[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 127 (Friday, October 8, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10817-S10818]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES

  Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, today I rise to pay tribute to 29 young 
Americans who have been killed in Iraq since September 3. All of them 
were from California or were based in California.


             Petty Officer 3rd Class Eric L. Knott, age 21

  Petty Officer Knott was killed September 4 when the area in which he 
was working was struck by enemy fire. He died of shrapnel wounds and 
had been supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
  He was assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 4, Port 
Hueneme, CA.


                Lance Corporal Lamont N. Wilson, age 20

  Lance Corporal Wilson died September 6 due to enemy action in Al 
Anbar Province.
  He was assigned to second Battalion, first Marine Regiment, first 
Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, CA.


                Corporal Mick R. Nygardbekowsky, age 21

  Corporal Nygardbekowsky was killed in action September 6 from an 
explosion while conducting combat operations in the Al Anbar Province.
  He was assigned to second Battalion, first Marine Regiment, first 
Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, CA. He was from Concord, CA.


               Lance Corporal Joseph C. McCarthy, age 21

       Lance Corporal McCarthy was killed in action September 6 
     from an explosion while conducting combat operations in the 
     Al Anbar Province.
  He was assigned to second Battalion, first Marine Regiment, first 
Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, CA.
  He was from Concho, CA.


                 Lance Corporal Quinn A. Keith, age 21

  Lance Corporal Keith died September 6 due to enemy action in Al Anbar 
Province.
  He was assigned to second Battalion, first Marine Regiment, first 
Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, CA.


                Lance Corporal Derek L. Gardner, age 20

  Lance Corporal Gardner was killed in action September 6 from an 
explosion while conducting combat operations in the Al Anbar Province.
  He was assigned to Headquarters Battalion, first Marine Division, 
Camp Pendleton, CA.
  He was from San Juan Capistrano, CA.


               Private First Class David Burridge age 19

  Private First Class Burridge died September 6 due to enemy action in 
Al Anbar Province.
  He was assigned to second Battalion, first Marine Regiment, first 
Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, CA.


                Lance Corporal Michael J. Allred, age 22

  Lance Corporal Allred died September 6 due to enemy action in Al 
Anbar Province.
  He was assigned to second Battalion, first Marine Regiment, first 
Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, CA.


            First Lieutenant Alexander E. Wetherbee, age 27

  First Lieutenant Wetherbee died September 12 from injuries received 
from enemy action in Al Anbar Province.
  He was assigned to 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, first Marine 
Division, Camp Pendleton, CA.


            Private First Class Jason T. Poindexter, age 20

  Private First Class Poindexter died September 12 due to enemy action 
in Al Anbar Province.
  He was assigned to second Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, first 
Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, CA.


                   Specialist Edgar P. Daclan, age 24

  Specialist Daclan died September 10 in Balad, Iraq when his patrol 
was responding to indirect fire and an improvised explosive device 
exploded.
  He was assigned to the first Battalion, 18th Infantry, first Infantry 
Division from Schweinfurt, Germany.
  He was from Cypress, CA.


                Lance Corporal Dominic C. Brown, age 19

  Lance Corporal Brown died September 13 due to a non-combat related 
incident in Al Anbar Province.
  He was assigned to Headquarters Battalion, first Marine Division, 
Camp Pendleton, CA.


                Staff Sergeant Guy S. Hagy, Jr., age 31

  Staff Sergeant Hagy died September 13 in Baghdad when an improvised 
explosive device detonated near his observation post.
  He was assigned to the first Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, first 
Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, TX.
  He was from Lodi, CA.


                       Maj. Kevin M. Shea, Age 38

  Maj. Shea died September 14 due to enemy action in Al Anbar Province.
  He was assigned to first Marine Regiment, first Marine Division, Camp 
Pendleton, CA.


               Lance Corporal Matthew D. Puckett, age 19

  Lance Corporal Puckett died September 13 due to enemy action in Al 
Anbar Province.
  He was assigned to 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, first Marine 
Division, Camp Pendleton, CA.


                   Corporal Adrian V. Soltau, age 21

  Corporal Soltau died September 13 due to enemy action in Al Anbar 
Province.
  He was assigned to 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, first Marine 
Division, Camp Pendleton, CA.


                  Lance Corporal Drew M. Uhles, age 20

  Lance Corporal Uhles died September 15 from injuries received due to 
enemy action in Al Anbar Province.
  He was assigned to first Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, first Marine 
Division, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, CA.


                     Corporal Jaygee Melaut, age 24

  Corporal Melaut died September 13 due to enemy action in Al Anbar 
Province.
  He was assigned to 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, first Marine 
Division, Camp Pendleton, CA.


                First Lieutenant Andrew K. Stern, age 24

  First Lieutenant Stern died September 16 from injuries received due 
to enemy action in Al Anbar Province.
  He was assigned to first Tank Battalion, first Marine Division, 
Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, CA.


                  Corporal Steven A. Rintamaki, age 21

  Corporal Rintamaki died September 16 due to enemy action in Al Anbar 
Province.
  He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, first Marine Regiment, first Marine 
Division, Camp Pendleton, CA.


                 Corporal Christopher S. Ebert, age 21

  Corporal Ebert died September 17 due to enemy action in Al Anbar 
Province.
  He was assigned to second Battalion, first Marine Regiment, first 
Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, CA.


                Lance Corporal Gregory C. Howman, age 28

  Lance Corporal Howman died September 15 due to enemy action in Al 
Anbar Province.
  He was assigned to second Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, first 
Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, CA.


