  Coast Guard Officer 3rd Class           24  NY.......  Smithtown.
                                     Nathan B. Bruckenthal.
24-Apr-04.....  Navy..............  Navy Petty Officer 1st Class            27  NY.......  Monroe.
                                     Michael J. Pernaselli.
23-Mar-03.....  Army..............  Master Sgt. Robert J. Dowdy......       38  OH.......  Cleveland.
23-Mar-03.....  Army..............  Pvt. Brandon Ulysses Sloan.......       19  OH.......  Bedford Heights.
2-Apr-03......  Marine............  Pfc. Christian D. Gurtner........       19  OH.......  Ohio City.
8-May-03......  Army..............  Pfc. Marlin T. Rockhold..........       23  OH.......  Hamilton.
9-May-03......  Army..............  Chief Warrant Officer 3 Brian K.        39  OH.......  Columbus.
                                     Van Dusen.
19-May-03.....  Army..............  Lt. Col. Dominic R. Baragona.....       42  OH.......  Niles.
5-Jun-03......  Army..............  Pfc. Branden F. Oberleitner......       20  OH.......  Worthington.
10-Jun-03.....  Army..............  Pfc. Gavin L. Neighbor...........       20  OH.......  Somerset.
28-Jun-03.....  Army..............  Pfc. Kevin C. Ott................       27  OH.......  Columbus.
23-Jul-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Brett T. Christian..........       27  OH.......  North Royalton.
2-Nov-03......  Army..............  Spc. Steven D. Conover...........       21  OH.......  Wilmington.
10-Dec-03.....  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Aaron T. Reese........       31  OH.......  Reynoldsburg.
10-Dec-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Todd M. Bates...............       20  OH.......  Bellaire.
15-Dec-03.....  Army..............  Pfc. Kenneth C. Souslin..........       21  OH.......  Mansfield.
24-Dec-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. Benjamin W. Biskie..........       27  OH.......  Vermillion.
27-Jan-04.....  Army..............  Sgt. Lester O. Kinney II.........       27  OH.......  Zanesville.
27-Jan-04.....  Army..............  Sgt. Sean G. Landrus.............       31  OH.......  Thompson.
8-Feb-04......  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Richard P. Ramey......       27  OH.......  Canton.
18-Mar-04.....  Marine............  Cpl. Andrew D. Brownfield........       24  OH.......  Summit.
9-Apr-04......  Army..............  Spc. Allen J. Vandayburg.........       20  OH.......  Mansfield.
17-Apr-04.....  Marine............  Lance Cpl. Michael J. Smith, Jr..       21  OH.......  Jefferson.
5-May-04......  Army..............  Pfc. Jesse R. Buryj..............       21  OH.......  Canton.
24-Mar-03.....  Marine............  Lance Cpl. Thomas A. Blair.......       24  OK.......  Wagoner.
19-May-03.....  Marine............  Staff Sgt. Aaron Dean White......       27  OK.......  Shawnee.
6-Jun-03......  Navy..............  Petty Officer 3rd Class Doyle W.        21  OK.......  Poteau.
                                     Bollinger, Jr.
13-Aug-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. Steven W. White.............       29  OK.......  Lawton.
23-Aug-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Stephen M. Scott............       21  OK.......  Lawton.
22-Oct-03.....  Army..............  Pvt. Jason M. Ward...............       25  OK.......  Tulsa.

[[Page H3510]]

 
2-Nov-03......  Army..............  Sgt. Ross A. Pennanen............       36  OK.......  Shawnee.
27-Jan-04.....  Army..............  Luke S. James....................       24  OK.......  Hooker.
11-Apr-04.....  Army..............  Chief Warrant Officer Lawrence S.       32  OK.......  Oklahoma City.
                                     Colton.
30-Apr-04.....  Marine............  Cpl. Scott M. Vincent............       21  OK.......  Bokoshe.
3-May-04......  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Erickson H. Petty.....       28  OK.......  Fort Gibson.
5-May-04......  Army..............  Spc. James E. Marshall...........       19  OK.......  Tulsa.
11-May-04.....  Army..............  Spc. Kyle A. Brinlee.............       21  OK.......  Pryor.
22-Mar-03.....  Army..............  Reserve Spc. Brandon S. Tobler...       19  OR.......  Portland.
23-Mar-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. Donald Ralph Walters........       33  OR.......  Salem.
30-Mar-03.....  Marine............  Capt. Aaron J. Contreras.........       31  OR.......  Sherwood.
8-Apr-03......  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Robert A. Stever......       36  OR.......  Pendleton.
2-Jul-03......  Marine............  Cpl. Travis J. Bradach-Nall......       21  OR.......  Multnomah County.
15-Nov-03.....  Army..............  Chief Warrant Officer Erik C.           29  OR.......  Independence.
                                     Kesterson.
8-Dec-03......  Army..............  Spc. Christopher J. Rivera Wesley       26  OR.......  Portland.
8-Dec-03......  Army..............  Spc. Joseph M. Blickenstaff......       23  OR.......  Corvallis.
16-Dec-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Nathan W. Nakis.............       19  OR.......  Corvallis.
27-Jan-04.....  Army..............  Travis A. Moothart...............       23  OR.......  Brownsville.
11-Feb-04.....  Army..............  Pfc. William C. Ramirez..........       19  OR.......  Portland.
4-Apr-04......  Army..............  Spc. Philip G. Rogers............       23  OR.......  Gresham.
17-Apr-04.....  Marine............  Lance Cpl. Gary F. VanLeuven.....       20  OR.......  Klamath Falls.
8-May-04......  Army..............  Spc. Chase R. Whitham............       21  OR.......  Eugene.
17-May-04.....  Marine............  Lance Cpl. Bob W. Roberts........       30  OR.......  Newport.
22-Mar-03.....  Army..............  Capt. Christopher Scott Seifert..       27  PA.......  Easton.
1-Apr-03......  Marine............  Lance Cpl. Joseph B. Maglione....       22  PA.......  Lansdale.
3-Apr-03......  Army..............  Spc. Donald S. Oaks, Jr..........       20  PA.......  Erie.
4-Apr-03......  Army..............  Capt. Tristan N. Aitken..........       31  PA.......  State College.
6-Apr-03......  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Stevon A. Booker......       34  PA.......  Apollo.
30-May-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Zachariah W. Long...........       20  PA.......  Milton.
30-May-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Michael T. Gleason..........       25  PA.......  Warren.
1-Jul-03......  Army..............  1st Sgt. Christopher D. Coffin...       51  PA.......  Bethlehem.
3-Jul-03......  Army..............  Pfc. Corey L. Small..............       20  PA.......  East Berlin.
13-Jul-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. Jaror C. Puello-Coronado....       36  PA.......  Mount Pocono.
28-Jul-03.....  Army..............  Spc. William J. Maher III........       35  PA.......  Yardley.
12-Aug-03.....  Army..............  Pfc. Timmy R. Brown, Jr..........       21  PA.......  Conway.
17-Aug-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Craig S. Ivory..............       26  PA.......  Port Matilda.
18-Aug-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Eric R. Hull................       23  PA.......  Uniontown.
27-Aug-03.....  Army..............  Lt. Col. Anthony L. Sherman......       43  PA.......  Pottstown.
27-Aug-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Rafael L. Navea.............       34  PA.......  Pittsburgh.
18-Sep-03.....  Army..............  Capt. Brian R. Faunce............       28  PA.......  Philadelphia.
29-Sep-03.....  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Christopher E.               30  PA.......  McConnellsburg.
                                     Cutchall.
29-Sep-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. Andrew Joseph Baddick.......       26  PA.......  Jim Thorpe.
13-Oct-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Douglas J. Weismantle.......       28  PA.......  Pittsburgh.
18-Oct-03.....  Army..............  1st Lt. David R. Bernstein.......       24  PA.......  Phoenixville.
1-Nov-03......  Army..............  Spc. Maurice J. Johnson..........       21  PA.......  Levittown.
2-Nov-03......  Army..............  Sgt. Ernest G. Bucklew...........       33  PA.......  Enon Valley.
9-Nov-03......  Army..............  Sgt. Nicholas A. Tomko...........       24  PA.......  Pittsburgh.
13-Nov-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. Joseph Minucci II...........       23  PA.......  Richeyville.
15-Nov-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. Timothy L. Hayslett.........       26  PA.......  Newville.
14-Dec-03.....  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Kimberly A. Voelz.....       27  PA.......  Carlisle.
8-Jan-04......  Army..............  Spc. Christopher A. Golby........       26  PA.......  Johnstown.
24-Jan-04.....  Army..............  Spc. William R. Sturges, Jr......       24  PA.......  Spring Church.
9-Mar-04......  Army..............  Spc. Edward W. Brabazon..........       20  PA.......  Philadelphia.
19-Mar-04.....  Army..............  Spc. Clint Richard Matthews......       31  PA.......  Bedford.
20-Mar-04.....  Army..............  Spc. Matthew J. Sandri...........       24  PA.......  Shamokin.
3-31-2004.....  Army..............  Spc. Sean R. Mitchell............       24  PA.......  Youngsville.
4-3-2004......  Marine............  Lance Cpl. Aric J. Barr..........       22  PA.......  Allegheny.
9-Apr-04......  Army..............  Spc. Jonathan R. Kephart.........       21  PA.......  Oil City.
17-Apr-04.....  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Edward W. Carmen......       27  PA.......  McKeesport.
26-Apr-04.....  Army..............  Sgt. Sherwood R. Baker...........       30  PA.......  Plymouth.
29-Apr-04.....  Army..............  Pfc. Martin W. Kondor............       20  PA.......  York.
3-May-04......  Marine............  Gunnery Sgt. Ronald E. Baum......       38  PA.......  Hollidaysburg.
5-May-04......  Army..............  Pfc. Bradley G. Kritzer..........       18  PA.......  Irvona.
16-May-04.....  Army..............  Spc. Carl F. Curran..............       22  PA.......  Union City.
16-May-04.....  Army..............  Spc. Mark J. Kasecky.............       20  PA.......  McKees Rock.
26-Jun-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Richard P. Orengo...........       32  PR.......  Toa Alta.
24-Jul-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. Juan M. Serrano.............       31  PR.......  Manati.
6-Oct-03......  Army..............  Spc. Ramon Reyes Torres..........       29  PR.......  Caguas.
2-Nov-03......  Army..............  Sgt. Joel Perez..................       25  PR.......  Rio Grande.
2-Nov-03......  Army..............  Spc. Frances M. Vega.............       20  PR.......  Fort Buchanan.
4-Nov-03......  Army..............  Sgt. Francisco Martinez..........       28  PR.......  Humacao.
5-Nov-03......  Army..............  Sgt. 1st Class Jose A. Rivera....       34  PR.......  Bayamon.
7-Apr-04......  Navy..............  Petty Officer 3rd Class Fernando        27  PR.......  Ponce.
                                     A. Mendezaceves.
27-Aug-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. Gregory A. Belanger.........       24  RI.......  Narragansett.
1-Sep-03......  Army..............  Sgt. Charles T. Caldwell.........       38  RI.......  North Providence.
24-Sep-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Michael Andrade.............       28  RI.......  Bristol.
27-Jan-04.....  Army..............  Capt. Matthew J. August..........       28  RI.......  North Kingstown.
4-5-2004......  Marine............  Lance Cpl. Matthew K. Serio......       21  RI.......  North Providence.
4-4-2004......  Army..............  Sgt. Yihiyh L. Chen..............       31  Saipan...  Marianas.
5-Aug-03......  Army..............  Spc. Farao K. Letufuga...........       20  Samoa....  Pago Pago.
27-Oct-03.....  Army..............  Pvt. Jonathan I. Falaniko........       20  Samoa....  Pago Pago.
23-Mar-03.....  Marine............  Pvt. Nolen R. Hutchings..........       19  SC.......  Boiling Springs.
23-Mar-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. George Edward Buggs.........       31  SC.......  Barnwell.
13-May-03.....  Air Force.........  Staff Sgt. Patrick Lee Griffin,         31  SC.......  Elgin.
                                     Jr.
22-Jun-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Orenthial J. Smith..........       21  Sc.......  Allendale.
21-Aug-03.....  Army..............  Pfc. Michael S. Adams............       20  SC.......  Spartanburg.
23-Aug-03.....  Army..............  Pfc. Vorn J. Mack................       19  SC.......  Orangeburg.
18-Sep-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. Anthony O. Thompson.........       26  SC.......  Orangeburg.
28-Oct-03.....  Army..............  Pvt. Algernon Adams..............       36  SC.......  Aiken.
2-Nov-03......  Army..............  Spc. Darius T. Jennings..........       22  SC.......  Cordova.
7-Nov-03......  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Paul M. Neff II.......       30  SC.......  Fort Mill.
13-Dec-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Rian C. Ferguson............       22  SC.......  Taylors.
2-Jan-04......  Army..............  Capt. Kimberly N. Hampton........       27  SC.......  Easley.
11-Apr-04.....  Army..............  Sgt. Maj. Michael B. Stack.......       48  SC.......  Lake City.
29-Apr-04.....  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Esau G. Patterson, Jr.       25  SC.......  Ridgeland.
9-May-03......  Army..............  Chief Warrant Officer 2 Hans N.         31  SD.......  Lead.
                                     Gukeisen.
18-Jun-03.....  Army..............  Pfc. Michael R. Deuel............       21  SD.......  Nemo.
15-Nov-03.....  Army..............  Chief Warrant Officer Scott A.          33  SD.......  Willow Lake.
                                     Saboe.
24-Dec-03.....  Army..............  Capt. Christopher F. Soelzer.....       26  SD.......  Sturgis.
24-Apr-04.....  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Cory W. Brooks........       32  SD.......  Phillip.
23-Mar-03.....  Marine............  Lance Cpl. Patrick R. Nixon......       21  TN.......  Nashville.
14-Apr-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Thomas A. Foley III.........       23  TN.......  Dresden.
9-Jul-03......  Army..............  Sgt. Roger D. Rowe...............       54  TN.......  Bon Aqua.
5-Aug-03......  Army..............  Staff Sgt. David L. Loyd.........       44  TN.......  Jackson.
20-Aug-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Kenneth W. Harris, Jr.......       23  TN.......  Charlotte.
12-Sep-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. 1st Class William M. Bennett       35  TN.......  Seymour.
16-Oct-03.....  Army..............  Lt. Col. Kim S. Orlando..........       43  TN.......  Clarksville.
7-Nov-03......  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Morgan D. Kennon......       23  TN.......  Memphis.
12-Nov-03.....  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Nathan J. Bailey......       46  TN.......  Nashville.
17-Nov-03.....  Army..............  Chief Warrant Officer Alexander         35  TN.......  Bristol.
                                     S. Coulter.
8-Jan-04......  Army..............  Sgt. 1st Class Gregory B. Hicks..       35  TN.......  Duff.

