[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 69 (Friday, April 27, 2018)]
[House]
[Page H3729]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    HONORING MAJOR STEPHEN DEL BAGNO

  (Mr. KNIGHT asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. KNIGHT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor one of our fallen 
heroes, Major Stephen Del Bagno of the United States Air Force Air 
Demonstration Squadron, more commonly known as the Thunderbirds, who 
lost his life this past month.
  Major Del Bagno came from my district, from Valencia, California, and 
exemplified the skill and professionalism that we expect from our 
airmen.
  Major Del Bagno was the very first F-35 pilot to join the ranks of 
the Thunderbird squadron.
  Tragically, Stephen Del Bagno lost his life earlier this month during 
a training exercise at the Nevada Test and Training Range. While he is 
no longer with us, his legacy continues in the hearts and minds of 
future aviators he inspired.
  I sat with my wife at his funeral a few weeks back and I watched the 
missing man formation of F-35s and F-16s, and I listened to his father 
and his teammates talk about Major Del Bagno. They talked about what a 
great pilot he was, but they also talked about what a great mentor he 
was and what a good dude Major Del Bagno was, and that is what he 
wanted to be recognized as and remembered as.
  So America lost one of its finest pilots in his passing.
  May God bless him and may he rest in peace.

                          ____________________