[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 64 (Monday, May 22, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4881-S4882]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES


                       Sergeant James A. Sherrill

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I come to the floor today to reflect on 
the tremendous sacrifice and dedication displayed on a daily basis by 
our country's soldiers. In particular, I wish to call to my colleagues' 
attention the story of one young man who laid down his life defending 
our country.
  While words cannot lessen the anguish of those who knew and loved 
him, they can illuminate his heroism and sacrifice. So it is entirely 
appropriate that we pause today to remember and celebrate the life of 
SGT James A. Sherrill of Ekron, KY.
  Sergeant Sherrill served in the Kentucky Army National Guard's 2113th 
Transportation Company based out of Paducah, KY. Tragically, he died in 
Bayji, Iraq, on April 3, 2005, as he and his fellow soldiers were 
escorting a supply convoy. An improvised explosive device detonated 
near his military vehicle. He was 27 years old.
  For his valorous service, Sergeant Sherrill was awarded the Bronze 
Star Medal and the Purple Heart. He had previously received both the 
Army Good Conduct Medal and the Armed Forces Reserve Medal, and he was 
awarded the Kentucky Distinguished Service Medal, the second highest 
honor that the Commonwealth of Kentucky can bestow.
  James moved around the country a bit growing up, but while he was 
still young, the Sherrill family settled in Kentucky--Ekron, to be 
precise, a small town of a few hundred people in Meade County and the 
birthplace of legendary Baseball Hall of Famer Pee Wee Reese. In Ekron, 
James and his younger brother B.J. would grow up together and become 
well known throughout the community.
  The Sherrills are a close-knit family. William ``Buddy'' Sherrill and 
his wife Beatrice, two soft-spoken people, have a lifetime of memories 
of their son James. William and Beatrice raised James and B.J. to love 
others, respect authority, and to be true gentlemen.
  Being the older brother, James took his role as his brother's keeper 
seriously--most of the time. Beatrice recalls, however, when James and 
B.J. were still very young, one time when B.J. imagined himself to be 
the superhero Batman. To inaugurate his career as a caped crusader and 
to strike fear in the hearts of criminals, B.J. decided to jump out a 
window.
  But heights can be intimidating, especially to a small child. Even 
one wearing a cape and a mask. So just as he was about to jump, B.J. 
hesitated.
  Noticing his younger brother sitting on the edge of the windowsill in 
the Sherrill home, James decided it was up to him to help his brother 
out the only way he knew how. So James came up behind B.J. and gave him 
the push he wasn't looking for.
  Asked why he had just pushed his brother out the window, James looked 
up at his parents and told them sincerely he was only ``trying to help 
his brother.'' Thankfully, no one was seriously hurt, and James's 
understanding of how best to help others, shall we say, ``evolved'' 
over time.
  A few years later, James found success on the football field. He soon 
became cocaptain of the Meade County High School varsity football team. 
His drive on the field spilled over into the weight room, where he 
broke several of his school's weightlifting records.
  James's greatest moments on the field came his senior year with 
brother B.J., then a sophomore, also on the team. James played 
fullback, blocking opponents and creating holes for his ball-carrying 
brother, who played halfback. Over the course of the season, this one-
two brotherly combination would amass an outstanding record. ``Our 
whole community knew him because of [the] sports he played,'' B.J. said 
of his brother James.
  Beyond the yards gained or the touchdowns scored, this portrait of 
one brother leading the way for the other illustrated the relationship 
the two shared throughout James's life. William Sherrill said:

       B.J. always looked up to James. They were best friends. 
     Losing James has been particularly hard on B.J. . . . he's 
     more serious now.

  James was a protector, not only for B.J. but for others he helped 
mentor, such as the children at his local church and his fellow 
soldiers in Iraq. Given the choice between going to college or joining 
the military, James opted for the Marines, where he expanded his 
skills, traveled the world, and developed his faith.

