[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 6514-6515]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  IN MEMORY OF THOSE KILLED AND INJURED AT FORT DRUM BLACK HAWK CRASH

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN M. McHUGH

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 18, 2003

  Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, as I have countless times 
before on the floor of this House, to talk about something very near 
and dear to my heart--Fort Drum and the brave men and women of the 
Army's 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), the most frequently 
deployed division in the U.S. Army today.
  When I raise this topic, I take a particular amount of pride in 
reminding my colleagues that Fort Drum, which is the most modern 
military facility anywhere in the world, is situated within my upstate 
New York Congressional District. Since the early 1990s, soldiers from 
the 10th Mountain Division (LI) have participated in significant 
operations both at home and abroad, including Hurricane Andrew, the 
Northeast's Ice Storm of 1998, Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia, Kosovo, 
Afghanistan and beyond.
  I have seen the men and women of the 10th Mountain Division (LI) in 
action. I have met many of the soldiers one-on-one and have been 
fortunate to speak with them during visits here at home and while the 
Division has been deployed around the globe. I am always impressed by 
their professionalism and the way they do their job without hesitation. 
The dedication, commitment, and heroism these men and women have is, 
perhaps, what is most remarkable about Fort Drum.
  Last week, people from across the country became familiar with Fort 
Drum as well. But sadly, our nation learned the importance of this Army 
post through news reports of a tragic helicopter crash that occurred 
during a training mission. We were all devastated on last Tuesday 
afternoon when we learned that a Black Hawk went down killing 11 
soldiers and injuring two.
  Mr. Speaker, the soldiers who lost their lives on March 11, 2003 in 
the service of our nation are:
  Cpt. Christopher E. Britton, 27, from Ohio, assigned to Headquarters 
and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 10th Aviation Regiment.
  Chief Warrant Officer 3 Kenneth L. Miller, 35, from California 
assigned to Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 10th Aviation Regiment.
  Staff Sgt. Brian Pavlich, 25, from Port Jervis, NY assigned to 
Charlie Company, 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment.
  Sgt. John L. Eichenlaub, Jr., 24, from South Williamsport, PA 
assigned to Charlie Company, 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment.
  Sgt. Joshua M. Harapko, 23, from Peoria, Axiz., assigned to Charlie 
Company, 4th Battalion, 31th Infantry Regiment.
  Spc. Lucas V. Tripp, 23, from Aurora, Colo., assigned to Bravo 
Company, 2nd Battalion, 10th Aviation Regiment.
  Spc. Barry M. Stephens, 20, from Pinson, Alabama, assigned to Bravo 
Company, 2nd Battalion, 10th Aviation Regiment.
  Pfc. Shawn A. Mayerscik, 22, from Oil City, PA, assigned to Charlie 
Company, 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment.
  Pfc. Tommy C. Young, 20, from Knoxville, Tenn. assigned to Charlie 
Company, 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment.
  Pfc. Stryder O. Stoutenburg, 18, from Missoula, Mont. assigned to 
Charlie Company, 4th Battalion, 31th Infantry Regiment.
  Pfc. Andrew D. Stevens, 20, from Rockingham, NH. assigned to Charlie 
Company, 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment.
  Mr. Speaker, those injured in the crash were:
  Spc. Dmitri Petrov and Spc. Edwin A. Mejia, both from Charlie 
Company, 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment.
  Mr. Speaker, we will continue to pray for these soldiers and their 
families during this difficult time.
  Our nation, the United States Army, and the people of Northern New 
York stand united with the families of the fallen and injured soldiers. 
While I know there are no words or deeds that can ever ease the pain 
and heavy burden the loved ones of these soldiers are experiencing, I 
want to pay tribute to those who have given their lives to the fullest 
measure as well as those soldiers injured in the line of duty.
  The North Country community has long viewed the soldiers stationed at 
Fort Drum as much more than just the defenders of our nation. They are 
our friends and neighbors. The outpouring of care and concern from area 
residents has been truly extraordinary. It is because we feel this 
loss, too. I want the injured soldiers and surviving families to know 
we share their grief and sorrow.
  The crash at Fort Drum was not the first introduction Americans have 
had with the Black Hawk helicopter. Mark Bowden's best-selling book and 
movie titled ``Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War'' was an account 
of the American military campaign on the streets of Mogadishu, Somalia 
when warlords there were wreaking havoc on their own people in 1993. As 
I have mentioned before, the 10th Mountain Division is the Army's most 
frequently deployed force, so it's not surprising that elements of the 
10th played a significant role in that mission and were featured in the 
book's after-action report of the difficulties they faced. The title, 
``Black Hawk Down'' comes from the ominous words that echoed from the 
radio transmissions almost as soon as the operation began.
  Whether we are talking about the Black Hawk that went down in Somalia 
nearly a decade ago, or the crash near Wheeler-Sack Airfield at Fort 
Drum, we know that things do not always go as planned in war or in 
warfighting training exercises. And now, as our Armed Forces face 
another military offensive overseas, the tragic accident at Fort Drum 
serves as a solemn reminder of the sacrifices our service men and women 
make on a daily basis. Whether it be in training or in battle, we do 
not always have the privilege of seeing their acts of heroism carried 
on CNN or in a motion picture.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues and all Americans to join me in 
paying tribute to these men. Let us also acknowledge the rest of the 
men and women in uniform and express our gratitude for their service to 
our nation. As they go forward with their assignments, both at home and 
abroad, they need our support and our prayers.

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