                Lance Corporal Steven C.T. Cates, age 22

  Lance Corporal Cates died September 20 due to enemy action in Al 
Anbar Province.
  He was assigned to first Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, first Marine 
Division, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, CA.


                   Sergeant Benjamin K. Smith, age 24

  Sergeant Smith died September 22 due to enemy action in Al Anbar 
Province.
  He was assigned to first Tank Battalion, first Marine Division, 
Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, CA.


                   Lance Corporal Ramon Mateo, age 20

  Lance Corporal Mateo died September 24 as result of enemy action in 
Al Anbar Province.
  He was assigned to Headquarters and Service Company, 7th Marine 
Regiment, first Marine Division, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, 
Twentynine Palms, CA.


                    Sergeant Timothy Folmar, age 21

  Sergeant Folmar died September 24 as result of enemy action in Al 
Anbar Province.
  He was assigned to second Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, first 
Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, CA.


                  Lance Corporal Aaron Boyles, age 24

  Lance Corporal Boyles was killed in action September 24 from small 
arms

[[Page S10818]]

fire while conducting combat operations in the Al Anbar Province.
  He was assigned to Headquarters and Service Company, 7th Marine 
Regiment, first Marine Division, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, 
Twentynine Palms, CA.
  He was from Alameda, CA.


          Sergeant First Class Joselito O. Villanueva, age 36

  Sergeant First Class Villanueva died September 27 in Balad, Iraq when 
he was at an observation post and was shot by a sniper.
  He was assigned to the 9th Engineer Battalion, first Infantry 
Division, Schweinfurt, Germany.
  He was from Los Angeles, CA.


             Private First Class Kenneth L. Sickels, age 20

  Private First Class Sickels died September 27 in Al Anbar Province.
  He was assigned to first Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, first Marine 
Division, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, CA. 
He was from Apple Valley, CA.
  Two hundred and eighty three soldiers who were either from California 
or based in California have been killed while serving our country in 
Iraq. I pray for these young Americans and their families.


               LIEUTENANT David Kingsley Memorial Service

  Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, in just a couple of weeks, on October 23, a 
memorial will be erected by villagers and family member at Suhozem, 
Bulgaria to honor one of our Nation's brave soldiers and one of 
Oregon's native sons, Lt. Kingsley. Today, I wish to take a few minutes 
to remember Lt. Kingsley and share his story of great courage and 
sacrifice.
  The story of Lt. David Kingsley is emblematic of the strength and 
pioneering spirit of the earliest Oregonians. Lt. Kingsley was born and 
raised in Portland, OR and graduated from Benson High School. Prior to 
enlisting in the Air Force, he worked in the disaster unit of the 
Portland Fire Bureau--always committed to the service of his community 
and country. During the Second World War, he went to pilot training, 
and then served as a bombardier in a B-17F. He was assigned to the 
341st Bomb Squadron, 97th Bombardment Group, 15th Air Force.
  On June 23, 1944, he was on Mission No. 295, flying out of Amendola 
airfield in Foggia, Italy against the Dacia Oil Refinery in Ploesti, 
Romania. While on the bombing run, the right wing of his aircraft was 
hit by enemy fire. His aircraft took 15 strikes, crippling it as it 
flew over Bulgaria. The attack injured several members of the aircrew, 
including the tail-gunner. Lt. Kingsley had to remove the tail-gunner's 
damaged parachute to provide first-aid.
  An order to bailout was given; the Lieutenant gave his parachute to 
the injured tail-gunner and reminded him to pull the ripcord. The last 
airman exiting the crippled aircraft remembers seeing Lt. Kingsley 
standing in the bomb bay of the plane, making sure all of his fellow 
crew were out of the plane first. Because of Lt. Kingsley's previous 
flying experience, he jumped into the pilot's seat and tried to regain 
control of the aircraft, which descended and circled the field in an 
attempt to land. Witnesses reported seeing the aircraft dive steeply 
and crash in a field just north of Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Lt. Kingsley 
never got out alive. For his extreme bravery he was posthumously 
awarded the Medal of Honor.
  Today, one of the Oregon Air Guard's F-15 units is based in southern 
Oregon at Kingsley Field, named in Lt. Kingsley's honor. This year 
marked the 60th anniversary of that fateful day and of Kingsley's 
heroism.
  At a time when so many young men and women from Oregon and all across 
the Nation are fighting overseas, we honor their service. And we must 
also remember to honor the service of these veterans--some of whom, 
like Lt. Kingsley, have made the ultimate sacrifice--so that we can 
live in freedom and continue to pursue our dreams. We do not forget and 
will not forget them, and we are forever grateful for their honorable 
service to and sacrifices for our Nation.


                        Sergeant Joshua J. Skvor

  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I rise today in honor of a fellow Iowan 
and a dedicated serviceman, Sergeant Joshua J. Skvor, of Cedar Rapids, 
IA. It is my sad duty to inform the Senate that Sgt. Skvor, a member of 
the Iowa National Guard, lost his life when the truck he was driving 
was involved in a collision with another vehicle north of Amana, IA. My 
deepest sympathy goes out to his family and friends. Sgt. Skvor was 
assigned to the Iowa Army National Guard's Headquarters and 
Headquarters Company, 234th Signal Battalion, stationed in Cedar 
Rapids. He is survived by his mother and father, Rachel and Joseph 
Skvor. They can be very proud of their son.
  Though not currently serving on Federal active duty, Sgt. Skvor had 
recently returned from a 14-month deployment in Iraq in support of 
Operation Iraqi Freedom. As we mourn his tragic loss, it is fitting 
that we pay tribute to his service to his country. He will be missed by 
his fellow soldiers as well as all those who knew him.

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