[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 96 (Tuesday, July 13, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Page S8022]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES


               Sergeant First Class Linda Tarango-Griess

  Mr. HAGEL. Mr. President, I express my sympathy over the loss of 
Linda Tarango-Griess of Sutton, NE, a Sergeant First Class in the 
Nebraska Army National Guard. SFC Tarango-Griess was killed on July 11, 
2004 near the city of Samarra in Iraq when a roadside bomb exploded 
near her convoy. She was 33 years old.
  SFC Tarango-Griess was originally from North Platte and graduated 
from Kearney High School. She was a full-time soldier for 14 years in 
the Nebraska Army National Guard and was deployed to Iraq in February 
of this year. Tarango-Griess was assigned to the 267th Ordnance Company 
based in Lincoln and was responsible for direct support maintenance for 
coalition forces in the region, including the installation of 
additional armor protection on military Humvee vehicles to make them 
safer. Tarango-Griess was one of thousands of brave American service 
women and men serving in Iraq.
  SFC Tarango-Griess is survived by her parents, Augustin and Juanita 
Tarango of North Platte; and husband, SSGT Douglas Griess, of Sutton. 
Our thoughts and prayers are with them at this difficult time. America 
is proud of Linda Tarango-Griess' service and mourns her loss.
  For her service, bravery, and sacrifice, I ask my colleagues to join 
me and all Americans in honoring SFC Tarango-Griess.


                        Sergeant Jeremy Fischer

  Mr. HAGEL. Mr. President, I express my sympathy over the loss of 
Jeremy Fischer of Lincoln, NE, a Sergeant in the Nebraska Army National 
Guard. SGT Fischer was killed on July 11, 2004 near the city of Samarra 
in Iraq when a roadside bomb exploded near his convoy. He was 26 years 
old.
  SGT Fischer will be remembered as a hard-working, positive 
individual. He joined the Nebraska Army National Guard in 1999 and was 
deployed to Iraq in February of this year. He was assigned to the 267th 
Ordnance Company based in Lincoln and was responsible for direct 
support maintenance for coalition forces in the region, including the 
installation of additional armor protection on military Humvee vehicles 
to make them safer. Fischer was one of thousands of brave American 
service men and women serving in Iraq.
  SGT Fischer is survived by his parents, James Fischer of Hastings and 
Kathy Fischer of Lincoln; and wife of nearly 8 months, Sarah Fischer, 
of Lincoln. Our thoughts and prayers are with them at this difficult 
time. America is proud of Jeremy Fischer's service and mourns his loss.
  For his service, bravery, and sacrifice, I ask my colleagues to join 
me and all Americans in honoring SGT Jeremy Fischer.


                    Sergeant Robert E. Colvill, Jr.

  Mr. BAYH. Mr. President, I rise today with a heavy heart and deep 
sense of gratitude to honor the life of a brave young man from 
Anderson, IN. Sgt. Robert E. Colvill, 31 years old, died on July 8 in 
Samarra, Iraq when the building he was in came under attack. With his 
entire life before him, Rob chose to risk everything to fight for the 
values Americans hold close to our hearts, in a land halfway around the 
world.
  Rob graduated from Madison Heights High School in 1991 and joined the 
Marines shortly thereafter, following a long family tradition of 
military service. Rob dedicated 8 years of his life to active duty 
before retiring from the Marines. According to family and friends, it 
did not take long for Rob to realize that civilian life was not for 
him. After one year, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and was assigned to 
Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry 
Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, Schweinfurt, Germany. This past 
spring, Rob was deployed to Iraq, where he bravely fought for 4 months 
before sacrificing his life for the worthy cause of freedom. Robert 
Colvill Sr. told the Anderson Herald-Bulletin that his son, Rob, ``was 
doing what he wanted to do and did his best. He was trained for this. 
It was his calling.''
  Rob was the thirtieth Hoosier soldier to be killed while serving his 
country in Operation Iraqi Freedom. This brave young soldier leaves 
behind his father, Robert; his wife, Chris; his two sons, Travis and 
Zachary; and his stepdaughter, Suzanne. May Rob's children grow up 
knowing that their father gave his life so that young Iraqis will some 
day know the freedom they enjoy.
  Today, I join Rob's family, his friends and the entire Anderson 
community in mourning his death. While we struggle to bear our sorrow 
over his death, we can also take pride in the example he set, bravely 
fighting to make the world a safer place. It is his courage and 
strength of character that people will remember when they think of Rob, 
a memory that will burn brightly during these continuing days of 
conflict and grief.
  Rob was known for his dedicated spirit and his love of country. When 
looking back on the life of this late student and former athlete, 
Madison Heights High School Track Coach John McCord, told the Anderson 
Herald-Bulletin, ``He was the kind of kid you liked to have on any 
team. He always gave his best effort. He always practiced and trained 
hard and competed to the best of his abilities.'' Today and always, Rob 
will be remembered by family members, friends and fellow Hoosiers as a 
true American hero and we honor the sacrifice he made while dutifully 
serving his country.
  As I search for words to do justice in honoring Rob's sacrifice, I am 
reminded of President Lincoln's remarks as he addressed the families of 
the fallen soldiers in Gettysburg: ``We cannot dedicate, we cannot 
consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and 
dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power 
to add or detract. The world will little note nor long remember what we 
say here, but it can never forget what they did here.'' This statement 
is just as true today as it was nearly 150 years ago, as I am certain 
that the impact of Rob's actions will live on far longer than any 
record of these words.
  It is my sad duty to enter the name of Robert E. Colvill in the 
official record of the U.S. Senate for his service to this country and 
for his profound commitment to freedom, democracy and peace. When I 
think about this just cause in which we are engaged, and the 
unfortunate pain that comes with the loss of our heroes, I hope that 
families like Rob's can find comfort in the words of the prophet Isaiah 
who said, ``He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will 
wipe away tears from off all faces.''
  May God grant strength and peace to those who mourn, and may God be 
with all of you, as I know He is with Rob.




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