  After completing his tour with the Marines, James returned home to 
Ekron, where he decided to continue serving his country and joined the 
Kentucky National Guard. He also became a student at Elizabethtown 
Community College, hoping to pursue a career in law enforcement, and he 
met the love of his life.
  James used his experience from the Marines to, as his father put it, 
``become a leader that everyone looked to.'' He always emphasized the 
importance of being focused on the mission at hand to his squad. He 
constantly double-checked his team to make sure they all knew their 
roles. James knew he and his fellow soldiers would be navigating some 
of the most deadly stretches of highway in the world.
  Whenever he called home, however, he said the dangers of his job did 
not worry him. James's father recalls that his son felt at peace with 
what he was doing, even though he knew he may never make it home. 
William Sherrill attributes this serenity to his son's faith.
  James reached his final resting place on April 12, 2005, in a small 
plot of land adjacent to the Zion Grove Baptist Church in Ekron. 
Sergeant Sherrill was buried with full military honors. Later that 
afternoon, William Sherrill rested on the front porch of a neighbor's 
home to reflect on the day's events.
  Eventually, he looked up to see, stretched out across the sky, one of 
the brightest rainbows he had ever witnessed. This magnificent rainbow 
seemed to spring up from the Sherrill family home, stretch into the 
sky, and then arc downward, delicately landing near the cemetery of 
Zion Grove Baptist Church.
  Every day when William Sherrill drives his truck home from work, his 
route usually takes him past James's grave site. And every day he is 
sure to slow his vehicle and blow his son a gentle kiss.
  I am grateful to William and Beatrice Sherrill today for sharing 
their stories of James with us. We are thinking of James's brother, 
B.J., today as well.
  Across the Nation, other families understand the simple gesture of 
blowing a kiss, for they, too, have lost a loved one in the line of 
duty. As a nation, we all grieve with these families. Yet we feel a 
sense of pride as well; pride at

[[Page S4882]]

the notion that thousands of men and women of courage have volunteered 
to wear the uniform and face danger in order to protect America.
  SGT James Sherrill demonstrated his courage twice over, first by 
joining the Marines, and again by joining the Kentucky National Guard. 
His devotion and his sacrifice were a gift to the rest of us. We must 
treasure that gift.
  Mr. President, I ask my colleagues to keep the family of SGT James 
Sherrill in their thoughts and prayers. They will certainly be in mine.


                   lance corporal david gramesSanchez

  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 Fort 
Wayne. David GramesSanchez, twenty-two years old, was killed on May 11 
in a tank wreck near Karmah, 50 miles west of Baghdad in the Anbar 
province. Leaving his life and family behind him, David risked 
everything to fight for the values Americans hold close to our hearts, 
in a land halfway around the world.
  According to his family, joining the Marine Corps had been a lifelong 
dream of David's and he loved being in the Corps. An Elmhurst High 
School wrestler remembered for his infectious smile, David followed the 
family tradition of joining the service. Both his grandfathers had 
served, and despite the objections of some of his relatives, David 
enlisted shortly after his high school graduation. His aunt told a 
local news outlet, ``I tried to talk him out of (joining the Marines) 
because I knew something might happen to him. But he was very 
independent and loved his country. It seems apparent now that David was 
called by God and his country to lead a purpose-driven life. He wanted 
to make a difference.'' David was on his second tour of duty in Iraq 
when he was killed.
  His death came as a second blow to his community, as David was the 
second graduate of his high school to die in Iraq. Six months ago, a 
roadside bomb attack killed Army Corporal Jonathan Blair, a 2002 
Elmhurst graduate.
  David was killed while serving his country in Operation Iraqi 
Freedom. He was assigned to the 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine 
Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C. This brave 
soldier leaves behind his wife, Lindsay Walsh; his 2-year-old son, 
Corbin; his father, David Grames, and father's fiancee, Lory Burton; 
his mother, Guadalupe Sanchez; his sister, Emily Grames; and numerous 
other relatives.
  Today, I join David's family and friends in mourning his death. While 
we struggle to bear our sorrow over this loss, 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 David, a memory that will burn brightly 
during these continuing days of conflict and grief.
  David was known for his dedication to his family and his love of 
country. Today and always, David 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 David'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 David's actions will live on far longer that any 
record of these words.
  It is my sad duty to enter the name of David GramesSanchez 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 David'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 David.


                   Sergeant Lonnie Calvin Allen, Jr.

  Mr. HAGEL. Mr. President, I rise to express my sympathy over the loss 
of Army SGT Lonnie Calvin Allen, Jr., from Nebraska. Sergeant Allen 
died when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle 
while on patrol northwest of Baghdad on May 18. He was 26 years old.
  Sergeant Allen grew up in Bellevue, NE, and graduated from Bellevue 
East High School in 1998. After 2 years at Northeastern Junior College 
in Sterling, CO, he enlisted in the U.S. Army. After his first 
enlistment was completed, Sergeant Allen reenlisted and was deployed to 
Iraq in August 2005. He was a member of the 10th Mountain Division 
based out of Fort Drum, NY. Sergeant Allen will be remembered as a 
loyal soldier who had a strong sense of duty, honor, and love of 
country. Thousands of brave Americans such as Sergeant Allen are 
currently serving in Iraq.
  Sergeant Allen is survived by his wife Birgit, and parents, Lonnie 
and Sallie Allen. Our thoughts and prayers are with them at this 
difficult time. America is proud of Sergeant Allen's heroic service and 
mourns his loss.
  I ask my colleagues to join me and all Americans in honoring Sergeant 
Lonnie Calvin Allen, Jr.

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