[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 86 (Monday, June 21, 2004)]
[House]
[Page H4621]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  HONORING LANCE CORPORAL JASON MURRAY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Colorado (Mrs. Musgrave) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. MUSGRAVE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a true American 
hero, 20-year-old Lance Corporal Jason Murray. Lance Corporal Murray is 
a United States Marine from the 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st 
Marine Division. Jason's home is in Sterling, Colorado, in the 
northeast part of our beautiful State.
  Jason has wanted to serve in the military since he was a boy. He 
graduated from Sterling High School in 2002 and enlisted in the Marines 
in the fall of that year. He became engaged to his high school 
sweetheart, Kelsi, in the fall of 2003 following boot camp.
  Jason is currently recovering from injuries he received in Iraq on 
March 29. Jason was patrolling near Ar Rahmadi searching for improvised 
explosive devices. One of the devices detonated 3 feet in front of 
Jason, killing the Marine in front of him and seriously injuring Jason. 
Jason received the full force of the explosion, with shrapnel striking 
him in the face, chest, and arms. He lost his right eye and currently 
has no vision in his left eye. He lost most of the teeth on the left 
side of his face and received brain trauma as well.
  He spent 10 days in a drug-induced coma at the 31st Combat Support 
Hospital outside of Baghdad. Numerous surgeries were performed before 
he was stable enough to be airlifted to Landstuhl, Germany, and then on 
to Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland where his family and fiance 
joined him. Jason is making a remarkable recovery and has recently been 
transferred to Craig Medical Center in Denver for rehabilitation.
  Because he received wounds while in combat, Lance Corporal Jason 
Murray was awarded the Purple Heart. Jason also received a flag that 
had been flown over the Capitol in his honor on March 23, 2004.
  Mr. Speaker, we are so fortunate to live in this great country where 
freedom is something that we rarely have to think about and often take 
for granted. It is simply a way of life for us, and we are truly 
blessed to live in a country that honors citizens for their spirit, 
their ideas, their individuality, and their courage. We can maintain 
the blessings of our freedoms only because we have citizens like Jason 
who are willing to fight to defend them for us.
  I am proud to honor Jason for his courage and sacrifice on behalf of 
all Americans. I applaud Jason for his courage and selfless dedication 
to duty. He has helped protect our democracy and kept our homeland safe 
by placing his life on the line.
  Jason is truly the embodiment of all the values that have molded 
America into this great Nation that it is today.
  May God bless Jason.

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