[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 98 (Tuesday, July 19, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1524]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                RECOGNIZING EMANUEL ``TROOPER'' LEDEZMA

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. HENRY CUELLAR

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 19, 2005

  Mr. CUELLAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Emanuel ``Trooper'' 
Ledezma, a rising star in San Antonio, Texas.
  Emanuel was born in 1982 to two Mexican immigrants who came to our 
country to achieve the American Dream. Emanuel immediately took an 
interest in boxing, joining his brothers at the San Fernando Gym.
  Although Emanuel has been a dedicated boxer since the young age of 9, 
he realized the importance of education and service, graduating from 
Clark High School and enlisting in the United States Army in early 
2002.
  Emanuel served as a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division while 
he was stationed in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. In 2003 he was deployed 
to Iraq for a tour of duty, and while there, he received numerous 
medals including, among others, Operation Iraqi Freedom, National 
Defense Medal, and two Army Accommodation Medals.
  While enlisted and stationed at Ft. Bragg, Emanuel joined the Ft. 
Bragg Boxing Team and traveled throughout North Carolina in 
competitions. He now trains at the Zarzamora Street Gym and plans to 
make San Antonio and his family proud by pursuing and succeeding at 
boxing at the professional level.
  Being fluent in both English and Spanish, Emanuel hopes that his 
cultural and ethnic roots can help him reach out to Latino youth and 
show them the importance of education, hard work, and perseverance.
  Emanuel is a true representation of the ``American Dream'' that his 
immigrant parents came to this country to achieve, and I am proud to 
have this opportunity to recognize him here today.

                          ____________________