[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 129 (Tuesday, September 4, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11044-S11045]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            OUR ARMED FORCES


                  Honoring Corporal Willard M. Powell

  Mr. Bayh. Mr. President, today, with a heavy heart, I honor the life 
of the brave Army corporal from Evansville, IN. Willard M. Powell, 21 
years old, died on August 16, 2007, in Balad, Iraq, from injuries 
sustained during combat operations in Taramiyah, Iraq. With an 
optimistic future before him, Will risked everything to fight for the 
values Americans hold close to our hearts, in a land halfway around the 
world.
  Will's ambition was to become a marine, and he joined the Army at the 
age of 19 after graduating from Reitz High School. He passionately felt 
the call to duty as he left for basic training, looking forward to his 
long-anticipated career in the military. Will was deployed to Iraq 
April 2007, where he worked diligently in his infantry unit, awaiting 
his promotion to corporal. It was during his assignment to the 4th 
Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment of the 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry 
Division Strykers from Fort Lewis, WA, that he was killed while serving 
his country.
  Today, I join Will's family and friends in mourning his death. Will 
was a loving son to his mother and stepfather, Sunny-Kay and Mark 
Powell, and to his father and stepmother, Willard and Linda Kerchief. 
He will be greatly missed by his grandparents, Barbara Poodry, Gloria, 
and Tim Thibodeau, Larry and Patti Powell, and Raymond Kerchief and his 
great-grandmother Marcetis ``Cedi'' Milton.
  In Evansville, Will was an active member of the First Christian 
Church, where he attended Bible study classes with friends and fellow 
church-goers. Will bonded with the other members of the church's youth 
group and built important friendships. He was passionate about sports 
and a skilled athlete himself, qualifying for the Junior Olympics in 
bowling. Those who knew him best say he taught them the meaning of true 
friendship and possessed an extraordinary pride in his service to our 
country.
  Today and always, Will 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. 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 Will, a memory that will burn brightly during these continuing 
days of conflict and grief.
  As I search for words to do justice in honoring Will'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

[[Page S11045]]

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 Will's actions will live on far longer that any record of 
these words.
  It is my sad duty to enter the name of Willard M. Powell in the 
official record of the United States 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 Will's family 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 Will.

                          ____________________