[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 32 (Tuesday, February 24, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E319]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


             THROUGH UNITY, STRENGTH--TRAGEDY AT TEXAS A&M

                                 ______
                                 

                              HON. TED POE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 24, 2009

  Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, the Texas A&M Aggies are known to 
boast many mottos, but a saying less famous than ``Gig 'em'' or 
``Hullabaloo'' is one they lean on during times of hardship: ``Through 
Unity, Strength.'' Last month, the student body was struck with another 
tragedy and two of Texas' warriors were taken from their families, 
friends and fellow students. The student body has banded together to 
get through this tragedy and in that unity they, once again, are 
finding their strength. I would like to take this opportunity to honor 
the two men who dedicated their lives to serving this country and whose 
time was cut short by a tragic accident.
  On January 12th, during routine helicopter training on Texas A&M's 
campus, two soldiers were killed in the accidental crash. Lieutenant 
Zachary Cook was a recent A&M graduate and had just been commissioned 
as a United States Army officer. His temporary assignment was with 
Texas A&M's ROTC program which was holding the training demonstration 
for some ROTC cadets. Zachary, 22, was a former member of the Corps of 
Cadets Company D-1 and had just received his degree in December. There 
has already been an outpouring of support for this young man from A&M's 
student body and there will assuredly be hundreds of voices answering 
``Here'' during roll call at the university's memorial service known as 
``Muster'' in April.
  Sergeant Charles Mitts, 42, of Spring, TX also died in the helicopter 
crash. Sergeant Mitts had served his country dutifully his entire adult 
life. After graduating from high school in Killeen, TX Charles served 
in both the Gulf War and Operation Iraqi Freedom. During his deployment 
to Iraq he served in General Petraeus' personal helicopter unit and he 
was currently enlisted in the Texas Army National Guard. Sergeant Mitts 
devoted his life to serving this country and is one of the many 
warriors that Texas is proud to call its own.
  Madam Speaker, we honor these soldiers and their oath to serve us and 
protect all that we hold dear. Across the entire state Texans are 
honoring Sergeant Mitts, Lt. Cook and their families. As P.H. Duval Jr. 
put it so eloquently in his famous poem ``The Last Corps Trip''--

     It was Judgment Day in Aggieland
     And tenseness filled the air;
     All knew there was a trip at hand,
     But not a soul knew where . . .

     . . . And the band poured forth the anthem,
     In notes both bright and clear
     And ten thousand Aggie voices
     Sang the song they hold so dear.

     And when the band had finished,
     St. Peter wiped his eyes
     And said, ``It's not so hard to see
     They're meant for Paradise.''

     And the colonel of the Cadet Corps said
     As he stiffly took his stand,
     ``It's just another Corps Trip, boys,
     We'll march in behind the band.

  And that's just the way it is.

                          ____________________