[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 6]
[House]
[Page 7957]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 SALUTING A GREAT AMERICAN, THE LATE PRIVATE MICHAEL RUSSELL CREIGHTON-
                                 WELDON

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Weldon) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. WELDON of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise this afternoon to salute 
a great American, Private Michael Russell Creighton-Weldon. Private 
Creighton-Weldon of Palm Bay, Florida, was killed this past weekend 
while serving in Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was one of 
the soldiers killed by the suicide bomber driving the taxi.
  Private Creighton-Weldon was in Company A, the 27th Infantry, Third 
Division, out of Fort Stewart, Georgia. My prayers and condolences are 
with Michael's family during this hour of loss. My family and my staff 
grieve with them in honor of Michael.
  President Lincoln was once quoted saying that we as a nation ``should 
have faith that right makes might, and in that faith let us, to the 
end, dare to do our duty.'' Michael dared to do his duty, and in so 
doing, he gave the ultimate sacrifice for our continued freedom. We owe 
him a debt of gratitude that we can never repay.

                              {time}  1630

  This morning, I had the honor of speaking to Michael's mother, 
retired U.S. Army Sergeant Major Jean Weldon. She said that Michael, or 
Big Mike as his family affectionately called him, was a hero to his 
family and now he is a hero for America.
  Mrs. Weldon also had great praise for the Palm Bay Police Department 
and the mayor for the support that they have provided her during this 
time of grieving. Specifically, they have had to deploy officers to her 
house to keep the press away from her and her family who have been very 
grieved by the constant approaches of the press. And I think America's 
press should be aware of this that one grieving mom would like some 
space and that they should be sensitive to this all across the Nation 
because I am sure her experience is not unique.
  While sadness comes with the loss of each soldier, we can have faith 
in our military commanders and in our Commander in Chief. Coalition 
forces continue to make good progress towards our objective of ending 
the Iraqi regime, freeing the Iraqi people, and disarming the country 
of weapons of mass destruction. It was in this cause that Michael gave 
his life, and it is a worthy cause.
  Secretary Rumsfeld said this past weekend that there are difficult 
days ahead. We know this in Palm Bay, as we are experiencing it 
firsthand. To the extent that the Republican Guard poses difficulties, 
which we expect them to, there will be dangerous days ahead, Mr. 
Rumsfeld went on to say. Baghdad may not be easy, but the outcome is 
certain and at some point the Iraqi people will end up fearing Saddam 
Hussein and his regime less and they will end up anticipating 
liberation and freedom more; and it will end and it will end 
successfully.
  The true nature of the Iraqi regime is being revealed by what we see. 
Brutal treatment of POWs; use of human shields to protect military 
assets from attack; the torching of oil fields which are the future of 
the Iraqi people; false reports about coalition attacks on civilians, 
mosques and cultural centers; lies about Iraqi adherence to Geneva 
Conventions which they have blatantly violated; Feyadeen infiltration 
of regular Iraqi forces to prevent surrender and defection; using false 
acts of surrender in flagrant violation of the laws of war, and using 
them to attack coalition forces; and, yes, the use of suicide bombers, 
one of whom took the life of a great American, Michael Russell 
Creighton-Weldon.
  We all in the 15th congressional district and in our Nation salute 
Michael for the service he provided our Nation and the sacrifice he 
made. We join with his mother, his father, his entire extended family 
in extending our condolences, and our prayers are with them and our 
Nation and our troops in the field as we continue in this cause.

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