[[Page H3511]]

 
7-Apr-04......  Marine............  Capt. Brent L. Morel.............       27  TN.......  Martin.
9-Apr-04......  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Don S. McMahan........       31  TN.......  Nashville.
24-Apr-04.....  Navy..............  Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class            28  TN.......  Knoxville.
                                     Christopher E. Watts.
2-May-04......  Army..............  Spc. Ervin Caradine, Jr..........       33  TN.......  Memphis.
2-May-04......  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Todd E. Nunes.........       29  TN.......  Chapel Hill.
12-May-04.....  Marine............  Lance Cpl. Jeremiah E. Savage....       21  TN.......  Livingston.
15-May-04.....  Air Force.........  Senior Airman Pedro I. Espaillat,       20  TN.......  Columbia.
                                     Jr.
20-Mar-03.....  Marine............  Cpl. Brian Matthew Kennedy.......       25  TX.......  Houston.
23-Mar-03.....  Army..............  Chief Warrant Officer Johnny            35  TX.......  Pecos.
                                     Villareal Mata.
23-Mar-03.....  Army..............  Spc. James M. Kiehl..............       22  TX.......  Comfort.
23-Mar-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. Edward J. Anguiano..........       24  TX.......  Brownsville.
23-Mar-03.....  Army..............  Pvt. Ruben Estrella-Soto.........       18  TX.......  El Paso.
2-Apr-03......  Army..............  Chief Warrant Officer Scott Jamar       32  TX.......  Granbury.
2-Apr-03......  Army..............  Master Sgt. George A. Fernandez..       36  TX.......  El Paso.
3-Apr-03......  Marine............  Pfc. Chad E. Bales...............       20  TX.......  Coahoma.
7-Apr-03......  Marine............  Cpl. Jesus Martin Antonio               21  TX.......  Fort Worth.
                                     Medellin.
7-Apr-03......  Air Force.........  Capt. Eric B. Das................       30  TX.......  Amarillo.
7-Apr-03......  Army..............  Pfc. Anthony S. Miller...........       19  TX.......  San Antonio.
22-Apr-03.....  Marine............  Chief Warrant Officer Andrew Todd       30  TX.......  Spring.
                                     Arnold.
28-Apr-03.....  Army..............  1st Sgt. Joe J. Garza............       43  TX.......  Robstown.
28-May-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Jose A. Perez III...........       22  TX.......  San Diego.
16-Jun-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Joseph D. Suell.............       24  TX.......  Lufkin.
27-Jun-03.....  Army..............  Pvt. Robert L. Frantz............       19  TX.......  San Antonio.
27-Jun-03.....  Army..............  Cpl. Tomas Sotelo, Jr............       20  TX.......  Houston.
9-Jul-03......  Army..............  Sgt. Melissa Valles..............       26  TX.......  Eagle Pass.
11-Jul-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Christian C. Schulz.........       20  TX.......  Colleyville.
19-Jul-03.....  Army..............  Lt. Jonathan D. Rozier...........       25  TX.......  Katy.
24-Jul-03.....  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Hector R. Perez.......       40  TX.......  Corpus Christi.
26-Jul-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. Daniel K. Methvin...........       22  TX.......  Belton.
6-Aug-03......  Army..............  Spc. Zeferino E. Colunga.........       20  TX.......  Bellville.
11-Sep-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. Henry Ybarra III............       32  TX.......  Austin.
18-Sep-03.....  Army..............  Spc. James C. Wright.............       27  TX.......  Morgan.
18-Sep-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Richard Arriaga.............       20  TX.......  Ganado.
1-Oct-03......  Army..............  Pfc. Analaura Esparza Gutierrez..       21  TX.......  Houston.
9-Oct-03......  Army..............  Spc. Joseph C. Norquist..........       26  TX.......  San Antonio.
13-Oct-03.....  Army..............  Pfc. Stephen E. Wyatt............       19  TX.......  Kilgore.
22-Oct-03.....  Army..............  Spc. John P. Johnson.............       24  TX.......  Houston.
28-Oct-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. Michael Paul Barrera........       26  TX.......  Von Ormy.
2-Nov-03......  Army..............  Sgt. Keelan L. Moss..............       23  TX.......  Houston.
8-Nov-03......  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Gary L. Collins.......       32  TX.......  Hardin.
15-Nov-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. John W. Russell.............       26  TX.......  Portland.
28-Nov-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. Ariel Rico..................       25  TX.......  El Paso.
2-Dec-03......  Army..............  Chief Warrant Officer Clarence E.       50  TX.......  Fort Worth.
                                     Boone.
7-Dec-03......  Army..............  Pfc. Ray J. Hutchinson...........       20  TX.......  League City.
22-Dec-03.....  Army..............  Pfc. Stuart W. Moore.............       21  TX.......  Livingston.
28-Dec-03.....  Army..............  Pvt. Rey D. Cuervo...............       24  TX.......  Laguna Vista.
28-Dec-03.....  Army..............  Capt. Ernesto Blanco.............       28  TX.......  San Antonio.
2-Jan-04......  Army..............  Eric T. Paliwoda.................       28  TX.......  Goodyear.
16-Jan-04.....  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Roland L. Castro......       26  TX.......  San Antonio.
17-Jan-04.....  Army..............  Spc. Larry E. Polley.............  .......  TX.......  Center.
18-Jan-04.....  Army..............  Master Sgt. Kelly L. Hornbeck....       36  TX.......  Fort Worth.
21-Jan-04.....  Army..............  Pfc. James D. Parker.............       20  TX.......  Bryan.
23-Jan-04.....  Army..............  Pfc. Ervin Dervishi..............       21  TX.......  Fort Worth.
2-Feb-04......  Army..............  Pfc. Armando Soriano.............       20  TX.......  Houston.
11-Mar-04.....  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Joe L. Dunigan, Jr....       37  TX.......  Belton.
18-Mar-04.....  Marine............  Pfc. Ricky A. Morris, Jr.........       20  TX.......  Lubbock.
19-Mar-04.....  Army..............  Pfc. Jason C. Ludlam.............       22  TX.......  Arlington.
25-Mar-04.....  Marine............  LCpl. James A. Casper............       20  TX.......  Coolidge.
26-Mar-04.....  Marine............  Pfc. Leroy Sandoval, Jr..........       21  TX.......  Houston.
31-Mar-04.....  Army..............  1st Lt. Doyle M. Hufstedler......       25  TX.......  Abilene.
31-Mar-04.....  Army..............  Spc. Michael G. Karr, Jr.........       23  TX.......  San Antonio.
1-Apr-04......  Marine............  Pfc. Dustin M. Sekula............       18  TX.......  Edinburg.
4-Apr-04......  Army..............  Spc. Robert R. Arsiaga...........       25  TX.......  San Antonio.
4-Apr-04......  Army..............  Spc. Israel Garza................       25  TX.......  Lubbock.
6-Apr-04......  Army..............  Sgt. Gerardo Moreno..............       23  TX.......  Terrell.
8-Apr-04......  Marine............  Lance Cpl. Michael B. Wafford....       20  TX.......  Spring.
9-Apr-04......  Marine............  Cpl. Matthew E. Matula...........       20  TX.......  Spicewood.
9-Apr-04......  Marine............  Lance Cpl. Elias Torrez III......       21  TX.......  Veribest.
10-Apr-04.....  Army..............  Spc. Adolf C. Carballo...........       20  TX.......  Houston.
10-Apr-04.....  Army..............  Sgt. William C. Eckhart..........       25  TX.......  Rocksprings.
11-Apr-04.....  Marine............  Cpl. Daniel R. Amaya.............       22  TX.......  Odessa.
11-Apr-04.....  Army..............  Chief Warrant Officer Wesley C.         38  TX.......  Woodville.
                                     Fortenberry.
14-Apr-04.....  Army..............  Sgt. Christopher Ramirez.........       34  TX.......  McAllen.
17-Apr-04.....  Army..............  Pfc. Clayton W. Henson...........       20  TX.......  Stanton.
17-Apr-04.....  Marine............  Lance Cpl. Ruben Valdez, Jr......       21  TX.......  San Diego.
26-Apr-04.....  Marine............  Lance Cpl. Aaron C. Austin.......       21  TX.......  Sunray.
5-May-04......  Army..............  Cpl. Jeffrey G. Green............       20  TX.......  Dallas.
8-May-04......  Army..............  Spc. Isela Rubalcava.............       25  TX.......  El Paso.
15-May-04.....  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Rene Ledesma..........       34  TX.......  Abilene.
29-Mar-03.....  Marine............  Staff Sgt. James W. Cawley.......       41  UT.......  Roy.
3-Apr-03......  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Nino D. Livaudais.....       23  UT.......  Ogden.
17-Jul-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. Mason Douglas Whetstone.....       30  UT.......  Ogden.
17-Nov-03.....  Army..............  Capt. Nathan S. Dalley...........       27  UT.......  Kaysville.
26-Nov-03.....  Army..............  Spc. David J. Goldberg...........       20  UT.......  Layton.
25-Mar-03.....  Marine............  Staff Sgt. Donald C. May, Jr.....       31  VA.......  Richmond.
30-Mar-03.....  Marine............  Sgt. Michael V. Lalush...........       23  VA.......  Troutville.
2-Apr-03......  Army..............  Capt. James F. Adamouski.........       29  VA.......  Springfield.
7-Apr-03......  Army..............  2nd Lt. Jeffrey J. Kaylor........       24  VA.......  Clifton.
7-Apr-03......  Air Force.........  Maj. William R. Watkins III......       37  VA.......  Danville.
13-Apr-03.....  Marine............  Lance Cpl. David Edward Owens, Jr       20  VA.......  Winchester.
4-May-03......  Army..............  Pvt. Jason L. Deibler............       20  VA.......  Coeburn.
8-Jun-03......  Army..............  Sgt. Michael E. Dooley...........       23  VA.......  Pulaski.
1-Oct-03......  Army..............  Command Sgt. Maj. James D.              40  VA.......  Alexandria.
                                     Blankenbecler.
23-Oct-03.....  Army..............  Capt. John R. Teal...............       31  VA.......  Mechanicsville.
1-Nov-03......  Army..............  1st Lt. Joshua C. Hurley.........       24  VA.......  Clifton Forge.
5-Mar-04......  Navy..............  Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael         32  VA.......  Richmond.
                                     J. Gray.
14-Apr-04.....  Army..............  Spc. Frank K. Rivers, Jr.........       23  VA.......  Woodbridge.
10-May-04.....  Army..............  Pfc. Andrew L. Tuazon............       21  VA.......  Chesapeake.
16-May-04.....  Army..............  2nd Lt. Leonard M. Cowherd.......       22  VA.......  Culpeper.
28-Apr-04.....  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Kendall Thomas........       36  VI.......  St. Thomas.
2-Apr-03......  Army..............  Chief Warrant Officer 4 Erik A.         40  VT.......  Bennington.
                                     Halvorsen.
3-Apr-03......  Marine............  Cpl. Mark A. Evnin...............       21  VT.......  Burlington.
6-Aug-03......  Army..............  Pvt. Kyle C. Gilbert.............       20  VT.......  Brattleboro.
15-Nov-03.....  Army..............  1st Lt. Pierre Piche.............       28  VT.......  Starksboro.
2-Jan-04......  Army..............  Solomon C. Gangayan..............       24  VT.......  Jay.
9-May-03......  Marine............  Lance Cpl. Cedric E. Bruns.......       22  WA.......  Vancouver.
1-Aug-03......  Army..............  Spc. Justin W. Hebert............       20  WA.......  Arlington.
7-Aug-03......  Army..............  Pfc. Duane E. Longstreth.........       19  WA.......  Tacoma.
6-Oct-03......  Army..............  Pfc. Kerry D. Scott..............       21  WA.......  Mount Vernon.
1-Nov-03......  Army..............  2nd Lt. Benjamin J. Colgan.......       30  WA.......  Kent.

[[Page H3512]]

