[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 21]
[Senate]
[Pages 29378-29379]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES

  Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to Chief 
Warrant Officer Two Scott A. Saboe, a resident of Willow Lake, SD, who 
died on November 15, 2003, while serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
  Chief Warrant Officer Two Saboe, a member of A Company, 4th 
Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, was based 
out of Fort Campbell, KY. He was among 17 soldiers killed when two Army 
Black Hawk helicopters collided midair in the northern Iraq city of 
Mosul.
  Answering America's call to the military, Chief Warrant Officer Two 
Saboe had planned a military career since attending high school at 
Willow Lake, SD. A member of the football, basketball, and track teams, 
friends remember him as a serious and committed person. Chief Warrant 
Officer Two Saboe's former coach and teacher Bill Stobbs said that ``he 
died doing what he loved, and he was a dedicated soldier.'' His 
childhood friend, Darin Michalski, knew that ``he was giving his all 
and believing in what he was doing.''
  For all of Chief Warrant Officer Two Saboe's commitment to public 
service, nothing was more important than his family. The 33-year-old 
leaves behind his wife Franceska and 6-year-old son, Dustin, as well as 
his sister Ann Remington, who is stationed at Walter Reed Medical 
Center in Bethesda, MD. He also leaves behind his father, Arlo Saboe, a 
decorated Vietnam war veteran, in addition to his proud, extended 
family and countless friends.
  Chief Warrant Officer Two Saboe served our country and, as a hero, 
died fighting for it. He served as a model example of the loyalty and 
dedication in the preservation of freedom. The thoughts and prayers of 
my family as well as the rest of the country's are with his family 
during this time of mourning. Our thoughts continue to be with all 
those families with children, spouses, and loved ones serving overseas.
  Chief Warrant Officer Two Saboe led a full life, committed to his 
family, his Nation, and his community. It is his incredible dedication 
to helping others that will serve as his greatest legacy. Our Nation is 
a far better place because of Chief Warrant Officer Two Saboe's life, 
and, while his family, friends, and Nation will miss him very much, the 
best way to honor his life is to emulate his commitment to service and 
community. In the words of Michalski, ``Most of us go through our whole 
lives and don't really accomplish anything. And some of us only live to 
be 33, and we're heroes.''
  I join with all South Dakotans in expressing my sympathies to the 
family of Chief Warrant Officer Two Saboe. I know that he will always 
be missed, but his service to our Nation will never be forgotten.
  Mr. President, today I pay tribute to Private First Class Sheldon R. 
Hawk Eagle, a former resident of Eagle Butte, SD, who died on November 
15, 2003, while serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
  Pfc. Hawk Eagle, a member of the 1st Battalion, 320th Field 
Artillery, 101st Airborne Division, was based out of Fort Campbell, KY. 
He was among 17 soldiers killed when two Army Black Hawk helicopters 
collided mid-air in the northern Iraq city of Mosul.
  Answering America's call to the military, Pfc. Hawk Eagle enlisted in 
the Army during a visit to his sister in Grand Forks, ND. An enrolled 
member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, his Lakota name was Wanbli 
Ohitika, meaning Brave Eagle. A descendant of Crazy Horse, military 
duty was essentially a family duty in his home. His family, from his 
grandfather to his uncle to his father, all served their country in the 
armed forces.
  News of his death spread rapidly through Indian Country, but not 
faster than on the Cheyenne River Reservation where he was raised by 
his aunt and uncle, Harvey and Bernadine Hawk Eagle, after his parents 
passed away. Emanuel Red Bear, a spiritual leader in the community, 
remembers Pfc. Hawk Eagle as ``a role model in his quiet way. He was a 
modern-day warrior.'' His sister, Frankie Hawk Eagle remembers that, 
``His goals were important to him, and his whole persona was full of 
life. He was well-respected in the Armed Forces and believed that 
everything he did was for his family, his Native people and for the 
most, his country. He was Pfc. R. Hawk Eagle, a United States Army 
Soldier.''
  Pfc. Hawk Eagle served our country and, as a hero, died fighting for 
it. Native Americans have a great history of serving in the Armed 
Forces and fighting and dying to protect this country, including the 
``Code Talkers'' of World War II. Pfc. Hawk Eagle served as a 
contemporary example of that loyalty and dedication to the preservation 
of freedom. The thoughts and prayers of my family as well as the rest 
of the country's are with his family during this time of mourning. Our 
thoughts continue to be with all those families with children, spouses, 
and loved ones serving overseas.
  Pfc. Hawk Eagle led a full life, committed to his family, his Nation, 
and his community. It is his incredible dedication to helping others 
that will serve as his greatest legacy. Our Nation is a far better 
place because of his life, and, while his family, friends, and Nation 
will miss him very much, the best way to honor his life is to emulate 
his commitment to service and community.

[[Page 29379]]

  I join with all South Dakotans in expressing my sympathies to the 
family of Private First Class Sheldon Hawk Eagle. I know that he will 
always be missed, but his service to our Nation will never be 
forgotten.

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