[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 10 (Thursday, January 18, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S749-S750]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE USS ``CHEYENNE''

  Mr. ENZI. Madam President, I rise today to honor SSN 773, the USS 
Cheyenne, for her 10 years of service in the U.S. Navy in defense of 
our freedom.
  On July 6, 1992, the keel was laid for the USS Cheyenne in Newport 
News, VA. She was launched on April 16, 1995. On September 13, 1996, 
Mrs. Ann Simpson sponsored the USS Cheyenne. I am pleased to now occupy 
the seat of Ann's husband, Senator Alan Simpson, in the U.S. Senate.
  Since September 11, 2001, the USS Cheyenne has been engaged in 
important missions as part of the global war on terrorism. The USS 
Cheyenne earned the distinction of the first to strike when she was the 
first ship to launch Tomahawk missiles in Operation Iraqi Freedom under 
the command of Commander Charles Doty. She would go on to successfully 
launch her entire complement of Tomahawks, earning a clean sweep for 
combat actions in the final three months of her nine month deployment. 
That level of excellence continues today from her homeport in Pearl 
Harbor, HI.
  The USS Cheyenne is the last Los Angeles class submarine built and 
the third ship in our Nation's fleet named in honor of the city home to 
Wyoming's State capital. The first USS Cheyenne, a tugboat, entered 
service in 1898. The second USS Cheyenne, BM 10, was originally the 
monitor class USS Wyoming. In 1909 it was renamed USS Cheyenne to make 
the name available for the battleship BB 32, the new USS Wyoming. 
Fiction writer Tom Clancy further cemented the legend of the USS 
Cheyenne when he made the submarine a central player in a battle for 
the Spratly Islands in his novel ``SSN.''
  Cheyenne, Wyoming's motto is ``Live the Legend.'' The 145 submariners 
who are aboard the USS Cheyenne have adopted the motto ``Ride the 
Legend.'' The city of Cheyenne has formed a special bond with the crew 
of her namesake. Each year the outstanding sailors of the USS Cheyenne 
are the guests of the city of Cheyenne for Cheyenne Frontier Days, the 
world's largest outdoor rodeo, and the ``Daddy of them All''. Many of 
the sailors have never been out West or been to a rodeo. For a week the 
submariners enjoy Wyoming hospitality and have a chance to live the 
legend. It is a small chance for Wyoming and the people of Cheyenne to 
repay a debt of gratitude to the crew of the USS Cheyenne.
  Commander Michael Tesar assumed command of the USS Cheyenne on June 
4, 2006. I wish him well in his new command and thank Commander Richard 
Testyon Jr. for his time at the helm. Commander Tesar brings extensive 
experience to the USS Cheyenne and will lead SSN 773 well.
  The best skippers are complemented by outstanding crew; I would like 
to honor the crew of the USS Cheyenne. They include EM3 Richard Akins, 
LTJG Andrew Alvarado, MM1 Cory Alvis, STS3 John Andrada, YNSA Alfonso 
Angel, STS2 Andrew Aubry, STSSA Raynor Barton, STS2 Adam Baugh, LT 
Brett Bayer, MM3 Gregory Benedict, ET1 Charles Berger, MM3 Tyler Bird, 
MMC David Blake, MM2 Steven Bolek, EM2 Nicholas Brechtel, MM3 Daniel 
Breedlove, ET3 Jeremy Brown, MM3 Jeremy Bruner, ENS James Bucklin, SK3 
James Burnett, LTJG Rene Cano, LTJG David Ciha, MM2 Shayne Clemens, 
LTJG Christopher Clevenger, MMFN Clyde Comstock, FTC Jonathan Consford, 
CSSA James Couch, STSSN Colt Couture, MM1 Falanda Culp, LT Michael 
Darby, LTJG Drew DeWalt, MM3 Juan Diaz, ET3 Lucas Dunbar, MM1 Jack 
Durand, MM2 Jon Espinoza, YN1 Gregorio Familia, ET3 Joseph Filbert, ET3 
Chad Fogler, STSSN Abraham Freet, MM2 Steven Frey, SKSN Christopher 
Fuller, ET3 Shane Garrod, MMFN Robert Gauld, LCDR John Gearhart, ET1 
Christopher Ghramm, MM3 Warren Givens, FTC Russell Goltry, LT Parrish 
Guerrero, ET1 John Guthrie, ET3 Cory Hall, ET2 Long Han, MMFN David 
Harper, STS2 Christopher Heffernan, CSSN Jacob Holder, ET3 Stilling 
Horton, EM2 Angier Hsu, ETC Barry Hudson, EM3 Benjamin Huelle, CSCS 
Kenneth Hughley, ETC David Ingalls, ET3 John Ingle, EM3 Nicholas 
Jessee, MM2 Christopher Johnson, ET2 Robert Johnson, ET3 James Johnson, 
STSC Alan Jones, MM3 Edward Ketheley, EM1 William Lawrence, FT2 Sean 
Little, MM3 John Livengood, MM2 Justin Lynn, MM3 Jonathan Mac Dula, 
STS2 John Marsh, FT2 Xavier Martinez, ET3 Shaun McCarthy, STS2 Ryan 
McClure, MM3 Brian McEndree, MM2 Jeremy McLean, FT1 Nicholas Messina, 
SN Kenton Metzler, EM2 John Miranda, MM2 Thomas Mitchell, EM2 Ambrose 
Montera, EM3 Matthew Nesbitt, MM3 Hung Nguyen, MM3 Erik Nielson, ETSN 
Matthew Noland, STS2 Matthew Odom, MM3 Chad O'Hagan, ET1 Jonathan 
Okert, HMC Nathaniel Olipas, ET3 Steven Pack, CS1 Ted Paro, STS3 
Brandon Pash, FT2 Donald Peachey, ET3 Errane Pearce, CS3 Wesley 
Peltier, ET1 Steven Perry, ETCS John Perryman, EM3 Michael Proskine, 
ET2 David Purser, ETC Raul Quintana, LTJG Eric Rasmussen, SKC Randall 
Riley, CS1 Harry Robinson, MM1 Alvin Rodriguez, FTC Damean Rogers, MM2 
Douglas Ross, FT2 Anthony Rossi, LTJG Nicholas Saflund, ET3 Jacob 
Saylor, STSSN Charles Scaife, ET3 Derek Scammon, ET2 Kevin Scharkey, 
LCDR Ian Schillinger, ET2 John Schmidt, MMC Timothy Schreyer, LTJG 
William Sheridan, MMFR Grant

[[Page S750]]

Shirley, STS3 Levi Shockley, ETCS Gregory Silvey, STS1 Michael Simonds, 
ET3 Tim Simson, EM1 Jerome Smallwood, YNSN Michael Smith, ET2 Anthony 
Spartana, MMC John St. Clair, EMC David Stephens, MM3 Kevin Stewart, 
MMC Gary Strong, MM3 Jesse Swain, EM2 William Tabata, CDR Michael 
Tesar, MM3 Joshua Tomlinson, LTJG Christopher Topoll, CSSR Joshua 
Towles, LT Carl Trask, MMFR Justin Trickett, ET2 Eric Trumbull, FT2 
Landon RG, MM1 Christian Watson, ET3 Kevin Watson, MM2 Robert Wehrmann, 
ETC Michael Willison, MM3 Nicholas Wittmann, STS2 Robert Wood, EM2 
James Workman, CMDCM Andrew Worshek, and MM3 Charles Wreede.
  Again I congratulate the USS Cheyenne and her crew on the 10th 
anniversary of their service and thank them for their sacrifices in 
defense of our great Nation.

                          ____________________