 
4-Nov-03......  Army..............  Spc. Robert T. Benson............       20  WA.......  Spokane.
17-Nov-03.....  Army..............  Capt. James A. Shull.............       32  WA.......  Kirkland.
28-Dec-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. Curt E. Jordan..............       25  WA.......  Greenacres.
25-Jan-04.....  Army..............  Staff Sgt. Christopher Bunda.....       29  WA.......  Bremerton.
16-Mar-04.....  Army..............  First Lieutenant Michael R. Adams       24  WA.......  Seattle.
28-Apr-04.....  Army..............  Spc. Jacob R. Herring............       21  WA.......  Kirkland.
12-May-04.....  Army..............  Spc. Jeffrey R. Shaver...........       26  WA.......  Maple Valley.
19-May-03.....  Marine............  Sgt. Kirk Allen Straseskie.......       23  WI.......  Beaver Dam.
26-May-03.....  Army..............  Maj. Mathew E. Schram............       36  WI.......  Brookfield.
9-Jul-03......  Army..............  Sgt. 1st Class Dan H. Gabrielson.       39  WI.......  Spooner.
22-Sep-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Paul J. Sturino.............       21  WI.......  Rice Lake.
26-Oct-03.....  Army..............  Pfc. Rachel K. Bosveld...........       19  WI.......  Waupun.
15-Nov-03.....  Army..............  Spc. Eugene A. Uhl III...........       21  WI.......  Amherst.
15-Nov-03.....  Army..............  Sgt. Warren S. Hansen............       36  WI.......  Clintonville.
15-Nov-03.....  Army..............  2nd Lt. Jeremy L. Wolfe..........       27  WI.......  Menomonie.
24-Dec-03.....  Army..............  Maj. Christopher J. Splinter.....       43  WI.......  Platteville.
16-Feb-04.....  Army..............  Pfc. Nichole M. Frye.............       19  WI.......  Lena.
10-Mar-04.....  Army..............  Pfc. Bert. E. Hoyer..............       23  WI.......  Ellsworth.
13-Mar-04.....  Army..............  Capt. John F. Kurth..............       31  WI.......  Columbus.
5-Apr-04......  Army..............  Pfc. Sean M. Schneider...........       22  WI.......  Janesville.
29-Mar-04.....  Marine............  Cpl. Jesse L. Thiry..............       23  WI.......  Casco.
6-Apr-04......  Marine............  Pfc. Ryan M. Jerabek.............       18  WI.......  Oneida.
9-Apr-04......  Army..............  Spc. Michelle M. Witmer..........       20  WI.......  New Berlin.
17-Apr-04.....  Army..............  Spc. Michael A. McGlothin........       21  WI.......  Milwaukee.
15-Nov-03.....  Army..............  Pfc. Rich Hafer..................       21  WV.......  Cross Lanes.
1-Feb-04......  Army..............  Sgt. Roger C. Turner, Jr.........       37  WV.......  Parkersburg.
18-Mar-04.....  Army..............  Pfc. Ernest Harold Sutphin.......       21  WV.......  Parkersburg.
30-Apr-04.....  Marine............  Cpl. Joshua S. Wilfong...........       22  WV.......  Walker.
23-Mar-03.....  Marine............  Sgt. Brendon C. Reiss............       23  WY.......  Natrona.
14-Apr-03.....  Army..............  Pfc. Joseph P. Mayek.............       20  WY.......  Rock Springs.
30-Jul-03.....  Army..............  1st Lt. Leif E. Nott.............       24  WY.......  Cheyenne.
25-Sep-03.....  Army..............  Capt. Robert L. Lucero...........       34  WY.......  Casper.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, Memorial Day is the unofficial start of 
summer: pools open, barbecues are held in local parks and in backyards, 
and families set out on car trips to take advantage of the long 
weekend. But the excitement of the beginning of summer should not 
obscure the holiday's true meaning--honoring the men and women who gave 
their lives in service of our country.
  This weekend, the National World War II Memorial will be dedicated in 
Washington D.C. This memorial allows a grateful nation to thank the 
World War II generation for their selfless sacrifices, which helped 
preserve the freedoms we all enjoy. I am proud to join thousands of 
Americans around the country in honoring them. They exemplify the 
spirit, sacrifice, and commitment of the American people to securing 
freedom and democracy throughout the world. We are not just the 
beneficiaries of their bravery. We are the stewards of their sacrifice.
  This Memorial Day, we have thousands of brave men and women fighting 
in Iraq and Afghanistan. As we remember those who have fallen, we must 
continue to stand up for those who are still fighting overseas and 
those who have finished their service with honor. Our government must 
be accountable for the promises it makes to young men and women who are 
asked to serve our country in this way.
  Military retirees--who served a career in uniform to defend our 
freedoms--are not asking for handouts; they are only asking for what 
was promised to them. I introduced the ``Keep Our Promises to America's 
Military Retirees Act,'' a bill to restore earned and promised health 
care coverage to retired members of the uniformed services. Many people 
joined the military believing they would earn a lifetime medical care 
in exchange for 20 years of service, based on promises made by 
recruiters and government officials. We must now honor that promise. I 
am pleased that a majority of the House of Representatives has co-
sponsored the bill; now the House must act.
  Another promise made to young men and women when they were recruited 
was that their surviving spouses would receive a fair pension upon 
retirement. However, the military's Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) 
unfairly slashes pension benefits for thousands of military spouses 
just when they need it the most. In response to this injustice, I co-
sponsored the Military Survivor Benefits Improvement Act. This is fair 
legislation that would increase the minimum survivor benefit and 
restore to 55 percent from 35 percent the basic annuity for surviving 
spouses age 62 and older. I am pleased that this legislation recently 
passed the House.
  I am also fighting to end the Disabled Veterans Tax, which forces 
disabled veterans and military retirees to give up one dollar of their 
pension for every dollar of disability pay they receive. I believe that 
our troops should be taken care of when we send them into battle and 
that they should be given our respect when we bring them home. Our 
brave men and women in uniform fought for our country. They shouldn't 
have to fight the government to get the benefits they deserve.
  The National World War II Memorial will inspire future generations of 
Americans and stand as an important symbol of American national unity. 
It will serve as a timeless reminder of our solemn obligation to 
preserve peace for our children and the strength of our nation when 
united in a common and just cause.
  Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, this Memorial Day we recognize again not 
only the soldiers who have died for their country over the 
generations--but also the men and women serving in Iraq and 
Afghanistan. I am proud of our soldiers in Iraq who are serving their 
country with dedication and courage.
  Four soldiers from Michigan's First District have made the ultimate 
sacrifice in Iraq: Staff Sergeants Thomas W. Christensen and Stephen C. 
Hattamer who were killed on Christmas Day; Staff Sergeant Paul J. 
Johnson and Private First Class Jason G. Wright. I'd like to take a few 
minutes to describe these good men.
  Sergeant Christensen, a 42-year-old from Atlantic Mine, was a 
reservist with the 652nd Engineer Battalion and had been overseas for 
about a year when he was killed. His brother described him as a quiet 
person who was handsome and smart. Sergeant Christensen had a passion 
for hunting and fishing and that is why he called the Upper Peninsula 
of Michigan his home.
  Sergeant Hattamer, a 43-year-old from Gwinn, was a member of the same 
Battalion as Christensen and enjoyed weight lifting, waterskiing, and 
was famous for his chocolate cake using his mother's recipe. He is 
survived by his wife and three children. Sergeant Hattamer's love of 
country and children will live on through the scholarship the local 
community established in his honor.
  Sergeant Johnson, a 29-year-old from Calumet, was assigned to the 1st 
Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regimen of the famed 82nd Airborne. 
He was described as the epitome of a paratrooper and he is survived by 
his wife and son. He was from the ``Copper Country'' in the Keweenaw 
Peninsula.
  Private Jason Wright, a 19-year-old from Luzerne, was assigned to the 
1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regimen of the famed 101st Airborne. 
Private Wright was a good student who played baseball, basketball and 
football in High School. He was protective of his three younger 
brothers and was truly devoted to his family. Jason Wright will be 
greatly missed by his family.
  All four of these men served with honor and courage and my prayers 
are with their families. On this and every Memorial Day hereafter when 
we pause to honor our fallen soldiers, may God Bless their families and 
America.
  Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, today we are setting aside a special time 
to pay tribute to fallen heroes. My South Texas district is mourning 
the loss of three such heroes, Pfc. Dustin Sekula, Sgt. Christopher 
Ramirez and Sgt. John Wayne Russell. These three men were very 
different. One was a fresh-faced 18-year-old who had only been in the 
Marines for 8 months. One was a 34-year-old veteran of the Gulf War and 
Kosovo who was looking forward to retiring and joining the Border 
Patrol. One was a 26-year-old, former high-school football player whose 
own hero was his 34-year Army veteran father. Yet all shared a love of 
country and a sense of patriotism and duty.
  Sergeant Russell, a member of the Army's 101st Airborne was killed 
when his Blackhawk

[[Page H3513]]

helicopter collided with another helicopter on November 17, 2003 over 
Mosul, Iraq. Private Sekula, an infantry mortarman with the 2nd 
Battallion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary 
Force, died April 1, 2004 from enemy fire in the Al Anbar Province of 
Iraq. Sergeant Ramirez, who served with the Army's 1st Infantry 
Division, 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry out of Ft. Riley, Kansas, was 
killed two weeks later on April 14 when his patrol was ambushed in 
Fallujah.
  When you hear the stories that friends and families tell about 
Dustin, John and Christopher, you understand just how special all three 
were. They were role models to their peers, devoted sons, loyal friends 
and active in their communities. All could have chosen to use their 
talents in other career paths, yet they chose the path of military 
service.
  Military service will not make you rich. It requires long absences 
from home and family, often in dangerous and inclement corners of the 
world. Yet Americans like Dustin, John and Christopher continue to 
volunteer to defend this country and protect our freedom, all the while 
knowing it may cost them their lives.
  John, Christopher and Dustin are true heroes and we owe them more 
then we can ever repay. For their friends and families left behind, we 
offer our prayers and the comfort of knowing that the sacrifices of 
these young lives will not be forgotten. To those still on the front 
lines we pledge our unity and support. As we approach the Memorial Day 
holiday let us all take time away from the picnics and the sales to 
remember every fallen American hero.
  Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, as we pause to commemorate Memorial Day and 
remember all those who have proudly served our nation, I am pleased 
that we will finally dedicate the long-overdue World War II Memorial 
here in Washington, D.C. Now Congress should re-dedicate itself to 
improved services and benefits for our veterans and our troops and 
future veterans.
  Since the fighting began in Iraq last year, nearly 800 American 
service men and women have died. It is my solemn privilege and honor to 
name the casualties from my district.
  Specialist Joseph M. Blickenstaff, U.S. Army, Sergeant Travis A. 
Moothart, U.S. Army, Specialist Nathan W. Nakis, Oregon National Guard, 
Lance Corporal Gary F. VanLeuven, U.S. Marines, Specialist Chase R. 
Witham, U.S. Army.
  In gratitude and in sorrow, I commemorate their courage and 
sacrifice. They chose to serve and served honorably and well. It is now 
our duty to keep these men in our hearts and in our memories as we 
celebrate the joy of living free and strong.
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, we rise today to pay tribute to the heroic 
men and women from the great state of Michigan who served in the United 
States Armed Forces and the civilian defense sector during World War 
II. The sacrifices that these heroes made to protect our country and 
defend freedom from the tyranny of totalitarianism will never be 
forgotten.
  From Benton Harbor to Detroit, from Calumet to Monroe, brave men and 
women left behind their homes and loved ones to answer their country's 
call to duty. Be it fighting in the Atlantic or the Pacific theater or 
working in one of the many war production plants throughout our state, 
courageous Michiganders truly helped make America the Arsenal of 
Democracy. As our forces fight overseas today, like those of 
yesteryear, we are vividly reminded of the debt of gratitude we owe our 
men and women in uniform who serve to better our country.
  Mr. Speaker, we come together as a people on Memorial Day to pay 
tribute and remember those who have died while defending our Nation and 
its values of democracy and freedom. This Memorial Day we make a 
special tribute to the Greatest Generation with the dedication of the 
National World War II Memorial. This Memorial is well overdue and will 
ensure that our nation will never forget the brave and gallant service 
of millions of Americans.
  Today, we come together to praise and thank the many veterans who 
answered their country's call to serve. The labor of the mothers, 
fathers, sons and daughters of Michigan who helped defend our country 
shall never perish from our memory. For the National World War II 
Memorial stands tall to ensure that each passing generation understands 
the sacrifices that the World War II generation made for our nation.
  Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, as we approach Memorial Day, I want to pay 
special tribute to the thousands of men and women who gave their lives 
in defense of this nation even though they were never able to fully 
reap its vast benefits.
  On January 29, 2004, the war on Iraq hit close to home as a young 
member of my constituency was killed. Private First Class Luis A. 
Moreno was a 19 year old Dominican-born immigrant who served in the 
Army's First Armored Division. He had been deployed in Iraq only three 
months before his untimely death.
  What was most inspiring about this courageous young man was his 
willingness to fight for a country that had yet to grant him 
citizenship. Pfc. Moreno did not vote for the President who sent him 
into battle. So the question is why? Why did Pfc. Moreno and others 
like him, who could not enjoy the full benefits of this country, decide 
to make the ultimate sacrifice in defense of it?
  The fact that he took up arms may surprise some, but anyone who has a 
sense of America's past wars knows that this phenomenon has been 
ubiquitous throughout our history. During America's early wars, African 
Americans fought bravely for this nation even though they had not 
gained equal status in society. Many Japanese Americans courageously 
fought for this nation during World War II even as their families were 
placed into internment camps. I suspect that, much like the 
disenfranchised soldiers of those days, heroes like Pfc. Moreno 
continue to make these sacrifices because they believe in the promise 
of America; the promise of freedom and equality for all. It is this 
same promise that keeps immigrants coming to our shores from all parts 
of the world.
  Mr. Speaker, as we honor the countless men and women who have given 
their lives for this country, let us not forget that many of them 
fought and died even though they were never able to enjoy what they 
fought to preserve. It is too late for us to give rights to the 
thousands of Black soldiers who fought and died on the battlefields of 
World War II, or to allow Luis Moreno to vote in the next presidential 
election. But it is not too late for us to ensure that America fulfills 
its promise to those who continue to come to our shores in search of a 
better life.
  Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, almost three years ago, our nation was 
shocked by the sickening reality of global terrorism infiltrating our 
borders. Since September 11, 2001, the global war on terror has 
resulted in the deployment of our troops to Afghanistan and other 
perilous locations. At the same time, more than 130,000 young Americans 
are serving in Iraq. During a time when the struggles of our troops 
abroad are broadcast every day, our observance of Memorial Day calls 
for sober reflection. We must remember that Memorial Day, at its core, 
is our nation's somber tribute to those who have made the ultimate 
sacrifice.
  Seven hundred eighty-nine servicemen and servicewomen have lost their 
lives since the beginning of our combat operations in Iraq, and 85 have 
fallen in our military campaign in Afghanistan. Among these brave men 
and women is a constituent from my district, United States Army 
Specialist Rel Allen Ravago, IV, who was killed in Mosul, Iraq, on 
November 23, 2003. My heart goes out to Mr. Ravago's friends and loved 
ones, as it does to the innumerable Americans who have known troops 
whose lives were cut short during our nation's wars. It is with a sense 
of gratitude and humility that I will mark my observance of Memorial 
Day.
  In the past few weeks, much attention has been focused on the conduct 
of our troops stationed in Iraq. Whether the grotesque abuses that have 
shocked us all are the result of the depraved actions of a few 
individuals or derelictions of duty rising up the chain of command is 
an issue that must be determined through Congressional investigation. 
Whatever the case may be, I am confident that Americans recognize that 
the overwhelming majority of our troops are honorable, deeply 
principled citizens. We are grateful to those who have left their 
families, jobs, and the comforts of home to fight threats to freedom 
and security.
  We often find ourselves divided on the home front in terms of our 
views on both foreign and domestic issues. Pundits chatter on about red 
states and blue states in an attempt to highlight the supposedly 
irreconcilable political cleavages within our society. It is with this 
in mind that I reflect on the original observance of Memorial Day--then 
called Decoration Day--on May 30, 1868. On the inaugural celebration of 
what has become a national holiday, five thousand people journeyed to 
Arlington National Cemetery to decorate the graves of the more than 
20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers buried there. Americans had 
heeded Abraham Lincoln's admonition to act ``with malice toward none, 
with charity for all'' and united to commemorate the fallen troops on 
both sides.
  If our nation was then able to transcend a brutal conflict that 
pitted brother against brother, surely we can close ranks and join 
together now in mourning the men and women who have most recently died 
in Afghanistan and Iraq, and in other past battles. Memorializing our 
fallen troops is not a partisan or political issue; it is a basic debt 
of gratitude that all Americans owe to those who safeguard our freedom.
  I hope all Americans will join us this Memorial Day in reflecting on 
those who safeguard our freedom, democracy, and prosperity.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, today, I pay special tribute to Army 
Specialist Jason Christopher Ford who was killed on March 13, 2004

[[Page H3514]]

