[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 85 (Tuesday, June 27, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6549-S6550]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES


                    Lance Corporal David Mendez Ruiz

  Mr. DeWINE. Mr. President, this evening, I come to the floor to pay 
tribute to a brave Ohioan, Marine LCpl David Mendez Ruiz, who was 
killed on November 12, 2005--the day after Veterans Day--by a homemade 
bomb while conducting combat operations in Iraq. He was only 20 years 
old.
  Ronald Reagan once said:

       [S]ome people live an entire lifetime and wonder if they 
     have ever made a difference in the world. The Marines don't 
     have that problem.

  The family and friends of David Mendez Ruiz will indeed never doubt 
the great difference this young man made in the world--both as a 
marine, as a friend, brother, and son.
  David was the youngest of eight children, born to Maximiliano and 
Miriam Mendez. The family moved to the United States from Guatemala 
when David was 6 years old.
  At David's funeral, the service began with the Guatemalan national 
anthem, followed by ``The Star-Spangled Banner.'' David had a profound 
respect for his roots and a great love and appreciation for the United 
States--the country for which he would eventually give his life. 
David's parents instilled in him at an early age a deep reverence and 
love for God and for his country.
  David was baptized at and was a member of Cleveland's House of Praise 
and Prayer, where he was like a son to Eli and Amy Ramos, the church's 
youth pastors. Before leaving for his second tour of duty in Iraq, 
David gave Eli a sound system for his car as a gift to repay him for 
all the times he had spent with him through the years. He wanted Eli to 
remember him each time he listened to Christian music on his stereo. As 
Eli has said:

       That's the way it is. Each time I get into my car, and I 
     put that music on really loud, I remember David. David was a 
     youth full of life, and that is why we all fell in love with 
     him.

  Indeed, David was full of life and so dedicated to his faith. He 
regularly attended Sunday church services in Iraq, even though he was 
thousands of miles away from his home church.
  Family and friends remember David as a friendly, honorable, 
compassionate, and courageous man. They describe his huge smile that 
hid his eyes and brightened a room upon his entry. David was known for 
having a heart that couldn't say no to someone in need and a love of 
God and a love of country that motivated him to join the Marines in the 
first place. David loved being a marine.
  He had spent almost 8 months in Iraq, returned home, and broke his 
back during a snowboarding accident. After recuperating, David left to 
return to Iraq on the Fourth of July. At David's funeral, close friend 
Brandon Joffre, who went to high school with David at the Greater 
Cleveland Christian Academy in Middleburg Heights, told mourners that 
David had always dreamed of joining the service. This is what he said:

       He always wanted to be in the military, real hard core, 
     definitely born to be a marine. That's the thing. He was 
     killed, but he was killed doing something he loved.
       He wanted to be there. I expected to grow up and [have] our 
     kids hang out [together], and I'd see him get married and all 
     that. It's hard. Every time I see a picture of him with that 
     smile, I want to cry.

  Gillian Newman, a friend of David's Since elementary school, told 
those gathered at the funeral that she loved watching movies with 
David. They would have great fun trying to remember the lines from the 
movies, even months later. Most of all, she says that she loved his 
kind spirit. ``We could challenge him to a game of pool 150 times, and 
he could beat us every time and never say, `I told you [so] .' ''
  David's friend Brandon also shared that sentiment:

       David lived a very honorable life and accomplished a lot in 
     such a short period of time. Words do not describe how proud 
     I am of David. God had a plan for David's life, and David 
     served him well. He was always happy, always had a smile on 
     his face. He made friends everywhere he went.

  Fellow Marine Marcial Rodriguez, wrote the following words about 
David:

       When I heard the news last November that U.S. Marine David 
     Mendez Ruiz, a Hispanic immigrant from Cleveland, died in 
     Iraq, my thoughts were a little strong. I felt pride, but at 
     the same time, anger--pride because David was fulfilling a 
     dream like many young people, to serve by fighting in the 
     U.S. Marines. Even though some people criticized him, he kept 
     serving his country.
       He lost his life without surrendering to anything, fighting 
     for his country, for a just cause, with honor. I feel anger 
     because many Hispanic young people like us struggle to give 
     Hispanics a good name so that Americans don't think we only 
     cause problems--so that Americans can see that we too, the 
     Hispanic people, contribute our grain of sand, like David's 
     sister Sandra said. . . . That's how David wanted to live his 
     life--with pride, in peace.


[[Page S6550]]


  Mr. President, and Members of the Senate, David demonstrated his 
commitment to service in so many ways, but his long record of awards 
speaks for itself. He received the Combat Action Ribbon, the National 
Defense Service Medal, the War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the 
War on Terrorism Service Medal, and two Sea Service Deployment Ribbons. 
David also received the Purple Heart Medal.
  David Mendez Ruiz was a young man who exemplified courage under 
pressure and who always strived to make life a little better for those 
around him. The Greater Cleveland Christian Academy has set up a 
scholarship in his memory, so that his legacy can live on through the 
education of other students. There is no better way to carry on the 
memory of this brave young American who lost his life while fighting to 
ensure that we can continue to enjoy freedom and opportunity.
  Mr. President, David Mendez Ruiz is a true hero and proved his 
unwavering allegiance to the United States in the most selfless way--by 
giving his life in service to our country. My wife, Fran and I continue 
to keep David's large and wonderful family and his many friends in our 
thoughts and in our prayers.
  Mr. President, I see my colleague on the Senate floor. I have about 
10 more minutes.


