[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 79 (Thursday, May 21, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H5984-H5985]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  THE LONG LAMENTABLE DARKNESS OF WAR AND THE PATRIOTS WHO BRING THE 
                             MORNING LIGHT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, it's been solemnly said that ``the 
story of America's quest for freedom is inscribed on her history in the 
blood of her patriots.'' Those comments were made by Randy Vader.
  America was born of war and has always had to fight to keep liberty's 
light shining very bright.
  Monday is Memorial Day. We honor those of the military family who 
went somewhere in the world, fighting for America's ideals and 
protecting the rest of us, but did not return home. Their blood has 
stained and sanctified the lands of Europe, the Middle East, Asia, the 
Pacific Islands, the soil of America and places known only by God.
  One of those warriors was Frank Luke. Madam Speaker, you may have 
never heard of him, but he is just one of the 4.4 million doughboys 
that went over there in World War I. He's an example of the young, 
tenacious American warrior.
  This is a photograph of him taken shortly before his death in 1918. 
In World War I, in September of 1918, in just 9 days of combat flying, 
10 missions, and only 30 hours of flight time, Second Lieutenant Frank 
Luke shot down 18 enemy aircraft. Let me repeat. Eighteen enemy 
aircraft.
  On his last patrol, though pursued by eight German planes, without 
hesitation he attacked and shot down in flames three German aircraft, 
being himself under heavy fire from ground batteries and hostile 
planes. Severely wounded, he descended within 50 meters of the ground 
and, flying at this low altitude in France, opened fire on enemy 
troops, killing six and wounding many more. Forced to make a landing, 
and surrounded on all sides by the enemy, he drew his automatic pistol, 
defended himself gallantly until he fell dead with a wound in the 
chest.
  Frank Luke was 20 years of age. He had been in Europe less than 30 
days. He won the Congressional Medal of Honor, and he was the first 
aviator in United States history to win the Congressional Medal of 
Honor. He was one of the 116,000 doughboys who died in the War to End 
All Wars that did not return home.
  Author Blaine Pardoe referred to him as the ``terror of the autumn 
skies.''
  That was 90 years ago. It has always been the young that give their 
youth so we can have a future. And we should always remember every one 
of them, every one that died in all of America's wars.
  Now we are engaged in a war in the valley of the sun and the deserts 
of the gun, in Iraq, and the rugged, cruel, rough mountains of 
Afghanistan.
  My congressional district area of southeast Texas has lost 26 
warriors since I have been in Congress. Here they are, Madam Speaker. 
You notice they represent a cross section of the United States. They 
are all races. They're of both sexes. They are of all ages, and they're 
from all branches of the service. They're from big cities like Houston, 
Texas, and small towns like Hull, Sabine Pass, Beach City, Humble, 
Groves; yet, they're all American warriors who gave their lives in 
combat for the United States.
  I will place the names and backgrounds of these 26 from the Second 
Congressional District of Texas who have been killed in Iraq into the 
Congressional Record.