in Tikrit, Iraq. Army Specialist Ford epitomized the duty, valor and 
sacrifice that we honor in our members of the armed services.
  Spc. Ford grew up in the Bladensburg, MD area. He was an optimistic 
young man who had an abiding love for his family. He was a good 
athlete--a swimmer, baseball player and avid bowler. Spc. Ford joined 
the U.S. Army in 2002 for the chance to travel. After completing basic 
training he was stationed in Germany and assigned to the 1st Battalion, 
18th Infantry Regiment. In early March 2004 he was sent to Iraq. On 
March 13, 2004 while on patrol, an improvised explosive device exploded 
next to the Humvee Spc. Ford was riding in and he was killed.
  Every day, the men and women of our armed services are exhibiting 
courage and making sacrifices ensuring that 25 million human beings who 
had been enslaved for a quarter of a century have been liberated. It is 
because of their courage and sacrifice that a dangerous dictator no 
longer menaces his own people or the world, but instead awaits the 
justice that he denied millions. And it is because of their courage and 
sacrifice that the universal aspirations of all men and women--freedom, 
democracy, and basic human rights--are being extended half a world 
away.
  This generation of Americans, and future generations, are indeed 
blessed that when freedom's call came, brave Americans like Spc. Ford 
answered. We honor Spc. Ford's service to our country and his 
willingness to answer the call to duty. Today we say a special prayer 
for his family, friends and fellow soldiers. They must know that a 
grateful nation mourns their loss and shares their pain.
  Daniel Webster, the noted orator, Member of Congress and Secretary of 
State, remarked nearly two centuries ago: ``God grants liberty only to 
those who love it and are always ready to guard and defend it.'' Army 
Specialist Jason Ford was ready and he defended liberty. Today we 
remember and we pay our respect to a beloved son, brother, friend, and 
now a fallen American patriot who has made the ultimate sacrifice for 
our nation and the principles for which we stand--liberty, justice, 
equality and decency.
  Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, and so it was said by Pericles, the 
Athenian leader some 24 centuries ago, ``Not only are they commemorated 
by columns and inscriptions, but there dwells also an unwritten 
memorial of them, graven not on stone but in the hearts of men.''
  As Memorial Day 2004 approaches, I am awed by a greater sense of 
pride for our fallen soldiers and those serving aboard. We approach 
this day with solemn affirmations of the sacrifices of our brave men 
and women, and in celebration for every joy and freedom bestowed to us 
from the Almighty.
  This day was born of human necessity and the answer to an 
overwhelming desire to honor those who have given the ultimate 
sacrifice so that we may live without fear, but with hope. No matter 
where he has fallen, a soldier stands in place for you, for me, for us 
as a country and for freedom everywhere.
  May they always be honored for their commitment and respected for 
their bravery. For the stance taken by each man and woman is written 
down in the archives of history. The stories and memories shape our 
vision of the world and provide footsteps for future generations.
  Bow one head; lay one flower; remember one soldier; pray 
continuously; and may you be blessed this Memorial Day.
  Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, today, we honor the men and women in 
uniform who have lost their lives in military service to our nation. 
Memorial Day is for that reason a very solemn occasion. It is not a day 
to celebrate our military glories. Rather, we remember our losses: lost 
lives and the lost futures of our fallen soldiers. When the nation's 
political leaders commit our country's citizens to war, it is a 
concomitant that the lives of our soldiers are put at risk. Some will 
not come home alive and undamaged. Our leaders have an obligation to 
the citizens of the nation to know that and to take heed. My thoughts 
and prayers are with the families and loved ones of our fallen 
soldiers.
  Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, today, as the House of Representatives pauses 
for a moment of silence in honor of our fallen service men and women in 
Iraq and Afghanistan, I rise in memory of Lieutenant Seth Dvorin, a 
member of the Army's 10th Mountain Division and a lifetime resident of 
East Brunswick, New Jersey.
  An avid athlete, Seth played high school baseball and football before 
attending Rutgers University. In 2002, he joined the Army and was 
commissioned as an officer of the 10th Mountain Division's Battery B, 
3rd Battalion, 62nd Air Defense Artillery Regiments.
  Like many men and women in the armed forces and Reserves, Seth was 
deployed to Iraq. On February 4, 2004, he was killed when a device 
exploded on a road near Iskandariyah, Iraq. Seth died in the service of 
his country and his fellow soldiers. As a result of his bravery, others 
are alive today.
  News of Seth's passing spread quickly throughout my Congressional 
district. Even those who never knew Seth personally still knew that we 
had lost someone special. Yesterday, more than two hundred students 
from John Witherspoon Middle School in Princeton gathered at Arlington 
National Cemetery to lay a wreath in honor of fallen service men and 
women. I was heartened to talk with these patriotic students today and 
understand the depth of their appreciation for the brave people who 
serve. Seth Dvorin was an American soldier and a respected member of 
our community. His loss is a tragedy--there is no other word.
  Mr. Speaker, I want the record to show that Seth's country 
appreciates and mourns the sacrifice he made on our behalf. Men of his 
character and courage are rare. New Jersey has lost one of its sons, 
and we will miss him.
  Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the 793 
Americans who have given their lives and the 4,524 who've been wounded 
courageously serving their country in Iraq. It is fitting that we 
should share in a moment of silence on the floor of this House to honor 
their memory and sacrifice.
  It is with particular sadness that I pay tribute to a Marine from my 
district whose service will not be forgotten. On Tuesday, April 6, 
2004, Lance Cpl. Travis J. Layfield, a 19-year-old from Fremont, 
California, was killed during a firefight in the Anbar Province of 
Western Iraq. Travis served courageously through unimaginable 
circumstances. He is a credit to the US Marine Corps to which he was 
deeply dedicated.
  A 2003 graduate of Washington High School, Travis is a hero for his 
service with the 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, 1st Marine Division, 1st 
Marine Expeditionary Force out of Camp Pendleton. Travis entered ROTC 
while in junior high school, committed to a career in the Marine Corps. 
Last year, he completed 12 weeks of basic training at the Marine Corps 
recruit depot in San Diego. He left for the Middle East in February 
2003, first heading to Kuwait and later Iraq.
  There has been tremendous outpouring of love and respect for Travis 
from his classmates and friends at his high school as well as from the 
entire Fremont community. We have joined together to mourn the loss of 
this proud young Marine. We shall long remember Lance Cpl. Travis J. 
Layfield. He gave his life for peace and democracy and died, as a noble 
Marine, serving our country.
  Travis is but one example of the thousands of young Americans who 
answered the call of service and paid the ultimate price in Iraq. As a 
nation we mourn his passing and offer our solemn gratitude to him and 
to all those who have given life or limb for their selfless service and 
sacrifice to our country. Our thoughts are with Travis' family and the 
families of all those who have served and continue to serve 
courageously in our armed forces in Iraq.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, on May 31st we will commemorate Memorial 
Day. Across our great land, thousands of American flags, proudly 
waving, will mark the final resting place of those who gave their lives 
so that we in the United States and people in other lands might enjoy 
the blessings of liberty. We are deeply saddened by their deaths, but 
eternally grateful for their sacrifice.
  One such sacrifice in freedom's name was made on March 22, 2004, when 
a 20-year-old Marine Lance Corporal Andrew S. Dang's life was cut short 
in a gun battle during patrol near Ar Ramady, Iraq. Cpl. Dang was from 
Foster City, California, and he graduated from Aragon High School. 
Those who knew Andrew Dang best describe him as someone with a passion 
for science and technology who spent his free time building robots and 
rockets. He was one of the founding members of Aragon's renowned 
robotics team and by his senior year, he was taking multiple advanced 
placement classes in physics and chemistry. He also excelled in 
athletics as a wrestler and football player. The oldest of three 
brothers raised by a single mom, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps less 
than a year ago to make a better future for himself and to give back to 
his country. His life had just begun when bullets stole it away.
  Mr. Speaker, the commemoration of Memorial Day will be a difficult 
time for Cpl. Dang's family and friends, filled with vivid memories of 
a bright, enthusiastic and popular young man who will never come home. 
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to remember Mr. Dang and his fellow 
soldiers who served and made the ultimate sacrifice.
  Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, world renowned anthropologist 
Margaret Mead once said, ``Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful 
committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing 
that ever has.'' These well articulated words embodies the core meaning 
of what Memorial Day symbolizes. If it was not for those individuals 
who banded together, many of us would not have the freedoms we enjoy 
today.
  Citizens of Tennessee, the Volunteer State, have a long, storied 
history of military service

[[Page H3515]]

to our country. Many of its young have sacrificed themselves in the 
name of liberty, freedom, and patriotism. On courthouses and city halls 
across Tennessee, stone or bronze monuments list the names of the men 
and women who gave their life for this country. It is fitting that 
tribute be perpetually acknowledged to their ultimate sacrifice.
  We must never lose touch with our traditions and history. Memorial 
Day is more than a three-day holiday weekend. It's about reconnecting 
with our past and being thankful for the freedom we all have today. We 
all must share in the loss of those brave patriots who have come and 
gone.
  Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Lance Cpl. William W. 
White in recognition of his bravery, courage, and sacrifice for our 
country.
  Lance Cpl. White, who grew up in Brooklyn, had been assigned to the 
3rd Amphibious Assault Battalion, part of the 1st Marine Division, 
which is based in Camp Pendleton in California. On March 29, 2004, he 
became the first soldier from New York City to die in the Iraq war 
after his military Humvee rolled into a canal, and he drowned. He was 
24 years old.
  A 1998 graduate of Bushwick High School, White was committed to 
serving his country as he was planning to join the fire department or 
pursue a career in law enforcement upon his return. Until his final 
days, he always shared a great concern and love for others, especially 
his family. In his last letter home, he sent home a $100 bill to help 
his brother pay a cell phone tab, instructing him to keep the money if 
the brother had already paid the bill.
  Lance Cpl. White was a disciplined student of martial arts and of the 
Bible. He left behind his wife Mychaele of 18 months.
  Mr. Speaker, Lance Cpl. William W. White was a true American hero, 
making the ultimate sacrifice for our nation. As such, he is more than 
worthy of receiving our recognition today and I urge my colleagues to 
join me in honoring this truly remarkable person.
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to 
Marine Sgt. Brian McGinnis of the Marine Light Attack Helicopter 
Squadron 169, who made the ultimate sacrifice for his country on March 
30, 2004 in southern Iraq. In the words of his fellow Marines, Sgt. 
McGinnis was a trusted mentor, a brother, and a hero.
  Sgt. McGinnis, a graduate of William Penn High School and native of 
St. Georges, Delaware joined the Marine Corps because as he stated, he, 
``wanted to be a part of the best.'' As a member of the U.S. Armed 
Services, Sgt. McGinnis had fulfilled his goal of becoming a part of 
the best fighting force in the world. Sgt. McGinnis had the opportunity 
to take part in activities he loved in the Marine Corps and had 
received his crew wings the day before he met with tragedy in southern 
Iraq. The most important aspect of Sgt. McGinnis' service in Iraq was 
the sense of pride he felt knowing that he was serving his country.
  Mr. Speaker, it is not possible to quantify the sense of loss our 
great Nation feels when faced with the loss of life of our men and 
women in the U.S. Armed Services. Nonetheless, I will say that Sgt. 
Brian McGinnis will be deeply missed by his family, his friends, the 
Marine Corps, and by his Nation. His service for our Nation and the 
service of countless men and women before and after him will never be 
forgotten.
  Mr. Speaker, as we approach Memorial Day, I would like to rise in 
honor of a courageous young soldier who died September 7, 2003, of 
injuries suffered August 30 when the truck he was driving in a supply 
convoy was hit by a civilian vehicle in Iraq. U.S. Army Specialist 
Jarrett B. Thompson was a member of the Lewes, Delaware-based 946th 
Transportation Company, and sadly was our State's first war casualty 
from a Reserve or National Guard unit.
  At only 27 years of age, Jarrett was a brave young reservist who 
valiantly served his state and country. A Dover resident who grew up in 
Millington, Maryland and played high school football, Jarrett joined 
the Army in March of 1994. Following a 3-year tour of active duty at 
Fort Campbell, Kentucky, he continued his commitment to service as a 
member of the Army Reserve. When he was called to active duty in 
January 2003, Jarrett dutifully accepted service in the Middle East, 
where his fellow reservists described him as an energetic, mission-
oriented soldier.
  In civilian life, Jarrett was a design engineer for Ashland 
Equipment, Inc. A proud son and devoted husband and father, Jarrett 
will be deeply missed by his parents, Judy Coleman Thompson and Allen 
B. Thompson, his wife Kelly, and their sons Conner and Collin. At his 
funeral in September, Jarrett received a 21-gun salute and the Bronze 
Star Medal in honor of his noble service to our Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, it is my sincere privilege to honor the life of a proud 
soldier and heroic representative of the State of Delaware. Army 
Specialist Jarrett B. Thompson was an honorable defender of liberty, 
and he deserves our gratitude and respect.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of a brave young Army Ranger who 
died Thursday, April 3, 2003, due to suicide car-bomber at a checkpoint 
northwest of Baghdad. U.S. Army Specialist Ryan P. Long was a proud 
Ranger who gave his life, along with two of his fellow soldiers, 
helping the Third Battalion of the 75th Ranger Regiment operate a 
checkpoint outside of Baghdad.
  At only 21 years of age, Ryan was an inspirational young Delawarean 
who graduated from Seafood High School in June of 1999, where he had 
been vice commander of the Naval Junior ROTC program. Ryan joined the 
Army and became an Army Ranger, where he was part of an elite group 
chosen to carry out special missions. He was stationed in Fort Benning, 
Georgia and was deployed twice to Afghanistan before his service in 
Iraq, where he continued the noble fight against terror.
  Ryan was a patriotic American who enjoyed soccer, golf, snowboarding, 
and motorcycles. Ryan was a fourth generation soldier, his father is 
retired Major Rudolf ``Rudy'' Long. Ryan followed in his family's 
tradition and chose to serve his country. He will be deeply missed by 
his parents, Rudy and Donna, and brother, his friends, teachers, and 
fellow soldiers.
  Mr. Speaker, it is my sincere privilege to honor the life of a proud 
Ranger and heroic representative of the State of Delaware. Army 
Specialist Ryan P. Long deserves our gratitude and respect.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the heroic life of U.S. 
Army Staff Sergeant Joseph Garyantes who died May 19, 2004, while 
securing freedom for the people of Iraq. Staff Sergeant Garyantes was 
patrolling Muqdadiyah, Iraq, just outside of Baghdad when his vehicle 
was attacked by sniper fire, ending the life of this dedicated soldier.
  Staff Sergeant Garyantes was born in Wilmington, Delaware, and for 
most of his childhood called the Rehoboth Beach area home. He attended 
Epworth Christian School in Laurel, and at an early age contemplated a 
life in the Christian ministry. Eventually his selflessness and 
unwavering desire to help others drew him to military service. From 
what I have learned about this remarkable young man, it is apparent 
that Staff Sergeant Garyantes truly enjoyed helping others overcome the 
difficulties in their lives. For example, he wrote a letter to the 
editor while stationed in Germany, in response to a young soldier's 
complaint about the difficulties of Army life. His response was not 
negative or demeaning, he offered solutions and words of encouragement 
to this fellow soldier.
  Staff Sergeant Garyantes, because of his inherent desire to lead and 
guide others to greatness, certainly would have found a way to inspire 
others in any career he chose, but he chose to join the U.S. Army. He 
chose to subject himself to the daily rigors of military service 
because he valued the well-being of others--ultimately at the cost of 
his own life. And although he will be missed tremendously by his wife 
and children, his family and friends, and his fellow soldiers, it is my 
hope that they can take comfort in his devotion to serving those in 
need, which will be his legacy.
  Mr. Speaker, it is not often that I have the opportunity to honor the 
life of a true hero and American patriot such as Staff Sergeant Joseph 
Garyantes. His devotion to his fellow man is truly amazing, and he 
deserves our utmost respect and admiration.
  Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay homage 
to all of our fallen heroes in arms that have defended our Nation from 
despotism, nazism, fascism, communism and terrorism.
  The life we live has been shaped by those we honor today. Each 
answered Liberty's call to duty in defense of their country. Our Nation 
owes an immeasurable debt of gratitude for their service. Our humble 
words can never adequately put into perspective their overwhelming 
contribution to freedom.
  We cannot forget the last full measure of devotion they gave us. Not 
for fame or fortune, but for a love of country, with determination, 
courage and honor, the men and women of our armed services have 
dedicated their lives to the defense of our democratic ideals.
  We honor their memory. The freedoms we enjoy today because of their 
valor are their eternal legacy to us and our posterity.
  I join a grateful nation in sending my thoughts and prayers to all 
the bereaved families who have lost loved ones who served to protect 
our sacred liberty.
  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, May 31, America will celebrate 
Memorial Day, our most solemn national holiday. First observed in 1868 
to commemorate the Civil War dead, it was initially called Decoration 
Day. This tradition of placing flags on the graves of our war dead 
began at a time when our country still bore the scars of a four-year 
war that claimed 620,000 American lives, a war that divided America as 
nothing else has, before or since.