                     Staff Sergeant Kendall Ivy II

  Mr. President, this evening I would like to speak in honor of Marine 
SSgt Kendall Ivy II, a 28-year-old Ohioan who lost his life on May 11, 
2005. He was killed by a roadside bomb while serving our country in 
Iraq.
  Mr. DeWINE. Mr. President, I rise today to honor Marine SSG Kendall 
Ivy, II, a 28-year-old Ohioan who lost his life on May 11, 2005. He was 
killed by a roadside bomb while serving our country in Iraq.
  A native of Galion, OH, Kendall was a well-known football and 
baseball athlete at Galion High School, where he graduated in 1995. He 
joined the military right after high school, applying these athletic 
skills of teamwork to the Marine Corps. After the military, Kendall was 
planning to continue his education and become a history teacher and 
coach.
  Most important to Kendall was his family, consisting of his wife, Lee 
Ann, sons, Caleb and Harrison, daughter, Reagan, and parents, Raymond 
and Venita ``Kay'' Ivy. Additionally, Kendall is survived by three 
brothers, a sister, and their spouses: Kenneth and Charlotte Ivy, Kathy 
and Doug Shifley, Kevin and Michelle Ivy, and Keith and Becky Ivy. Lee 
Ann was 5 months pregnant with their son Gabriel at the time of 
Kendall's death.
  Kendall and Lee Ann first saw each other in middle school. Lee Ann 
said that after she met him, she spent the greatest 14 years of her 
life. Kendall and Lee Ann got married young. Kendall once told her, 
``What if we wait and then die in our late twenties? We would miss out 
on so much married life.'' Indeed, Kendall Ivy was a true family man. 
He learned of Caleb's birth when he was pulled out of formation on the 
flight deck of an aircraft carrier. Kendall loved his two boys, but the 
birth of his daughter changed his life, Lee Ann said. He was very much 
a family man and was looking forward to coming home and spending time 
with all of them.
  Venita says that her son was ``destined to be a Marine.'' From the 
age of 3, he wanted to wear the gold eagle, globe, and anchor insignia 
of the Corps. He made that happen, becoming a staff sergeant while 
planning a career in the Marines. He served in the United States Marine 
Corps for 10 years. Venita said her son told her he ``wanted to serve 
this country, that we need to be over there in Iraq so they can be free 
like we are.''
  Kevin Ivy also remembers his younger brother's dream of becoming a 
marine, saying:

       He lived life to the fullest. He was kindhearted. He loved 
     his country. He loved his president. He believed in what he 
     was doing. Each and everyone of these fine young men and 
     women is in a dangerous situation. But my brother understood 
     that, and he was willing to lay down his life for the cause 
     of freeing these people.

  Kendall Ivy was loved dearly not only by his family, but also by 
those who had the privilege to serve with him. Marine CPT Dave Handy 
wrote the following statement on an Internet tribute site to Kendall:

       I was then Staff Sergeant Ivy's platoon commander for a 
     short time and remember him leaving the Marine Corps to seek 
     new adventures. I was ecstatic to hear that such a fine 
     leader of Marines had rejoined the Corps and then brought to 
     tears to hear of his death. I remember him as a ruthless 
     enforcer of standards, a superb example for young Marines, 
     and a patient mentor for all around him. All officers should 
     have been so lucky as to serve with enlisted leaders of Staff 
     Sergeant Ivy's superior caliber. My thoughts and prayers are 
     with his family and I look forward to seeing him again on the 
     streets of heaven. Semper Fidelis.

  On the same tribute site, Aric Wells of Nashville, TN, said:

       To my friend. To his wife and children. I am deeply sorry. 
     To all who did not have the privilege of knowing Staff 
     Sergeant Ivy, let me tell you that we have lost a great man. 
     A man with morals and convictions that did not waver. A man 
     who would give the shirt off his back to help you out. Staff 
     Sergeant Ivy would go to bat for you when others would turn 
     their backs. He was a damn good man and always a Marine. I 
     will always remember him.

  Indeed, Kendall Ivy was deeply loved by all those who knew him. At 
Camp Ripper, Iraq, a new gym was opened on August 1, 2005, named the 
``Staff Sergeant Kendall H. Ivy II Memorial Gym.'' His presence is felt 
daily by those like SGT Johnny A. Noguera, the gym manager. Sergeant 
Noguera said:

       Everyone wants to make this place as nice as possible, 
     especially for the Marines who knew Staff Sergeant Ivy. When 
     I was growing up in South America, one of my father's friends 
     had a son who was a Marine. He was so proud of him and he 
     seemed to have this aura around him. That's how Staff 
     Sergeant Ivy was and that's what I wanted to be. I know that 
     many people miss him and they look at this gym as a direct 
     reflection of their love for him. This is why I stress to the 
     guys who work here to keep this place in order so we can 
     properly pay homage to the man who it's named after.

  The Marines who attended Kendall's funeral remembered going to the 
gym with him, then not being able to persuade him to leave. At the end 
of the workout, Kendall would then ask if his arms looked any bigger. 
Lee Anna says that her husband ``was worse than a woman about his hair 
and weight.''
  To end, I would like to quote Sergeant Downing, who wrote a few words 
about Kendall on the Internet tribute site. He writes:

       I served with Staff Sergeant Ivy in Weapons Company, 1st 
     Battalion, 6th Marines. Someone once said, `the best 
     compliment you can give is to say he was a good Marine.' 
     Well, Staff Sergeant Ivy was a damn good Marine!

  Kendall Ivy epitomized not only the meaning of a good Marine, but 
also of the ideal son, husband, and father. My wife Fran and I continue 
to keep the family and friends of SSG Kendall Ivy in our thoughts and 
prayers.
  I yield the floor.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Thune). The Senator from Illinois.

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