[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 14795]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              IN HONOR OF PRIVATE FIRST CLASS SAMUEL BOWEN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Ohio (Mrs. Jones) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of one of my 
constituents who gave the ultimate sacrifice for this country, Private 
First Class Samuel Bowen. Private Bowen was killed in action yesterday 
in Iraq. He was a member of the 112th Engineer Battalion of Brookpark. 
Private Bowen was a resident of the city of Cleveland, a husband, and a 
father of three children.
  Just last month Private Bowen saved the life of a fellow soldier 
during a rocket attack in Baghdad. I would like to read a portion of an 
article from today's Cleveland Plain Dealer that includes a quote from 
the soldier whose life Private Bowen saved.
  It reads: ``I cannot believe he was under attack twice in 3 weeks,'' 
said Ron Eaton, who was rescued by Bowen's heroism June 16 north of 
Baghdad.
  Another quote: ``I just wish that I would have been there for him 
like he was there for me.''
  ``He took care of me before he took care of himself, Eaton said. And 
he said, ``As soon as I got out of surgery, he called me. He told me 
that he needed to talk with me because I was his battle buddy, and he 
needed to hear my voice. I can't believe how hard this is.''
  Private Bowen is the third soldier lost to the war in Iraq from my 
congressional district. It has been over a year since we declared major 
combat operations over in Iraq, yet our young people continue to die in 
this conflict. My heart aches for all of the families who have lost 
loved ones during this war.
  I have been a vocal opponent of the war in Iraq, as many of my 
colleagues are aware. I have also been vocal in my support of the 
military troops over in the Middle East and across the world as well.
  I pause today in remembrance of this brave young man, Private Samuel 
Bowen, who gave his life for our country. May the Lord bless and keep 
his family during this trying time.
  I would ask that my colleagues join me in a moment of silence for 
Private First Class Samuel Bowen.
  I do not pretend to be a great student of the Bible, yet my Sunday 
school lessons remain cemented in my head. All of those lessons talked 
about the importance of prayer, and some of them discussed how to pray; 
that a prayer can be general and that a prayer can be specific. My 
specific prayer is focused on all of the servicemen and women still 
serving in Iraq. I pray for their safe return and that the family of 
each young military men and women be comforted by their faith in God, a 
mighty God who will never let us down.
  There is a passage in the Bible that reads: ``Put on the whole armor 
of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 
For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the 
principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this 
present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the 
heavenly places. Therefore take the whole armor of God that you may be 
able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand 
therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the 
breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the 
equipment of the gospel of peace; besides all these, taking the shield 
of faith, with which you can quench all the flaming darts of the evil 
one.''

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