[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 115 (Wednesday, September 22, 2004)]
[House]
[Page H7406]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  SPECIAL TRIBUTE FOR AMERICAN HEROES

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Gutknecht) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. GUTKNECHT. Mr. Speaker, I rise with my friend from Texas tonight 
to pay a special tribute to some genuine American heroes and one in 
particular. Last week, I met with the mother, Maria, the mother of 
Sergeant Juan Calderon, Jr., and I must tell my colleagues, those were 
very, very difficult times. And they are very difficult times for her, 
and it was not easy for me.
  In the book of John, the good shepherd says, ``Greater love has no 
man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.'' Sergeant 
Juan Calderon did exactly that on Monday, August 2. He died in a 
military hospital while fighting and doing operations in Iraq.
  Sergeant Calderon was a native of Weslaco, Texas, as the gentleman 
just preceding me said. He was a resident of Camp Pendleton, 
California. I had the opportunity to meet with his mother, Maria, who 
lives in Alden, Minnesota. He has many friends and relatives in the 
Alden and Albert Lee area. His father, Juan, Sr., still resides in 
Texas. Calderon's wife of 3 years lives at Camp Pendleton in California 
and, I regret to say, is expecting their first child.
  Calderon's awards include the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement 
Medal, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, the 
Humanitarian Service Medal and the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.
  Juan Calderon's sister said recently in an interview with the Albert 
Lee Tribune, ``Juan, Jr., was a big comedian. He was full of life. He 
was excited to actually go to Iraq and serve his country. He was always 
proud to serve and proud of what he was doing.''
  Calderon's father recently received a letter, and reported in the 
Associated Press was an account where his son had written to him where 
he said, ``Don't worry about me. You raised me for 19 years. Now it is 
time for me to do something to repay you.''
  I would like to repeat a story, though, because I think sometimes we 
need to be reminded that what we are doing there is important. 
Recently, in a story about an Iraqi translator, a woman whose children 
were taken away from her more than 6 months ago, her husband beat her. 
Her brother threatened her life while holding a gun to her head, and 
her own father contracted for her death with a $500,000 reward. All of 
this because she was assisting the American coalition. She said, ``You, 
the soldiers and marines, come from America to help my country. I must 
help you help my people. I see these soldiers that lose their lives for 
Iraqis. They come into our country and die for us. We must appreciate 
these guys. I appreciate the Army and the Marines. I love them.''
  Ronald Reagan used to say, those who say that we are in a time where 
there are no heroes, well, they just don't know where to look. On 
August 2, we lost several heroes. One of them, Sergeant Juan Calderon, 
Jr., will be mourned. He will be missed. He will not be forgotten.
  Sergeant Calderon did not die in vain. Freedom must prevail. May 
Almighty God have mercy on this good and faithful servant. May He 
continue to bless this country and all who defend her.

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