[[Page H3516]]

  But as the House of Representatives pauses in 2004 to honor our 
Nation's fallen heroes, we do so as one Nation united by the values of 
liberty and democracy. When American families carry wreaths and flags 
to veterans' graves across the country, we do so as one America. When 
we visit the Garrison Forest Veterans Cemetery in Owings Mills, 
Arlington National Cemetery, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, or the new 
World War II Memorial on the Mall, our memories will be of those we 
knew and loved. And our thoughts and prayers will be with those still 
in combat today.
  This year, while our military struggles to bring stability to Iraq, 
mounting American casualties cast new light on the meaning of valor and 
sacrifice. Nearly 800 American men and women have died in Iraq in the 
past fourteen months; yet on the faces of our soldiers, we see only 
their resolve, their unwavering dedication.
  I want to make special mention of the 8 young Marylanders who have 
died in the Iraqi conflict: Private Brandon Davis, Specialist Jason 
Ford, Command Sergeant Major Cornell Gilmore, Captain Jason David 
Mileo, Specialist George A. Mitchell, First Lieutenant Adam G. Mooney, 
Sergeant Jeffery Walker, and Staff Sergeant Kendall Damon Waters-Bey. 
These brave men left the comfort and safety of our shores for Iraq, and 
theirs was the ultimate sacrifice. They are our heroes in the truest 
sense of the word. We extend our gratitude to them, we offer our 
condolences to their loved ones, and we hold them up as an example of 
America's best.
  Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, as our Nation prepares for the dedication of 
the National World War II Memorial next weekend, I rise to join my 
constituents in paying solemn tribute to the nearly 200 World War II 
veterans of Oscoda County, Michigan. Each and every one of these 
veterans deserves our continued gratitude for their service, for their 
sacrifice, and for their leadership.
  On May 29th, the residents of Oscoda County will celebrate these 
members of the greatest generation with a parade, ceremony, and 
luncheon marking Oscoda World War II Veterans Recognition Day. This day 
has an added significance: Together they will also be watching the 
dedication ceremony in Washington, DC, for the National World War II 
Memorial. I am fortunate that I will have the honor of participating in 
this event, and will have the chance to thank these veterans in person 
for the sacrifice they made for our freedom 60 years ago.
  I am especially pleased that this event is focused on those veterans 
that are still with us. On Memorial Day, our nation rightly honors 
those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the cause of preserving 
liberty. But we too often forget to thank those who came home to 
careers and family and civic leadership. By the grace of God they 
returned home, but this does not diminish their service and sacrifice. 
Indeed, their leadership and example since have put us further in their 
debt.
  Mr. Speaker, as we all know, the World War II generation, and 
especially those who fought so bravely in Europe and the Pacific for 
the freedom we enjoy today, are deserving of our highest honor and 
deepest gratitude. We must never forget their sacrifice and their 
courage. I therefore ask that the House join me in paying tribute to 
that greatest generation, and especially to those who will be at the 
Oscoda World War II Veterans Recognition events.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the nearly 800 
American soldiers who have lost their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan. No 
one has sacrificed more than these brave men and women and their 
families. The debt we owe them all is tremendous.
  As we approach Memorial Day, we must never forget that people are 
dying as a result of the decisions of this House. Many of our brave 
soldiers will never again walk on this earth because of the choices we 
make.
  Late last year I spent a week in Bethesda Naval Hospital recuperating 
from back surgery. During my stay there, I visited with wounded 
soldiers who had come home forever changed by the war in Iraq. Meeting 
with these soldiers and seeing their injuries gave me a firsthand look 
at the true reality of war, and made me more committed than ever before 
that our government cover all the expenses of any injury that results 
from war. But that's just not happening.
  Congress must work to equip every soldier in Iraq and Afghanistan 
with the best equipment and supplies available, including state-of-the-
art bulletproof vests, and Camelbak water bottles so they can rehydrate 
in the hot desert air. And the vehicles our soldiers use need to be 
equipped with the best and strongest armor available. Dozens of un-
armored Humvees are falling victim to road-side bombs and rocket 
propelled grenades. This year's Defense Authorization bill paid for 
some of these things. It's about time.
  We must make every attempt to provide for our service men and women 
when they come home from the war, too. That's why Congress needs to 
provide better health coverage to our veterans, and why we need to end 
the Disabled Veterans Tax immediately to ensure that anyone who has 
served in the military receives both health benefits and retirement 
benefits. This outdated tax from 1891 needs to go.
  Our lives wouldn't be the same without the selflessness of thousands 
of courageous Americans. I am humbled by their courage and the 
sacrifices they have made for their country.
  Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the tremendous 
sacrifice and bravery of the countless men and women who have fallen in 
service to this great country. This Memorial Day, let us stop to 
remember all of the American service men and women who have answered 
the call to defend our Nation, many making that ultimate sacrifice for 
the peace and preservation of this great union.
  As we prepare to dedicate the National World War II Memorial, we are 
again reminded of the brave, young men and women who have come before 
us giving their lives in defense of this land. From the beaches of 
Normandy to the Sea of Japan to the heart of the Rhine, 400,000 
Americans gave their lives defending democracy and halting the spread 
of tyranny during the Second World War. Now, immortalized in granite, 
America pays tribute to our Greatest Generation and the selfless 
sacrifices so many made in honor of our Nation.
  Again, this country is engaged in battle. Fighting to maintain peace 
and security across the globe, American soldiers in Iraq and 
Afghanistan continue to make the ultimate sacrifice to ensure freedom 
and democracy for all people. As the war on terror continues, Americans 
must honor the brave men and women who gave their lives for the 
protection of this Nation and the hope of another.
  This Memorial Day I pay tribute to the millions of soldiers who have 
fallen in service to this great Nation and the immeasurable sacrifices 
they have made defending freedom and democracy throughout the world. It 
is with a humble heart and proud spirit that I honor the lives of 
America's fallen soldiers and remember with admiration their patriotism 
and dedication to country in the face of adversity. Let us never forget 
their sacrifices.
  Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor those who have served 
our country so selflessly and given their lives to defend our freedom. 
We realize the sacrifice that these soldiers have made for our country 
can never truly be repaid, so we honor them by remembering their heroic 
deeds and what they have meant for America. Those who served and are 
presently serving in our military have helped defend our Nation from 
harm, allowing the citizens of my State of Maine and the citizens of 
our entire country to enjoy the liberties that we cherish so deeply.
  Maine's population, as much as any State, has felt the burden of war 
for many years. With 154,000 veterans, a large percentage of Maine's 
small population has served and protected our country. Most Mainers 
have several relatives or friends who have defended our home. Our 
State's dedication to service continues as over 3,000 Maine citizens 
are putting their lives in harm's way overseas.
  This Memorial Day is especially meaningful because we also remember 
those who have recently made the ultimate sacrifice for our country in 
a war where danger is still present today. Over 300,000 Americans have 
bravely faced the violence that still ravages Iraq and sadly over 700 
servicemen and servicewomen have made the ultimate sacrifice for our 
country. Maine has not been immune from loss in this current conflict, 
and my thoughts are with the loved ones of those who gave their lives 
for our country. These sacrifices are fresh in our memory and should 
not and will not be forgotten.
  Today we say thank you to those who gave their lives. Tomorrow we 
must make sure to honor their memory by caring for their families. We 
must forever recognize and respect the ultimate sacrifices that so many 
great men and women made so that the many citizens of our country can 
enjoy the blessings that they do today.
  Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, in honor of Memorial Day, I rise 
today to pay tribute to the brave men and women who gallantly gave 
their lives so we may live in freedom.
  Throughout the history of our nation, valiant soldiers have 
struggled, distinguished themselves, advanced our cause, and fallen in 
battle. Next weekend is the unveiling of a lasting tribute to our 
greatest generation--many of whom made the ultimate sacrifice more than 
50 years ago.
  As Tom Brokaw so eloquently wrote:

       They won the war; they saved the world. They came home to 
     joyous and short-lived celebrations and immediately began the 
     task of rebuilding their lives and the world they wanted.
       I am in awe of them, these men and women who have given us 
     the world we have today. I feel privileged to have been 
     witness to their stories. As I came to know many of them I

[[Page H3517]]

     became more and more moved by their everyday excellence--and 
     more and more convinced that this is the greatest generation 
     in our country's history.

  I too, am in awe of the brave men and women who fought on the front 
lines, and the millions of Americans who served on the home front. 
Truly they are the greatest generation.
  Young men and women committed their lives, knowing they might not see 
their families again, for a cause that was greater than any individual 
nation. Young men and women committed to building a free world.
  And now we mark the dedication of a memorial that honors our greatest 
generation, a memorial that will remind future generations of Americans 
as well as visitors from around the globe of the cost of freedom that 
we enjoy. It will serve as a reminder of the suffering and the 
sacrifice of our soldiers.
  We also must take the time this Memorial Day to remember the soldiers 
who have given their lives in Operation Iraqi Freedom. These soldiers 
deserve no less awe and respect than those who fought and served more 
than 50 years ago. From Oregon, 15 brave soldiers have made the 
ultimate sacrifice while serving their country: Specialist Brandon 
Scott Tobler of Portland, Sergeant Donald Walters of Salem, Captain 
Aaron Joseph Contreras of Sherwood, Staff Sergeant Robert Anthony 
Stever of Pendleton, Corporal Travis J. Bradachnall of Multnomah 
County, Chief Warrant Officer Erik C. Kesterson of Independence, 
Specialist Joseph M. Blickenstaff of Corvallis, Specialist Nathan W. 
Nakis of Corvallis, Specialist Christopher Jude Wesley of Portland, 
Sergeant Travis A. Moothart of Brownsville, Private 1st Class William 
C. Ramirez of Portland, Specialist Philip G. Rogers of Gresham, Lance 
Corporal Gary F. Van Leuven of Klamath Falls, Specialist Chase R. 
Whitman of Eugene, and Lance Corporal Bob W. Roberts of Newport.
  Each of these 20 soldiers and their families deserve thanks from all 
Oregonians and all Americans. The Nation offers its collective thanks, 
as well as its sincere hope that all the Americans still in Iraq will 
return home to their families swiftly and safely.
  Let us give thanks and praise to all men and women who worked 
together and in many cases died together, so that we all live in a more 
safe and more free world. We are all forever indebted to these brave 
soldiers.
  Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a courageous serviceman 
who lost his life while bravely serving our country in Iraq. Jason 
Ludlam made the ultimate sacrifice for his country and for the American 
people.
  In times of war, our soldiers and their families carry the gravest 
imaginable burden upon their shoulders. The service these brave men and 
women provide their country is immeasurable and will not be forgotten.
  I truly sympathize with the families of fallen heroes for their 
terrible loss. It is my hope that many good memories help bring these 
families comfort in their time of need.
  Mr. Speaker, I recognize and honor Jason Ludlam for the sacrifice he 
made and for the service he gave his country.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a courageous serviceman who lost 
his life while bravely serving our country in Iraq. Kenneth Melton made 
the ultimate sacrifice for his country and for the American people.
  In times of war, our soldiers and their families carry the gravest 
imaginable burden upon their shoulders. The service these brave men and 
women provide their country is immeasurable and will not be forgotten.
  I truly sympathize with the families of fallen heroes for their 
terrible loss. It is my hope that many good memories help bring these 
families comfort in their time of need.
  Mr. Speaker, I recognize and honor Kenneth Melton for the sacrifice 
he made and for the service he gave his country.
  Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my 
colleagues in honoring the brave men and women who have fallen in 
service in Iraq and Afghanistan. They gave the ultimate sacrifice to 
guarantee the freedoms and rights we hold so dear and to help the 
oppressed and give a voice to those who do not have one.
  Army Sergeant Gregory Wahl, a constituent of mine from Valley Stream, 
NY, was one of the brave men who gave his life in Iraq. He was riding 
in a vehicle that flipped over in a canal during a combat patrol. 
Gregory, according to his father, wanted to be there and he knew what 
it was all about. He was confident in his mission and proud of his 
military career, which spanned over 11 years. Gregory is survived by 
his wife, Maricela, who together spent many hours enjoying their love 
of cooking, and his daughter, Alexis, who inherited her father's blue 
eyes. He loved his country and entered into combat with a lot of 
courage and ambition for his future, the future of Maricela and Alexis, 
and the future of the people he was fighting for, both Americans and 
Iraqis. But Gregory is only one of many. We have lost many brave men 
and women and it is important to remember their valor and dedication to 
our country.
  I would also like to honor and extend my sorrow to the families of 
those who have fallen. While we get to go on with our daily lives, 
parents, spouses, and children will have to adapt and learn to live 
without their loved one. And for this they and the men and women of the 
Armed Forces will always be in my prayers.
  Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in the well of the House of 
Representatives to honor those who have so nobly given their lives in 
defense of our freedoms and values. The men and women serving in the 
armed services both here and abroad are American heroes. We are holding 
this moment of silence today for our fellow countrymen and women that 
have given the last full measure of devotion in battlefields throughout 
the world. They will forever be remembered and revered in the memory of 
this great Nation.
  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor three brave 
soldiers from the 28th Congressional District of New York who lost 
their lives while serving in Iraq. These three men, all from Buffalo, 
left loving families, promising careers and secure futures to serve our 
Nation in the Armed Forces. They traveled thousands of miles across the 
world to make the ultimate sacrifice for their country. I am humbled to 
have served them in Congress.
  Private First Class Tamario D. Burkett was killed in the line of duty 
just days after combat operations began in Iraq, on March 23, 2003. 
While securing bridges near Nasiriyah, Pfc. Burkett and his fellow 
soldiers came under heavy fire. Pfc. Burkett, who lived with his family 
on Peace Street, was just 21 years old. His family continues to 
celebrate his memory and to mourn the promise of his young life.
  On October 17, 2003, Specialist Michael L. Williams was killed near 
Baghdad when the vehicle he was riding in ran over an explosive. 
Specialist Williams, 46, reenlisted in the Army National Guard after 
witnessing the horrendous attacks on September 11, which also happened 
to be his birthday. He died doing what he had dedicated his life to: 
protecting and serving the American people. He left behind a wife and 
four daughters.
  Private First Class Charles E. Bush, Jr., was killed just days before 
Christmas on December 19, 2003, when a bomb exploded beneath his 
vehicle. Pfc. Bush, 34, was a cook in the Army, but he had volunteered 
as a door gunner to help protect the convoy. He could have stayed back, 
but he chose instead to ride along that day to defend his fellow 
soldiers. He left behind a devoted family and a young daughter.
  This Memorial Day, we will pay respect to all the soldiers who have 
lost their lives defending our nation. It is a tragedy that across the 
nation, the legion of those we honor will now include hundreds of new 
names--names of fathers, mothers, husbands, wives, siblings and 
children who volunteered to serve their nation and who will never 
return home.
  In Buffalo, this day will be especially tragic as we honor these 
three brave soldiers. Private First Class Tamario D. Burkett, 
Specialist Michael L. Williams and Private First Class Charles E. Bush, 
Jr. will forever be remembered for their patriotism, their valor and 
their sacrifice. I pray with all the families who have loved ones that 
no more lives will be lost and that all our soldiers will arrive safely 
home soon. We cannot stand to lose any more.
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, General John Logan, the national 
commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, officially declared the 
first Memorial Day to be observed on May 30th, 1868. In a healing 
moment for our Nation, flowers were placed on the graves of both Union 
and Confederate soldiers at Arlington Cemetery. Our nation was united 
in our grief.
  On this Memorial Day, 136 years later, we are again united in our 
grief and our respect for our fallen soldiers, sailors, airmen, and 
Marines. Whether speaking of those from the wars of our past or those 
from our current conflict in Iraq, we acknowledge their valiant service 
and sacrifice, as well as the void that their loss has left for their 
families, their communities, and our Nation. In my thoughts now, along 
with all of those whom we have lost, are six young men from my 
congressional district who have given their lives in Iraq:

     Specialist Brandon Tobler, Corporal Travis Bradach-Nall, 
         Specialist Christopher Rivera Wesley, Private First Class 
         William Ramirez, Specialist Philip Rogers, Lance Corporal 
         Bob W. Roberts.

