[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 74 (Tuesday, June 1, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6264-S6265]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES


                     Lance Corporal Kyle W. Codner

  Mr. HAGEL. Mr. President, I rise to express my sympathy over the loss 
of Kyle W. Codner of Shelton, NE, a lance corporal in the U.S. Marine 
Corps. Corporal Codner was killed on May 26, 2004, in the Anbar 
province in Iraq while performing security and stability operations. He 
was 19 years old. CPL Matthew Henderson of Lincoln, NE, a good friend 
of Codner, was killed in the same explosion.
  Corporal Codner grew up on a farm east of Shelton, NE, and graduated 
from Shelton High School in 2003. He joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 
June 2003, and was deployed to Iraq in February of this year. He was 
assigned to 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, 1st 
Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton, CA. Codner was one of 
thousands of brave American service men and women serving in Iraq.
  Corporal Codner is survived by his parents, Dixie and Wain Codner of 
Shelton; sister, Melissa; and fiancee, Megan Kirkover. Our thoughts and 
prayers are with them at this difficult time. America is proud of Kyle 
W. Codner's service and mourns his loss.
  For his service, bravery, and sacrifice, I ask my colleagues to join 
me and all Americans in honoring Lance Corporal Codner.


                            Hesley Box, Jr.

  Mrs. LINCOLN. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to a brave 
Arkansan who gave his life in the defense of his Nation. SSG Hesley 
Box, Jr., 24, of Nashville, AR, died on May 6, 2004, in Baghdad, Iraq, 
in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Staff Sergeant Box died when a 
car bomb detonated near his guard post.
  Hesley, or ``Tanky'' as his family called him, joined the Guard in 
1997. He was just 24 years old when he left for Iraq in March with the 
39th Infantry Brigade. Even though he was a young soldier, Hesley was 
already a veteran of two other deployments in Bosnia and Saudi Arabia.
  Our condolences and prayers go out to Hesley's wife, Alexia; his two 
sons Zacheas and TaDarius; his parents, Hesley, Sr., and Barbie Box, 
and his brother, Tarcus Kyron Box.
  Hesly's wife Alexia recounted the impact he had on peoples' lives and 
the love he showed for their children. The Nation will long remember 
the impact this brave Arkansan has had on the safety and security of 
all Americans. I am honored to pay tribute to his sacrifice.


                              Troy Miranda

  Mrs. LINCOLN. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to one of 
Arkansas' finest who gave his life in the defense of his nation. SSG 
Troy ``Leon'' Miranda, 44, of Little Rock died on May 20, 2004, in 
Baghdad, Iraq, when a grenade was thrown near his patrol.
  According to his mother Bobby, Troy graduated from Wickes High School 
and went on to study business at Henderson State University. He joined 
the Army National Guard almost 20 years ago and was assigned to the 
Guard's counterdrug program. For the last 10 years he worked with the 
Arkansas State Police in the criminal investigation division's office 
of investigative support.
  Leon showed the kind of heroism that makes all Arkansans proud. He 
lost his life protecting other men in his unit. He has been awarded the 
Bronze Star and Purple Heart. The Associated Press reported that Troy's 
brother, Phillip Miranda, also stationed with the 39th in Iraq, would 
accompany his brother's body home to Arkansas.
  Our condolences and prayers go out to Troy's parents, Carlos and 
Bobby Miranda, and to his siblings.
  Troy's sister-in-law said of him that, ``He was the bravest person I 
knew.'' We honor the spirit of bravery that Troy exhibited while 
protecting his Nation from her enemies. His sacrifice will not soon be 
forgotten.


                     Corporal Matthew C. Henderson

  Mr. HAGEL. Mr. President, I rise to express my sympathy over the loss 
of Matthew C. Henderson of Lincoln, NE, a corporal in the U.S. Marine 
Corps. Corporal Henderson was killed on May 26, 2004, in the Anbar 
province in Iraq while performing security and stability operations. He 
was 25 years old. LCpl Kyle Codner of Shelton, NE, a good friend of 
Henderson, was killed in the same explosion.
  Corporal Henderson graduated from Palmyra High School and went on to 
play football at Nebraska Wesleyan for 2 years before joining the 
Marines. He was assigned to 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine 
Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton, CA. 
Henderson was one of thousands of brave American service men and women 
serving in Iraq.
  Corporal Henderson is survived by his father, Owen Henderson of 
Bennet; mother, Becky and sister, Kellie Henderson of Lincoln; and 
wife, Jaimie of Lincoln. Our thoughts and prayers are with them at this 
difficult time. America is proud of Matthew C. Henderson's service and 
mourns his loss.

[[Page S6265]]

  For his service, bravery, and sacrifice, I ask my colleagues to join 
me and all Americans in honoring Corporal Henderson.


                    staff sergeant joseph garyantes

  Mr. CARPER. Mr. President, I would like to set aside a few moments 
today to reflect on the life of Army SSG Joseph Garyantes. Joe 
epitomized the best of our country's brave men and women who are 
fighting to free Iraq and to secure a new democracy in the Middle East. 
He exhibited unwavering courage, dutiful service to his country, and 
above all else, honor. In the way he lived his life--and how we 
remember him--Joe reminds each of us how good we can be.
  Joe was born in Wilmington, DE, to Geraldine and the late James 
Garyantes. When he was 5 years old, his family moved to the Rehoboth 
Beach area. Joe attended Rehoboth Elementary School and Epworth 
Christian School. At Epworth, Joe was remembered was a man with a 
dynamic personality and a good sense of humor. He always was loyal to 
his fellow friends and teammates and won the most valuable player award 
in 10th grade for basketball. His family later moved to Florida.
  When Joe was 18, he seriously considered spending life in the 
ministry helping people. Ultimately, though, this Delaware native 
enlisted in the Army and became a soldier at the young age of 20. His 
mission always remained the same though--helping people. When Joe was 
stationed in Kosovo before going to Iraq, he asked his family to send 
care packages. These packages were not for him. They were meant for 
needy kids in the area. During the holiday season, Joe would bring over 
single soldiers for Christmas dinners and make them feel as though they 
were part of the family.
  Joe spent the last several years in Germany, where he lived with his 
wife, Monika, and their two sons, Tevin, 6, and Ryan, 4. He was killed 
by a sniper in Muqdadiyah, Iraq. Joe was assigned to B Company, 1st 
Battalion, 63rd Armor Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, Vilseck, 
Germany.
  I rise today to commemorate Joe, to celebrate his life, and to offer 
his family our support and our deepest sympathy on their tragic loss. 
Our country is deeply grateful for his noble service to others, his 
idealism and for the example that he provided to all Americans by the 
way he led his life.

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