                          Rollcall of the Dead

       Russell Slay, a Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps, 
     from Humble, TX. Russell played the guitar and he and his 
     buddies started a band while in Iraq called the Texas Trio.
       Wesley J. Canning, a Lance Corporal in the U.S. Marine 
     Corps, from Friendswood, TX. Wesley had a quick smile, a 
     captivating personality, and loved wearing his Marine Corps 
     T-shirt to class his senior year of high school.
       Fred Lee Maciel, a Lance Corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps, 
     from Spring, TX. He is remembered as an athlete, a leader in 
     the school's Naval Junior ROTC, and a role model for other 
     students.
       Wesley R. Riggs, a PFC in the U.S. Army, from Beach City, 
     TX. Wesley liked four-wheeling and camping. He was also a 
     member of the Houston Olympic weight lifting team.
       William B. Meeuwsen, a Sergeant in the U.S. Army, from 
     Kingwood, TX. Bill strongly believed that we all share a 
     responsibility to serve on behalf of God and country, to 
     protect freedoms we all cherish so deeply.
       Robert A. Martinez, a Lance Corporal in the U.S. Marine 
     Corps, from Cleveland, TX. Robert was a baseball pitcher at 
     Cleveland High and dreamed of getting his degree in education 
     and becoming a baseball coach.
       Jerry Michael Durbin, a Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Army, 
     from Spring, TX. He was a gifted artist with a special talent 
     for original cartoon characters and superheroes. He actually 
     designed his platoon's boot camp T-shirt when he entered the 
     Army.
       Walter M. Moss Jr., a Tech. Sergeant in the U.S. Air Force, 
     from Houston, TX. After 16 years of military service, Walter 
     had a reputation for excellence. Even though he was in the 
     Air Force, the Navy and Marines honored him with the Navy and 
     Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and he was also awarded the 
     Bronze Star with Valor and the Purple Heart.
       Kristian Menchaca, a PFC in the U.S. Army, from Houston, 
     TX. Kristian joined the United States Army with the goal of 
     using his military experience to become a Border Patrol 
     agent.
       Benjamin D. Williams, a Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Marine 
     Corps, from Orange, TX. Benjamin played football in high 
     school and as soon as he graduated, he joined the United 
     States Marine Corps.
       Ryan A. Miller, a Lance Corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps, 
     from Pearland, TX. Ryan was so committed to a future 
     defending others, he graduated from high school early just so 
     he could enlist into the United States Marine Corps and 
     follow in the footsteps of Dad and Granddad.
       Edward Reynolds, Jr., a Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Army, 
     from Groves, TX. Friends knew Edward as the man that kept 
     them out of trouble, pushing them to succeed in life.
       West Point Graduate Michael Fraser, a Captain in the U.S. 
     Army, from Houston, TX. Twice, Michael led his high school 
     cross-country team to qualify for the Texas State cross-
     country meet.
       Luke Yepsen, a Lance Corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps, 
     from Kingwood, TX. He was a graduate of Kingwood High School, 
     and he was known for his big heart and ability to live life 
     to its fullest.
       Dustin R. Donica, a Specialist in the U.S. Army, from 
     Spring, TX. Dustin loved to joke around with his family and 
     his friends, and he was known by many for his unique sense of 
     humor.
       Ryan R. Berg, a Specialist in the U.S. Army, from Sabine 
     Pass, TX. Ryan knew his calling after high school was to join 
     the United States Army. He wanted to protect his country, 
     like he had protected those he knew and loved all his life.
       Terrance D. Dunn, a Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Army, from 
     Houston, TX. Terrance was known as ``Dunnaman'' to his fellow 
     soldiers. If something needed to be done, Dunnaman did it, 
     and it was given to him to do because they could always count 
     on him to get the job done.
       Anthony Aguirre, a Lance Corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps, 
     from Houston, TX. During Anthony's senior year in high 
     school, he achieved the rank of cadet captain. Even after 
     graduation, Anthony stopped by the high school often to 
     proudly talk with the Junior ROTC cadets about the Marines.
       Brandon Bobb, a PFC in the U.S. Army, from Port Arthur, TX. 
     Brandon thought that being a military police officer in the 
     Army was the best job in the world.
       Zachary Endsley, a PFC in the U.S. Army, from Spring, TX. 
     Zachery enjoyed drawing and playing his guitar. He was so 
     good at drawing he won several competitions while in high 
     school.
       Kamisha Block, a Specialist in the U.S. Army, from Vidor, 
     TX. Friends say that Kamisha always knew where she was headed 
     in life, that she had a big heart and genuinely wanted to 
     help make other people's lives better.

[[Page H5985]]

       Donald E. Valentine III, a Corporal in the U.S. Army, born 
     in Houston, TX. Valentine joined the United States Army 
     because of the 9/11 attack on this country proudly following 
     in the footsteps of his father.
       Jeremy W. Burris, a Lance Corporal in the U.S. Marine 
     Corps, from Liberty, TX. Jeremy survived the initial blast of 
     an IED explosive and heroically helped save the lives of two 
     other wounded Marines before a second bomb was detonated--
     taking his life.
       Eric Duckworth, a Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Army, from 
     Plano, TX. Eric's only two wishes growing up were that he 
     serve in the military and serve in law enforcement. He was 
     blessed to be able to fulfill both of his dreams.
       Scott A. McIntosh, a Corporal in the U.S. Army, from 
     Humble, TX. Friends say that Scott always had a positive 
     outlook, his mission in life was to meet and make friends 
     with every person he came in contact with--and he did.
       Shawn Tousha, a Sergeant in the U.S. Army, from Hull, TX. 
     During Shawn's first tour of duty in Iraq he decided to re-
     enlist in the Army and make the military his career. He ended 
     up serving three tours of duty in Iraq.

  It has been said that ``wars may be fought by weapons, but they are 
won by warriors. It is the spirit of the men who follow and the man who 
leads that gains the victory.'' That was said by General George S. 
Patton, Jr. near the end of World War II.
  These noble 26 are just some of the 4,962 that have been killed in 
the line of duty taking care of America in America's current wars in 
the Middle East.
  Madam Speaker, this is a photograph of the cliffs of Normandy. This 
is in Normandy, France, where 9,347 Americans are buried, most of them 
young kids. They liberated and saved France and the rest of Europe in 
the great World War II. They never came home. The guns have long since 
been silent on Normandy's shores, but the sands are still stained with 
the blood of the fallen soldiers.
  On the 40th anniversary of D-day, on June 6, 1984, President Ronald 
Reagan stood at this cemetery and said ``We will always remember. We 
will always be proud. We will always be prepared so we may always be 
free.''
  So, Madam Speaker, when the sun comes up Monday morning, we should 
fly the Flag, stand outside, look to the heavens and thank those who 
took care of America in the long, lamentable dark night of the hour of 
war.
  And that's just the way it is.

                          ____________________