[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 104 (Tuesday, June 26, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H7200]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  2300
                   HONORING LT. COL. KEVIN SONNENBERG

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, tonight, I rise to honor the life of Lt. 
Col. Kevin Sonnenberg of the Ohio National Guard, another American war 
hero who was laid to rest today in his beloved State of Ohio. His peers 
have noted that Col. Sonnenberg will be remembered as a fearless 
fighter pilot who perished before his time serving the Nation he loved.
  Col. Sonnenberg died on the 15th of June, 2007, when his F-16 
Fighting Falcon crashed near Balad Air Base in Iraq, shortly after 
takeoff.
  He had just departed on a mission to provide air support to Coalition 
ground forces fighting anti-Iraq forces.
  Colonel Kevin Sonnenberg was an instructor pilot and C Flight 
Commander assigned to the 112th Fighter Squadron in Toledo, Ohio. He 
had numerous deployments with the unit, including Operation Northern 
Watch, Turkey; Operation Southern Watch, Kuwait; Operation Enduring 
Freedom, Qatar; and Operation Iraqi Freedom, Iraq. He truly is an 
American hero.
  Colonel Sonnenberg was well decorated for his service during these 
missions, receiving awards and decorations including: The Bronze Star, 
Meritorious Service Medal with Valor, the Air Medal, the Aerial 
Achievement Medal with two Devices, the Air Force Achievement Medal 
with two Devices, the Joint Meritorious Unit Award with Gold Border, 
the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with one Device, the Combat 
Readiness Medal with four Devices, the National Defense Service Medal 
with one Device, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Iraq Campaign 
Medal, Global War on Terror Service Medal, the Air Expeditionary Ribbon 
with Gold Border, the Air Force Longevity Service Award with three 
Devices, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with four Devices, the Bronze 
Hourglass ``M'', Arabic four, Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon 
with one Device, the Air Force Training Ribbon, the Ohio Distinguished 
Service Medal with Valor, and the Ohio Faithful Service Ribbon with two 
Devices.
  A 1983 graduate of Napoleon High School, Kevin Sonnenberg earned a 
Bachelor of Science degree from Bowling Green State University in 1987. 
He graduated from the Academy of Military Science in 1991, followed by 
the Squadron Officers School in 2001 and the Air Command and Staff 
College in 2007.
  An Instructor Pilot of F-16s with more than 1,900 hours flown, 
Lieutenant Colonel Sonnenberg served several assignments in his tenure 
with the Ohio Air National Guard, including his most recent with the 
112th Fighter Squadron.
  A traditional member of the Ohio National Guard, Lieutenant Colonel 
Sonnenberg was also a commercial pilot and farmer. He had been a 
commercial airline pilot with Delta Airlines since from 2000 until his 
death. He grew up farming with his father and remained devoted to their 
partnership.
  In the Great War of the last century, the poet Alfred Noyes penned 
his thoughts about English fighter pilots in ``To the Royal Air 
Force.'' His words written so long ago capture the spirit of today's F-
16 fighter pilots and Kevin Sonnenberg when he wrote,
  ``Whether at midnight or at noon,
  ``Through mist or open sky,
  ``Eagles of freedom, all our hearts
  ``Are up with you on high . . .
  ``From realms beyond the sun
  ``And whisper, as their record pales,
  ``Their breathless, deep, Well Done!''
  His fellow airmen wrote that, ``Lieutenant Colonel Sonnenberg will be 
remembered as a Renaissance man, able to maneuver America's most 
advanced aircraft in a perilous war zone one week and then discuss corn 
and soybean crops with Henry County farmers the next. And he did both 
with his natural, down-home nature that endeared him to so many across 
Ohio, the Air Force and the world. He should be honored as a patriot 
whose commitment to his country was surpassed only by his devotion to 
God.''
  Lieutenant Colonel Kevin Sonnenberg was a man of action, a man of 
character, a man who revered God and country and family. He drank deep 
from the cup of life and lived the journey well, though too short. I 
imagine he would concur with the words of Christina Rosetti in her 
poem, ``Remember'':
  ``Remember me when I am gone away,
  ``Gone far away into the silent land;
  ``When you can no more hold me by the hand,
  ``Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay.
  ``Remember me when no more day by day.''
  I would like to close my remarks by paying tribute to him on behalf 
of the F-16 fighter pilots of the 180th Tactical Fighter Squadron in 
our region, to their support staff, to all the members of the Ohio 
National Guard, to their families and all Buckeyes who truly revered 
this man's life.
  Just about a month and a half ago, I wished off that unit with over 
350 members of the Ohio National Guard to fly to Iraq to join their 
colleagues who have been based there for several months. I gave Kevin 
Sonnenberg a hug before he left, as I did to every F-16 pilot that 
left.
  This F-16 unit is the best that America has. They rank at the top of 
every single measure that this Nation has. He was among the finest of 
the finest in our country. He gave his all to us. He did all he was 
asked to do. He died loving his family, his country and his God; and we 
love him and his family and his country and our God.
  Mr. Speaker, it is fitting that we end this evening in tribute to the 
life of a great American airman.

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