  There are no words that Congress can utter today that would be as 
noted as the silence of these soldiers. There is no way to express our 
appreciation and sorrow to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice 
for our country. We can only fulfill our duty to ensure that our men 
and women in uniform receive the best training and equipment, adequate 
pay and fair treatment during their service and after. We must then 
assure our veterans new and old, that they will receive the treatment 
they have been promised. Most importantly, we must

[[Page H3518]]

pledge our valiant and tireless effort for peace and security at home 
and abroad.
  Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, as we celebrate Memorial Day, 2004, we honor 
both the veterans who fought America's wars, and those who stand on the 
front lines of today's combat engagements.
  Each day it seems, news from Iraq carries the awful news of combat 
deaths as we try to quell a nation and leave it in better hands than 
before. Most importantly, our troops are still pursuing al Queda and 
Osama bin Laden in the mountains of Afghanistan and elsewhere around 
the world to root out the entity that attacked us on 9-11. This 
generation's solemn mission is to undermine and eradicate the terrorist 
movement, which continues to grow and evolve, from the face of the 
Earth.
  Today we honor all those who fought for this nation throughout our 
history. Americans all over the world are remembering friends, family 
members and countrymen who made the ultimate sacrifice for liberty and 
democracy. In South Texas, the list of young people lost in the global 
conflict with al Queda, and now in Iraq, is becoming longer than we can 
bear. We continue to welcome home other sons and daughters who were 
injured or captured. Please remember these brave young warriors and 
their families on this Memorial Day.
  As a member of Congress who sits on the House Armed Services 
Committee, I know what we ask of people in uniform, and I know the 
difficulties of service. As a veteran, I know what is expected of 
soldiers and sailors in combat--or in the possibility of combat. The 
very least we must do for the men and women who serve this nation is 
provide adequately for their health care now and in their later years.
  The attack on our nation on 9-11 served to remind us that firemen, 
law enforcement officers and doctors also stand on the front lines in 
the first war of the 21st Century. The world has entered this century 
through pillars of fire, and the United States is called to fight a 
global war again, this time against al Queda and the terrorism they 
sponsor and continue to inspire. Americans, as always, fight for this 
country, and South Texans always make an extraordinary contribution to 
our military force.
  Today, let us pledge anew to face the challenges of our world with 
compassion, strength, and understanding as we stand on the watchtower 
of freedom. On this Memorial Day, let us remember the heroes of our 
history as we wish for peace as the poets and the dreamers do--but 
remain ever ready to fight the battles that are righteous, where the 
values of freedom and democracy are at stake.
  Please take a moment of silence and remember the South Texas heroes 
who answered this nation's call to military service, especially those 
who gave this nation the ultimate measure of devotion. We remember them 
all and their families today and always. Our South Texas heroes:

       Killed aboard the USS Cole: Petty Officer 3rd Class 
     Ronchester Santiago, 22, from Kingsville and Fireman Gary 
     Swenchonis Jr., 26 from Rockport, TX
       Army Spc. Edward J. Anguiano, 24, from Los Fresnos, 3rd 
     Combat Support Battalion from Los Fresnos; he went missing on 
     March 23, 2003, when his convoy was ambushed in Iraq; his 
     remains were recovered on April 24
       1st Sgt. Joe J. Garza, 43, 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry 
     Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, from Robstown; 
     he was killed on April 28, 2003, when he was struck by a 
     civilian vehicle in Iraq
       Pfc. Juan Guadalupe Garza Jr., 20, 1st Battalion, 4th 
     Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division from San Benito; he was 
     killed in action on April 8, 2003, in central Iraq
       Staff Sgt. Hector R. Perez, 40, 1st Battalion, 327th 
     Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air 
     Assault) from Corpus Christi; he was killed when his military 
     convoy came under fire north of Hawd, Iraq on July 24, 2003
       Spc. Jose A. Perez III, 22, 6th Battalion, 27th Field 
     Artillery Regiment, 18th Field Artillery Brigade, from San 
     Diego, Texas; he was killed in an ambush of a convoy on May 
     28, 2003, in Taji, Iraq
       Sgt. Christopher Ramirez, 34, 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry, 
     1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, from McAllen; he died 
     from injuries sustained during combat operations in Al Anbar 
     Province, Iraq, on April 14, 2004
       Sgt. John W. Russell, 26, 4th Battalion, 101st Aviation 
     Regiment, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), from 
     Portland; he was killed when two 101st Airborne Division UH-
     60 Black Hawk helicopters collided in mid-air over Mosul, 
     Iraq, on November 15, 2003
       Pfc. Dustin M. Sekula, 18, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine 
     Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary 
     Force, from Edinburg; he died due to injuries sustained from 
     enemy fire in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, on April 1, 2004
       Lance Cpl. Ruben Valdez Jr., 21, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine 
     Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary 
     Force, from San Diego; he died from combat injuries in Al 
     Anbar Province, Iraq, on April 17, 2004

  May the Lord bless their souls, and make strong their families, who 
must live forever without them. And may this list grow no longer . . .
  Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in commemoration of the 
upcoming Memorial Day holiday.
  This Memorial Day is particularly poignant as hundreds of thousands 
of brave American service men and women are serving their country and 
putting their lives on the line in Iraq, Afghanistan and around the 
world.
  Our service men and women--including many from my community on the 
Central Coast of California--have left their homes, jobs, and families 
to serve in Afghanistan and Iraq.
  While we honor those who are currently serving and pray for their 
safe return home, today we remember and pay tribute to the Americans 
who have fought and given their lives for us, from Lexington and 
Concord to the beaches of Normandy, the jungles of Vietnam, the 
mountains of Afghanistan, and the desert of Iraq.
  Every casualty on the battlefield is a blow to our nation, but we are 
mindful that it is an unspeakable loss to the family and friends of the 
one who has been lost.
  We know too that the qualities embodied by our fallen soldiers--
heroism, honor, bravery, and sacrifice--cannot always be of great 
comfort to those who knew them best.
  My thoughts and prayers are especially with the loved ones of fallen 
soldiers who hail from Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura 
Counties on California's Central Coast.
  The very least the Federal government can do for those who did their 
duty and served our nation is to provide them quality health care and 
retirement benefits. This is our duty.
  Today, we pause and remember those who have died to preserve American 
values. We honor those who fought, and who fight today to protect 
American freedoms.
  I will do everything I can to keep our troops safe and to preserve 
the quality of life of our veterans. I look forward to working with my 
colleagues on this endeavor.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor our fallen 
heroes and to pay tribute to our current military men and women who are 
serving our Nation in a time of war. I especially want to thank 
American Samoa's warriors for the sacrifices they have made so that you 
and I and future generations may live in peace.
  American Samoa's sons and daughters have served in record number in 
every U.S. military engagement from WWII to present operations in our 
war against terrorism. Our active duty service members are also serving 
in Operation Iraqi Freedom. In March of this year, over 65 soldiers 
from American Samoa's Army Reserve Unit were deployed to Iraq and 
recently we received word that other units from American Samoa will 
soon follow.
  Last year, American Samoa lost two young warriors to the war in Iraq. 
In August 2003, SPC Farao Kevin Letufuga died in Mosul, Iraq and it was 
with heavy hearts that CSM Iuniasolua Savusa and I accompanied his body 
home. Specialist Letufuga served as a member of the 101st Airborne 
Division. He is the son of Mr. Fetineia'i and Siniva Letufuga of 
Aoloau, American Samoa.
  On October 27, 2003, PVT Jonathan I. Falaniko was killed in Baghdad, 
Iraq in a rocket propelled grenade attack. Twenty-year-old Jonathan 
Falaniko had been in the U.S. Army for less than 6 months. He attended 
basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, MO, in May 2003 and was deployed 
to Iraq in August 2003. Private Falaniko was then assigned to the 70th 
Engineer Battalion under the 1st Armored Division, Engineers Brigade of 
which his father, Ioakimo Falaniko, was the command sergeant major and 
the most senior enlisted soldier.
  CSM Ioakimo Falaniko has been serving with distinction in the U.S. 
Army for over 26 years and is still serving in Iraq. Command Sergeant 
Major Falaniko is from the village of Amanave, American Samoa and his 
wife Maliana is from Aua. Their son was laid to rest at the National 
Cemetery in Arlington on Friday, November 7, 2003. I was privileged to 
be invited by the Falaniko family to speak at Private Falaniko's 
services. It was a very solemn and inspiring service that was also 
attended by LTG Robert Flowers, Commander of the Army Corps of 
Engineers, and the Sergeant Major of the Army, Jack Tilley.
  In Samoan culture, it is customary to make speeches so that for 
generations to come the name of our fallen heroes will not be 
forgotten. This is why I am pleased that we are observing a moment of 
silence today and are reserving a special section of the Congressional 
Record for Members to honor fallen soldiers from their districts and to 
offer their thoughts on Memorial Day. In remembrance of Specialist 
Letufuga and Private Falaniko, I rise today to say that these two young 
men lived and died honorably as true Samoan warriors. They gave their 
lives so that you and I may live in freedom.
  Across America, many others have also died while protecting our 
Nation and today I pay special tribute to them. To those who

[[Page H3519]]

have lost their sons and daughters and husbands and wives, I say let us 
honor their patriotism, love of country and willingness to serve and 
sacrifice to bring about peace and freedom in a troubled world.
  To our veterans and current service members, and especially to 
American Samoa's Reserve unit now serving in Iraq, I would like to 
close by saying I am proud of you. As a Vietnam Veteran, I commend you 
for your courage and I thank you for your service to our country. May 
God bless you and may God bless America.
  Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the brave men and 
women of our Nation's Armed Forces who are performing so magnificently 
in Iraq, under very difficult circumstances. America is exceedingly 
blessed to have such citizens who are willing to put their lives on the 
line to protect our Nation.
  Some who serve in Iraq have made the supreme sacrifice by giving 
their very lives in defense of our Nation. And to those heroes we owe 
our eternal gratitude, and we give our deepest sympathy to their 
families and loved ones.
  Mr. Speaker, several families in my congressional district have lost 
loved ones in Iraq. I list their names and hometowns for my colleagues 
in Congress.
  SGT Michael F. Pedersen, U.S. Army of Flint, MI, killed in action in 
a helicopter crash on April 2, 2003.
  SSG Scott Sather, U.S. Air Force of Clio, MI, killed in action on 
April 8, 2003.
  PFC Jason M. Meyer, U.S. Army or Swartz Creek, MI, killed in action 
when struck by mortar fire on April 8, 2003.
  SSG Brett J. Petriken, U.S. Army of Mundy Township, MI, killed in 
action escorting a convoy on May 26, 2003.
  SPC Artimus D. Brassfield, U.S. Army of Flint, MI, killed in action 
when struck by mortar fire on October 24, 2003.
  SPC Richard K. Trevithick, U.S. Army of Gaines, MI, killed in action 
by an improvised explosive device on April 14, 2004.
  Mr. Speaker, as we prepare to observe Memorial Day later this month, 
it is incumbent upon us to remember the service and sacrifice of, not 
only those who have fought in previous wars and conflicts, but also the 
fine men and women who are currently serving our Nation in Iraq, 
Afghanistan and around the world. We particularly want to express our 
gratitude to those heroes who have given their lives in the service of 
our country. May they rest in peace.
  Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. Speaker, we come together, as we do every year, to 
observe this national day of remembrance--to honor the men and women 
who've given their lives in the service of our country.
  This year we sadly add the names of 19 sons and daughters of 
Wisconsin, killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, to those rolls. We join with 
their families in grieving the loss of: SPC Bert Hoyer, PVC Nicholas 
Frye, MAJ Christopher Splinter, SGT Warren Hansen, SPC Eugene Uhl III, 
2nd LT Jeremy Wolf, PFC Rachel Bosveld, SPC Paul Sturino, SGT Dan 
Gabrielson, MAJ Mathew Schram, SGT Kirk Straseskie, CPT John Kurth, PFC 
Sean Schneider, CPL Jesse Thiry, PFC Ryan Jerabek, SPC Michelle Witmer, 
SPC Michael McGlothin, PO Michael Anderson, and SPC Robert Cook.
  We mourn them as we mourn the loss of all Americans in uniform who've 
made the ultimate sacrifice.
  This is a day of great pride and great sorrow. It is a day of sweet 
memories and bitter regrets. It is a day of despair and, yet, of 
hopefulness.
  Yes, despite our sadness, we do have reason to be hopeful.
  For as long as men and women don the uniform and serve with 
distinction, they embody the promise of America. This America founded 
on the principles of equal justice under law. This America which for 
centuries has stood as a beacon of liberty. This America which, by the 
sacrifices of those we honor today, we still proudly proclaim the land 
of the free and the home of the brave. We remember them today and 
always.
  Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and 
remember the young men and women who have given their lives while 
serving our country in Iraq and Afghanistan.
  A monument now stands in our Nation's capital to recognize the 
service and sacrifice of our service men and women during World War II. 
The long-overdue monument comes at a time when our Nation is reminded 
each day of the painful reality of war--not everyone returns home. The 
2nd Congressional District of Washington state that I represent has not 
stayed immune from this reality.
  This coming Memorial Day I will join with veterans of wars past to 
honor those who did not return home--including the four young men from 
the 2nd District who gave their lives for this nation during Operation 
Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
  On Memorial Day, today, and every day, I honor Air Force Staff 
Sergeant Juan M. Ridout of Oak Harbor, Washington; Army Private First 
Class Kerry D. Scott of Concrete, Washington; Army Specialist Justin W. 
Hebert of Silvana, Washington; and Army Specialist Nathan W. Nakis of 
Sedro-Woolley, Washington.
  You will not be forgotten.
  Mr. MARKEY. Mr. Speaker, as we prepare to dedicate the World War II 
Memorial in Washington DC next week, and remember the sacrifices of the 
Greatest Generation who repelled the forces of tyranny and hate in 
Europe and the Pacific 50 years ago, let us also pause to honor a new 
generation of brave Americans that have made the ultimate sacrifice for 
their country. We observe a moment of silence for those brave young men 
and women that have given their life while serving our Nation in the 
War on Terror.
  Throughout the history of this Nation, the soldiers of our Armed 
Forces have fought to preserve the ideals of democracy, freedom, and 
liberty. The tragic events of September 11th, 2001, reminded us that 
there is no permanent respite from the need to maintain our guard in an 
unstable world. Even as Communism and the Cold War have faded into 
history's mists, radical and dangerous new groups and individuals are 
ready to rise to test the willingness of America to defend itself. The 
sacrifices of our sons and daughters fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq 
demonstrate that when duty calls, America is ready. Hundreds of 
thousands of men and women in uniform have bravely answered the call to 
duty and traveled far beyond our borders to preserve and protect our 
nation in its time of need. Our Armed Forces are working today 
throughout the globe to ensure that future generations of Americans can 
live in a free and peaceful society.
  Today, we pause to remember our young men and women who answered the 
call, fought bravely, and sacrificed much to preserve our freedom. It 
is with a heavy but grateful heart that we thank our fallen soldiers 
and their families in these difficult times. We can never fully repay 
their service, but we must never forget their sacrifice.
  Mr. GERLACH. Mr. Speaker, on the occasion of Memorial Day, I rise to 
recognize a fallen soldier from my district, First Lieutenant David R. 
Bernstein, formerly of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania.
  Lieutenant Bernstein, 24 at the time of his death, was a member of 
the 1st Battalion (Airborne), 508th Infantry Regiment, 173rd Infantry 
Brigade of Camp Ederle, Italy. He, along with Pfc. John D. Hart, 20, of 
Bedford, Mass., were killed in Taza, Iraq on October 18, 2003 when 
enemy forces ambushed their patrol using rock-propelled grenades and 
small arms fire.
  Although I never had the opportunity to know Lieutenant Bernstein, 
what I have read about his life demonstrates what a tremendous and 
exemplary young man he was. He was a member of the West Point swim team 
for his 4 years at the United States Military Academy and enjoyed 
running, bicycling and competing in triathlons. He was also an 
accomplished student as exhibited by his selection as his high school 
valedictorian at Phoenixville High School and finishing fifth in his 
class at West Point. Lieutenant Bernstein, like so many fallen soldiers 
throughout our history, looked forward to a bright future, but 
sacrificed that future for the welfare, safety and liberty of our 
Nation.
  I take this opportunity today to thank Lieutenant David R. Bernstein 
for his heroic service and sacrifice to our Nation and to also offer my 
condolences to his parents, Richard and Gail, and the entire Bernstein 
family.
  Mr. Speaker, on this Memorial Day, I will remember First Lieutenant 
David R. Bernstein as an example of the sacrifices made by so many to 
keep our Nation strong and free. I ask my colleagues and the public to 
join me in remembering and honoring our Nation's fallen heroes.
  Mr. McINTYRE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the 
courageous servicemen and women who have given their lives to protect 
us in this time of war. These selfless warriors have dedicated their 
lives to fighting for this great country and our freedoms, and it is 
only fitting that we honor them this Memorial Day.
  As President John F. Kennedy once said, ``Mankind must put an end to 
war or war will put an end to mankind.'' Although we are forced with 
the difficult decision of sending our servicemen and women into the 
battlefield, it is they who make the conscious decision to leave their 
families and friends behind. Every day of every month, these valiant 
members of our armed forces make the call to duty--always aware of the 
challenges they face and the painful reality that they may not make it 
back home. Yet, they still make the admirable choice, and they do it 
honorably and without complaint. Our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, 
Marines, and Coast Guardsmen and women are the true heroes and heroines 
in this world, and they are the ones who will help to bring an end to 
war.
  As we observe this Memorial Day, our hearts will be filled with 
gratitude to the brave men and women in uniform who have laid down 
their lives for this great country. And, the voices of those who have 
fallen will echo in

