[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 117 (Friday, July 20, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1577]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          HONORING SERGEANT ERIC A. LILL OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DANIEL LIPINSKI

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 19, 2007

  Mr. LIPINSKI. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to 
Sergeant Eric A. Lill, a courageous young soldier and father, who died 
in Iraq on July 6, 2007. As we all deeply mourn his loss, we use this 
time to honor his life and express our gratitude for his dedicated 
service.
  Eric Lill grew up in Chicago's Bridgeport neighborhood and graduated 
in 1997 from St. Lawrence High School in Burbank, IL. He then attended 
Marshall University where he played hockey and studied criminal 
justice. From an early age, Eric desired to serve the public and our 
Nation, and he felt called to enlist in the U.S. Army.
  Eric's determination and outstanding performance enabled him to 
attain the rank of sergeant and become a mentor to other soldiers. Most 
recently, Sergeant Lill served under the 2nd Infantry Division and was 
deployed to Iraq in October 2006. During this time, Sergeant Lill 
utilized his background and interest in criminal justice to help train 
Iraqi police officers. Although this mission was hazardous, Sergeant 
Lill always downplayed the danger to his family so that they would not 
worry. Two days after Independence Day, an improvised explosive device 
detonated near Sergeant Lill's vehicle during combat operations in 
Baghdad. The injuries sustained by Sergeant Lill resulted in his 
death--he was only 28.
  Aside from his military service to our Nation, Eric Lill was 
dedicated to his family as a loving father and son. He is survived by 
his two children, Cody and Mikayla, affectionately known to him as 
``Bug'' and ``Lala;'' his parents, Charmaine and Tony; his sister, 
Kortne; and his maternal grandparents, John and Marlene Alvarado.
  Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in mourning the loss of 
Sergeant Eric A. Lilt. We will never forget his sacrifice and are 
forever indebted to him, as well as all of our soldiers who have died, 
for making the ultimate sacrifice for our country. My thoughts, 
prayers, and deepest sympathies are with the Lill family in this 
difficult time.

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