[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 90 (Wednesday, June 16, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1119]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        HONORING THE LIFE AND WORK OF LT. COL. RICHARD CASTILLO

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. SOLOMON P. ORTIZ

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 16, 2010

  Mr. ORTIZ. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Lt. Col. Richard 
Castillo of Corpus Christi, Texas, who was shot down in Laos in 1972 
while on a mission. The 14-man crew flew aboard an AC-130, REFNO 1807.
  About six weeks ago, the family of Lt. Col. Castillo was contacted by 
the Air Force and informed that the last unidentified remains from his 
plane will be buried tomorrow, June 17, 2010, at Arlington National 
Cemetery along with the remains of the 13 men who accompanied Lt. Col. 
Castillo on the mission.
  In 1986 after negotiations with the Laotian government, the United 
States was finally able to send a team to the crash site. After much 
work and many hours spent sifting through debris, bone fragments and 
personal belongings, the men's remains were found. Two teeth were 
positively identified as Lt. Col. Castillo's and were buried in a 
ceremony later that year at Randolph Air Force Base, with interment at 
Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonio.
  In the November 1986 edition of National Geographic, a picture of Lt. 
Col. Castillo's dog tags was published alongside an article telling the 
story of the search and recovery effort of the crew by the United 
States government and military.
  A few years ago, the Air Force informed Lt. Col. Castillo's wife, 
Elizabeth May Castillo, that they were beginning DNA testing on the 
bone fragments found among the wreckage.
  With the advances made in DNA testing, they believed all 14 men would 
finally be accounted for. The Air Force obtained a cheek swab from Lt. 
Col. Castillo's mother and performed mitochondrial DNA testing. On 
November 21, 2008, the Air Force held a small private service for the 
Castillo family at Lt. Col. Castillo's grave site at Ft. Sam Houston. 
An urn containing the fragments positively identified as Lt. Col. 
Castillo was buried on top of his casket. This day was especially 
meaningful to the family because it would have been his 70th birthday.
  Lt. Col. Castillo is survived by his wife, Elizabeth May Castillo and 
their children, Mary Edith Castillo Hamilton, Mary Elizabeth Castillo 
Tierce, Mary Esther Castillo Harper, Mary Elaine Castillo Colmenero and 
Richard Lee Castillo. His youngest son, Ronald Ronnie Castillo, died on 
February 16, 2005.
  I would like to take this time to thank Lt. Col. Castillo for his 
service and dedication to this country. It is because of him that today 
you and I enjoy the freedoms and rights he so bravely fought for. He 
served this country diligently and paid the ultimate sacrifice for us.
  I ask my colleagues to please join me in commemorating the work and 
honor of Lt. Col. Castillo whose remains will be buried tomorrow at 
Arlington National Cemetery.

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