[[Page H3520]]

our memories as we are comforted by the legacy of courage that they 
have established for us. We must all remember that freedom, and the 
blessings it brings, often exacts the ultimate sacrifice. Therefore, 
Mr. Speaker, I stand today to pay tribute to the remarkable servicemen 
and women who have lost their lives so that we may continue ours. They 
have proudly served our country, and now we proudly recognize and honor 
them. May God's grace be upon each and every one of them.
  Mr. CUNNINGHAM. Mr. Speaker, on the eve of the 136th observance of 
Memorial Day, the House of Representatives paused in a moment of 
silence to honor all of our fallen heroes. Men and women across the 
United States and from other countries continue to serve in the defense 
of our great nation and the ideals we hold most important. These brave 
heroes are prepared to make this same sacrifice should their duties 
require it, and that is a grave responsibility we must honor.
  This year I also want to recognize an unsung group of fallen military 
heroes, the countless members of our Armed Forces that served and died 
for our country but were never United States citizens. Many American 
military heroes, past and present, were born outside of the United 
States. From the thousands of non-citizens who fought for our 
independence as a nation, to those who fought for the Union Army during 
the Civil War, to the more than 36,000 non-citizen members of today's 
Armed Forces, these men and women have sacrificed for our country and 
the preservation of our precious freedom. We succeeded today in 
amending the Fiscal Year 2005 National Defense Authorization Act to 
authorize creation of a memorial to recognize these fallen heroes at 
Arlington National Cemetery, our nation's premier military cemetery and 
shrine honoring the men and women who served in the Armed Forces.
  As a combat veteran and member of the House Appropriations 
Subcommittee on Defense, I am keenly aware and appreciative of the 
sacrifices our service members make. In the past, I received the good 
will and recognition of this nation for my service. This Memorial Day, 
I want to extend these sentiments to our service members, my fellow 
veterans, and our fallen heroes from the United States and allies 
nations around the world.
  Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor three young 
men from my district who sacrificed their lives while serving in the 
Armed Forces in the war on terror.
  Jason Plite of Delta Township, Eaton County, Michigan, was a senior 
airman in the Air Force who died while on a mission to rescue two 
injured Afghan children. He was an extraordinary young man who took 
part in an elite Special Forces program to become an airborne paramedic 
and was serving his second tour in Afghanistan. Jason was both artistic 
and athletic, serving as captain of his high school swim team and 
painting murals for local businesses. A sensitive individual who loved 
his country, his family and his friends, Jason was always there when 
someone needed him. He was 21 years old.
  D.J. Wheeler of Concord, Michigan, died in Tikrit while serving as 
gunner on an armored vehicle that was attacked with a rocket-propelled 
grenade. D.J., whose nickname was ``Sunshine'', enlisted right after 
the 9/11 attacks. He delighted in handing out dollar bills and candy to 
Iraqi children and was known for his sense of humor and generous 
spirit. While attending Lumen Christi High School he played offensive 
lineman on the football team. In spite of his towering height, he was 
gentle and loving with friends and family. He was 22 years old.
  Bradley Fox of Adrian, Michigan, was an Army gunner in Iraq. He 
enlisted at age 19, serving in the first Gulf War, Kosovo, Panama and 
Afghanistan. He was severely wounded when his Bradley Fighting Vehicle 
was hit by a roadside bomb and he was evacuated to Germany for 
treatment. Brad was on life-support for a month before he succumbed to 
his injuries with his wife at his side. His fellow soldiers told his 
mother, his wife, and children how proud they were to have served with 
him and what a dedicated leader he had been. Working on his master's 
degree, he was planning to teach after he completed 20 years in the 
Army. He was 35 years old.
  My tribute to these young men should be measured by showing that they 
did not strive and die in vain, but that through their sacrifice, 
future generations can live in greater peace, prosperity, and hope.
  Mr. COSTELLO, Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to all the 
many men and women who have died in defense of our nation. Next week is 
Memorial Day where we join our constituents in honoring those who gave 
their lives to ensure that we enjoy the principles of liberty, justice, 
and democracy. During that time, we remember, honor, and reflect on the 
men and women who paid the ultimate price for their country. Flags fly 
at half-mast, relatives and friends place wreaths and flowers on the 
graves of those they loved, and communities host parades adorned in 
red, white, and blue. These tributes are small tokens we perform in an 
effort to convey our gratitude to those who have served for the cause 
of freedom and democracy.
  Over this last year, my district alone has lost three soldiers: Pfc. 
Matthew Bush, Spc. William Dusenbery, and Capt. John Tipton. Further, 
in my district, Jack Montague, a civilian KBR employee for the 
Halliburton Corporation, died while working in Iraq. Today and 
throughout this Memorial Day week, we honor their memories and their 
families who bear the heaviest burden of our freedom. They are not 
simply statistics; these fallen soldiers were dads, brothers, sons, 
neighbors, and community leaders. While the grief and pain may not have 
faded, I hope it is comforting for them to know that their fallen 
heroes are loved, honored, respected and their cause was just.
  In addition, let us remember that thousands of servicemembers will 
spend this Memorial Day stationed in other countries defending our 
freedoms far away from their families. Mr. Speaker, I join my 
colleagues today in a moment of silence to remember our fallen soldiers 
and pray for peace.
  Mr. COLLINS. Mr. Speaker, throughout the history of the United 
States, men and women have paid the ultimate price for freedom.
  Memorial Day is a day dedicated to the remembrance of those who gave 
their life in the name of freedom.
  The U.S. House of Representatives has assembled in the Capitol to pay 
special tribute to those who have lost their life in the war against 
terrorism. Henceforth, the battle has been in Iraq and Afghanistan.
  I salute those from Georgia who have died on the battlefields in Iraq 
and Afghanistan:
  U.S. Army Specialist Jamaal R. Addison of Roswell.
  U.S. Army Private First Class Diego Fernando Rincon of Conyers.
  U.S. Army Private First Class Michael Russell Creighton Weldon of 
Conyers.
  U.S. Army Captain Edward J. Korn of Savannah.
  U.S. Army Specialist David T. Nutt of Blackshear.
  U.S. Army Specialist John K. Klinesmith of Stockbridge.
  U.S. Army Sgt. Michael T. Crockett of Soperton.
  U.S. Army Sgt. Nathaniel Hart Jr. of Valdosta.
  U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Bobby C. Franklin of Mineral Bluff.
  U.S. Army Private Benjamin L. Freeman of Valdosta.
  U.S. Army Command Sgt. Major Jerry L. Wilson of Thomson.
  U.S. Army Specialist Marshall Edgerton of Rocky Face.
  U.S. Army Specialist Christopher J. Holland of Brunswick.
  U.S. Army Specialist Nathaniel H. Johnson of Augusta.
  U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Ricky L. Crockett of Broxton.
  U.S. Army Sgt. William J. Normandy of Augusta.
  U.S. Army Master Sgt. Thomas R. Thigpen, Sr. of Augusta.
  U.S. Army Specialist William R. Strange of Adrian.
  U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Antoine J. Holt of Kennesaw.
  U.S. Army Private First Class Marquis A. Whitaker of Columbus.
  U.S. Army Specialist Justin W. Johnson of Rome.
  Mr. McNULTY. Mr. Speaker, as the House pauses to remember all the 
brave American men and women of our Armed Forces who have been lost in 
Iraq and Afghanistan, I am proud to honor the service and sacrifice of 
Sgt. Thomas Robbins, who grew up in New York's Capital Region.
  Sgt. Robbins, a cavalry scout with the Army Stryker Brigade's 1st 
Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment out of Fort Lewis, Washington, lost his 
life this February due to injuries sustained in northwestern Iraq.
  Sgt. Robbins is survived by his wife, Gina, their beautiful daughter, 
Marisa, his father, Douglas, and mother, Charlene.
  I know the pain of such a tremendous loss. In August of 1970, I was 
called to my home in Green Island, New York, to learn that my brother 
Bill had been killed in Vietnam. H.M.3 William F. McNulty, a medic in 
the Navy, transferred to the Marine Corps, had been out in the field in 
Quang Nam province patching up his buddies when he stepped on a land 
mine and lost his life. Our family misses him every day.
  On this Memorial Day, Mr. Speaker, I also recall the service of my 
Dad, Jack McNulty, and friends like Leo O'Brien, Lou DiNuzzo, Peter 
D'Alessandro, and other World War II veterans who were part of what we 
now call ``the greatest generation.'' We can all be very proud of the 
beautiful new World War II Memorial on the National Mall. This monument 
will stand for generations in honor of those who put their lives on the 
line for all of us, for our families, and for all that we hold dear.

[[Page H3521]]

  On a daily basis, we should remember that had it not been for all of 
the men and women who wore the uniform of the United States military 
through the years, like my good friend Ned Haggerty, who earned two 
Purple Hearts in Korea, the rest of us would not have the ability to 
boast that we live in the freest and most open democracy on the face of 
the Earth. Freedom isn't free. We have paid a tremendous price for it. 
Let us never forget that.
  Mr. Speaker, our veterans are the reason why, when I get up each 
morning, I thank God for my life--and veterans for my way of life.
  Mr. BLUNT. Mr. Speaker, southwest Missouri learned early in the War 
on Terrorism of the sacrifices necessary to defend our way of life. Two 
men from the 7th Congressional District died in less than a week of 
hostilities in Afghanistan.
  Stanley L. Harriman, 34, a Chief Warrant Officer in the United States 
Army, was the first American killed in combat in Afghanistan on March 
2, 2002. His death brought the harsh realities of war home to the 
Ozarks. Harriman was assigned to the 3rd Special Forces Group at Fort 
Bragg, North Carolina. While Harriman's hometown is Wade, North 
Carolina, he had family ties to Southwest Missouri. He attended and 
graduated from Strafford High School in 1985. ``Stanley died for you 
and you and you,'' his wife, Sheila Harriman, told reporters at Fort 
Bragg, N.C., ``and for your freedom. All Stanley ever wanted to do was 
be an American soldier.''
  Two days later, Army Sergeant Philip Svitak of Joplin was killed in 
action. Svitak was killed by friendly fire while in combat with Taliban 
and al Qaeda forces in eastern Afghanistan during Operation Anaconda on 
March 4, 2002. Svitak was 31. He was assigned to the 160th Special 
Operations Group at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky. His wife and two children 
survived him. He was the only son in a family of veterans. Both his 
mother and father served in Vietnam. Roseann Svitak said her son ``told 
me before he went, `Mom, the terrorists have to be stopped.' He said, 
`If they send me over there and anything happens to me . . . I'm proud 
to die for my country.' ''
  Daniel Kisling, Jr. of Neosho died of injuries suffered in a 
helicopter crash in Afghanistan on January 30, 2003. Kisling and three 
other servicemen were aboard a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter that crashed 
during a training exercise. Staff Sergeant Daniel Kisling, Jr. served 
in the U.S. Army for eight years. At the time of the fatal crash he was 
assigned to the 101st Airborne Division based at Ft. Campbell, 
Kentucky. He was the crew chief aboard the Black Hawk helicopter. 
Daniel Kisling was survived by his parents Daniel Leon and Velinda 
Kisling of Neosho, Missouri, and his sister Lisa. Kisling was married 
to Georgie McNeill for 14 years. They have three children: Nathan, age 
13; Jessie, age 10; and Riley, age 3. A fourth child was born to the 
couple after Sgt. Kisling's death.
  In early May, 2003, Private-First-Class Jess A. Givens was killed in 
a tank accident along the banks of the Euphrates River west of Baghdad, 
Iraq. Jesse Givens, son of Connie Givens of Springfield, Missouri, 
attended Springfield Glendale High School. He was 34 years old. His 
wife and five-year-old child, who live in Ft. Carson, Colorado, survive 
him. Givens was with the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment. His siblings 
live in Joplin and Springfield.
  Twenty-one-year-old Jonathan Paul Barnes from McDonald County was 
killed in a grenade attack July 26, 2003 in Iraq. Barnes was a member 
of the 4th Infantry Division's 1st Battalion, 67th Armored Regiment. He 
joined the Army in April, 2001. At the time of his death he was 
guarding a hospital with two fellow soldiers who were also killed. 
James Barnes, Jonathan's father, who lives in Anderson, Missouri, and 
pastors the Greenwood Community Church near Southwest City, Missouri, 
described his son as a ``strong boy, who loved God and his country. He 
wanted to go,'' his father said. ``He died doing what he wanted to 
do.'' Jonathan Barnes was survived by his wife Amanda and daughter 
Michelle of Goodman, Missouri.
  1st Lt. Benjamin J. Colgan was killed on November 1, 2003 in Baghdad 
while responding to a rocket propelled grenade attack. His wife Jill 
Kathleen Asay of Aurora, Missouri, said, ``He loved his country and 
wanted to make a difference in the world, and he gave his life to make 
a better life for the people of Iraq and for all Americans.'' Colgan 
had been in the U.S. Army 12 years. He was in the 2nd Battalion, 3rd 
Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Armored Division. Jill Asay gave birth to 
the couple's third child in December 2003. Daughters Grace, age 2, and 
Paige, age 1, also survived their father.
  U.S. Army Staff Sergeant James `Doug' Douglas Mowris was among 7 U.S. 
servicemen killed January 29, 2004 in an explosion in Ghazni, 
Afghanistan, about sixty miles southwest of the country's capital city. 
``My husband was proud to serve,'' Mrs. Mowris said. ``He gave the 
greatest sacrifice anyone can give; that was his life . . . . He was a 
good husband and wonderful father.'' Doug Mowris was a member of the 
414th Military Police Company based in Joplin, Missouri. Mowris had 
been in the U.S. Army or Army Reserves since 1984. Mowris was 37 years 
old. He was survived by his wife of 15 years, Michelle, and children 
Craig, age 14, and McKenzie, age 9.
  These men died, leaving friends, family, and children to grieve and 
remember. We also remember another group of Americans who are civilian 
casualties of the War on Terror. John Willett and Craig Amundson were 
Ozarks natives who died in the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York 
and Washington.
  All of these brave men are the faces of this war. They remind me 
every day of what we are fighting for.
  Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, as our nation mourns the loss of 2nd Lt. 
Leonard Cowherd, I rise today to honor this fallen son of Virginia. I 
would like to reflect on his honorable service and sacrifice to the 
United States of America.
  I join his family, wife, and friends who now stand strong as they 
carry on the memory of his life. I extend a special condolence to his 
wife Sarah Cerri Cowherd, his parents Lenny and Mary Ann Cowherd of 
Culpeper, his brother Colby Cowherd, his sister Laura Cowherd, and his 
twin brother, Charles Cowherd. 2nd Lt. Leonard Cowherd will forever be 
in our hearts.
  2nd Lt. Leonard Cowherd called the Culpeper region home and graduated 
from the Wakefield Country Day School in Rappahannock County. Always 
striving to better himself, he applied for and accepted a nomination to 
the United States Military Academy, graduating in 2003. Upon concluding 
an excellent academic career, he married the love of his life, Sarah 
Cerri Cowherd.
  Soon after their wedding, 2nd Lt. Leonard Cowherd answered his 
country's call to defend our flag and took command of a tank platoon 
assigned to Company C, 1st Battalion, 37th Armor Regiment, 1st Armored 
Division. In Iraq, 2nd Lt. Leonard Cowherd gave the ultimate sacrifice 
in the performance of his selfless duty. The life of 2nd Lt. Leonard 
Cowherd will stand forever as a perfect model for all men and women in 
uniform. He is a testament to his family, the American Military, and 
the United States of America.
  2nd Lt. Leonard Cowherd possessed the deepest conviction in the 
freedoms symbolized by the flag of the United States of America. Our 
flag symbolizes strength and conviction, perseverance and steadfast 
morals, justice and liberty. Where our flag stands, so stands freedom. 
The flag of the United States of America stands in the sands of Iraq 
because of 2nd Lt. Leonard Cowherd and so does freedom.
  I join the people of the United States of America, the Commonwealth 
of Virginia, family and friends, and all those who hold the memory of 
2nd Lt. Leonard Cowherd close--that today and everyday following, we 
honor his sacrifice and celebrate his life.
  Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I want to take a moment to thank my 
Colleagues, Congressman Rangel and Congressman Walsh, for organizing 
all of us to take a moment to honor the brave men and women who have 
made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom worldwide.
  As we hold this moment of silence, and on the occasion of Memorial 
Day, let us not lose sight of brave veterans as well. Recently the 
House had the opportunity to honor these fine Americans through 
legislation that would have added $1.3 billion to the Veterans Affairs 
health care budget, and that would have increased funds by $500 million 
over the next 5 years for the Survivor Benefit Plan, which pays a 
military survivor 55 percent of their late spouse's retiree benefits, 
but is reduced to 35 percent at age 62. Both measures were defeated 
before they ever saw any debate by the full House. That this Congress 
would even consider the idea of cutting military families' benefits 
shows a disconcerting emphasis on misguided budget priorities.
  In previous congressional sessions, I have voted to authorize 
increases in cost-of-living adjustments for veterans receiving 
disability compensation and their surviving family members, to expand 
long-term care services for veterans and allow Veterans Affairs to 
generate increased revenue to help pay for health care costs, and to 
increase funding for Veterans Affairs' state extended care facilities 
construction grant program by $10 million. I firmly believe that 
additional benefits are critical to the future success, stability, and 
retention levels for our armed forces. More importantly, this is the 
right thing to do for Texas, our great Nation, and the hardworking 
families of our brave troops and veterans.
  There is absolutely no excuse to duck our responsibilities to the men 
and women of our armed forces, and it is my sincere hope that my 
colleagues do not continue to confuse budget priorities when it comes 
to standing up for these all too important Americans.
  Mr. KIND. Mr. Speaker, as we approach Memorial Day, it is proper that 
the House take a moment to remember the brave American men and women of 
our armed forces who

[[Page H3522]]

have died defending freedom in Iraq and Afghanistan.
  In particular, I want to take this time to remember heroes from my 
district in western Wisconsin.
  First Lieutenant Jeremy L. Wolfe, U.S. Army, of Menomonie, Wisconsin. 
Lieutenant Wolfe was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 101st Aviation 
Regiment, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, 
Kentucky. He died serving in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom on 
November 15, 2003.
  Major Christopher J. Splinter, U.S. Army, of Platteville, Wisconsin. 
Major Splinter was assigned to the 5th Engineer Battalion, 1st Engineer 
Brigade, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. He died serving in support of 
Operation Iraqi Freedom on December 24, 2003.
  Private First Class Bert E. Hoyer, U.S. Army Reserve, of Ellsworth, 
Wisconsin. Private Hoyer was assigned to the 652nd Engineer Company, 
Ellsworth, Wisconsin. He died serving in support of Operation Iraqi 
Freedom on March 10, 2004.
  Private First Class Gregory R. Goodrich, U.S. Army Reserve, of 
Bartonville, Illinois. Private Goodrich's mother lives in Hillsboro, 
Wisconsin. He was assigned to the 724th Transportation Company, 
Bartonville, Illinois. Private Goodrich died serving in support of 
Operation Iraqi Freedom on April 9, 2004.
  These young men paid the ultimate price to enhance our security and 
protect our liberties; they also gave the people of Iraq the greatest 
gift of all: their freedom. I want to extend my heartfelt sympathies to 
their families and friends. Young leaders like these exemplify all that 
is good and decent about America.
  On behalf of a grateful nation, we thank all our brave men and women 
serving in hard and dangerous conditions to bring stability and freedom 
to the people of Iraq and Afghanistan. God bless those who are serving 
and those who have fallen. Their sacrifice is honored by all Americans.
  Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the 
brave men and women of our Armed Forces who have given their lives 
serving their country in Iraq and Afghanistan.
  As Memorial Day approaches, I hope that each man, woman, and child in 
this country pauses to remember those who have made the ultimate 
sacrifice defending our Nation.
  Over the past two years, five young men from the district I represent 
have lost their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan:
  Staff Sergeant Brian Thomas Craig, died in Afghanistan on April 15, 
2002;
  Sergeant Keelan Moss, died in Iraq on November 2, 2003;
  Private First Class Armando Soriano, died in Iraq on February 1, 
2004;
  Private First Class Leroy Sandoval, Jr., died in Iraq on March 26, 
2004; and
  Sergeant Gregory Wahl, died in Iraq on May 3, 2004.
  No words can express our gratitude for the sacrifices these young men 
made to defend our country.
  All those who have given their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan are 
heroes, and we will forever be grateful for their sacrifice.
  As this Memorial Day approaches, I once again ask my colleagues and 
my fellow Americans to join me in remembering those who have served, 
those who are serving, and especially those who have given their lives 
serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
  Ms. CARSON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, as we approach another 
celebration of Memorial Day, it is incumbent that we pay homage to the 
Nation's veterans and war dead with more than just words. Rather, we 
reflect on how our actions honor or may dishonor this great republic 
for which they enlist to defend. Indiana's veterans and war dead share 
in this tribute.
  Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of 
remembrance for those who have died in our Nation's service.
  Those that we remember--veterans--are precious benchmarks for how 
well we have maintained all of the freedoms and democratic principles 
they fought and died for.
  Veterans fought for the survival of all the things that made the 
United States, the leader of the free world: Freedom of religion, 
freedom of speech, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for each 
citizen and not the least--our great Constitution which undergirds this 
Republic.
  It is in defense of our democratic principles and the freedoms that 
we uphold and value for each citizen with no respect to wealth, social 
rank, or might, that we form a military, that we have veterans, that we 
honor them on Memorial Day.
  My memorial to Hoosier veterans and the war dead is to revere what 
they fought and died to preserve:

       We, the People of the United States, in Order to form a 
     more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic 
     Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the 
     general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty, to 
     ourselves, and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this 
     Constitution for the United States of America.

  We are trustees of a future that remembers and honor the past and 
living freedoms. As we honor them this Memorial Day, let us refresh our 
commitment to the trust we bear for the days and years ahead. That is 
the fitting memorial--to honor their service with meaning as we 
remember daily why they serve.
  With special tribute to the war dead of the seventh congressional 
district of Indiana in the Iraq theatre: Pvt. Jesse M. Halling and Pfc 
Derek L. Hallal.
  Mr. GONZALES. Mr. Speaker, I rise humbly today in recognition of the 
brave men and women of the United States military, past and present.
  Memorial Day has become a day in which many Americans have the 
opportunity to spend time with their friends and family. It is 
important to remember, however, that the purpose of this day is to 
honor, as a Nation, those who have sacrificed their lives in service to 
their country. These defenders of freedom were husbands and wives, 
parents and children, friends, and neighbors. They had plans for the 
future and a love for their country. I urge each and every American to 
take a moment this Memorial Day to remember and honor those who have 
given the ultimate sacrifice.
  I would like to take this opportunity to pay special recognition to 
three individuals from the 20th Congressional District of Texas who 
were killed in service to their Nation in Iraq.
  Army Pfc. Anthony Scott Miller was the first soldier from San Antonio 
killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom. This friendly 19-year-old enlisted 
because, according to his brother, he saw it as a way to better 
himself. Anthony had only been in the Army for a year when an Iraqi 
surface-to-surface missile hit a tactical operations center of the 
Army's 3rd Infantry Division, killing Anthony and three others.
  Staff Sgt. Rodrigo Gonzalez was born in Mexico and his family 
immigrated to the U.S. when he was just 1 year old. Like many members 
of his family, including his twin brother Ricardo, Rodrigo was a true 
patriot--he chose to serve in the U.S. military. His family has said 
that Rodrigo loved this country and that he had plans to purse a 
medical career after finishing his participation in the military. He 
had been in Kuwait for only 3 weeks when the Black Hawk helicopter he 
was in crashed.
  Army Staff Sgt. Roland Lee Castro was a soldier, a husband, and a 
father. Roland went to Iraq in April 2003. He returned home last summer 
due to an injury, but, while recovering in San Antonio, Roland told his 
mother, ``I've got to bring my soldiers back safely.'' Shortly 
thereafter, the 26-year-old returned to Iraq to serve with his field 
artillery unit. There, he was accidentally shot. He leaves behind his 
wife, Liliana, and their 4-year-old daughter, Raquel Lee.
  This Memorial Day, I ask that we remember Rodrigo, Roland, Scott, and 
the many other inspiring men and women who have lost their lives in 
service to this great nation. On behalf of all Americans, I wish to 
thank military personnel and their loved ones for their profound 
sacrifices, God bless.
  Mr. GOODE. Mr. Speaker, as we approach Memorial Day, I rise today to 
salute two members of the military from the Fifth District of Virginia, 
who gave their lives in service to the United States in the war on 
terrorism.
  LTC William R. Watkins III, lived in Halifax County, and SGT Michael 
Dooley lived in Bedford County. Both of these men loved this Nation and 
served bravely in Iraq in the war against terrorism. Their untimely 
deaths in the spring of 2003 came as they defended the freedoms that we 
cherish.
  Because Lieutenant Colonel Watkins and Sergeant Dooley joined their 
fellow soldiers in removing the Taliban and Saddam Hussein from power, 
the terrorists no longer have Afghanistan and Iraq from which they can 
operate with impunity and with statesponsored support to plot, plan, 
and mastermind another event like September 11 in our country.
  Because of the bravery of Lieutenant Colonel Watkins and Sergeant 
Dooley and the other hundreds of men and women who have given their 
lives, the United States and much of the World is safer, and we thank 
all of those who are in uniform this Memorial Day.
  Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I respectfully rise during 
this moment of silence to honor and acknowledge members of the armed 
forces from my district, Missouri's Fifth, and commend those who have 
given the ultimate sacrifice in service to our grateful nation for 
their valor, strength and commitment. I also commend those six Missouri 
soldiers injured while serving our country in Iraq and Afghanistan who 
are being treated at the VA Hospital in Kansas City. These courageous 
men have performed admirably and served unconditionally on behalf of 
our country. I extend to them my deepest respect and gratitude.
  I was honored to visit Private Phillip Ramsey of Kansas City on 
several occasions at Walter Reed Hospital. Private Ramsey suffered 
injuries this past September to his left arm and right leg when an 
explosive device hit

[[Page H3523]]

his convoy en route between Tikrit and Baghdad, Iraq. He has 
exemplified courage and strength in his service to our nation and was 
awarded the Purple Heart and promoted to Specialist for his bravery. He 
is now back in Kansas City after spending eight months in recovery at 
Walter Reed Hospital and continues his service in the military. He has 
made his family and our country proud.
  Army Spc. Joel L. Bertoldie of Independence, Mo. was killed on July 
18, 2003 when his vehicle ran over an explosive in Fallujah, Iraq. I 
was privileged to present his family with a flag flown over the Capitol 
in his honor, and to join them at his memorial service to pay tribute 
to a fine son, father and citizen. A former Truman high school student, 
Specialist Bertoldie served honorably in Operation Iraqi Freedom and 
was awarded the Purple Heart, Bronze Star, National Defense Service 
Ribbon and Good Conduct Medal for his valor. His spirit will live on in 
his son, and his memory will inspire all those whose lives he touched.
  Mr. Speaker, I am honored to join with my colleagues to praise these 
heroic soldiers and the sacrifices they have made. God bless them and 
God bless our Nation.
  Mr. MATHESON. Mr. Speaker, Memorial Day is our opportunity, as a 
nation, to pause and pay tribute to the millions of Americans who gave 
their lives for this country. We enjoy our freedom and prosperity 
because we are citizens of a nation that believes in service, 
dedication, and honor. We believe in liberty and our men and women have 
always willingly stepped up when called upon in defense of freedom.
  This year, the Memorial Day weekend celebration on the National Mall 
will specifically honor America's World War II generation. The National 
World War II Memorial, which was authorized by Congress in 1993 in 
memory of those who served and died in World War II, will be dedicated 
in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, May 29, 2004. Sixteen million 
Americans fought valiantly, far from home, to protect not just our 
nation, but the entire world.
  More than 400,000 Americans died during this war. Thousands more gave 
their lives during subsequent wars in Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, 
and most recently in Afghanistan and Iraq.
  I would also like to take a moment to give my thanks to the soldiers 
from my home state of Utah. Over the past few years, nearly four 
thousand Utahns from the National Guard and Reserves, were sent into 
harm's way in the Middle East, or supported those on the front lines. I 
am so proud of these men and women--from the Wasatch Front, from St. 
George, Vernal, Cedar City, and other cities. I am proud of their 
commitment, grateful for their service, and deeply sorry for the 
families of those who won't be returning home.
  God bless this Nation, and the men and women who serve so valiantly 
and with honor.

                          ____________________