[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 15051]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




       HONORING THE LIFE OF U.S. MARINE RODERICKA ANTWAN YOUMANS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JOE WILSON

                           of south carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, July 9, 2004

  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, this week South Carolina 
learned the sad news that a U.S. Marine, Private Rodericka Antwan 
Youmans from Allendale, S.C., was killed by terrorists while serving in 
Iraq.
  Pvt. Youmans will be remembered for making the ultimate sacrifice to 
protect American families in the War on Terror. The thoughts and 
prayers of the entire Wilson family are with his friends and family.
  I ask all of my colleagues to join me in expressing our deepest 
sympathies to Pvt. Youman's two children, fiance, brother and parents.
  I request that the following article from The State be added to the 
Record.

                     [From The State, July 8, 2004]

                     Allendale Marine Dies in Iraq

                           (By Chuck Crumbo)

       A bomb attack by Iraqi insurgents has killed a 22-year-old 
     Marine from Allendale, the man's family said Wednesday.
       Pvt. Rodericka Antwan Youmans was one of four Marines who 
     died Tuesday near Fallujah in Iraq's Al-Anbar province, said 
     his father, Johnny Youmans.
       The elder Youmans said Marine Corps officials notified him 
     of his son's death Tuesday.
       ``I was coming home, and I saw a government truck in front 
     of the house. I knew it was nothing good,'' said Youmans, a 
     29-year military veteran.
       The Marines had not released by late Wednesday the name of 
     Pvt. Youmans as one of the fallen Leathernecks. The Marines 
     said only that the troops were conducting security operations 
     in the province.
       Three Marines died Monday in a similar incident in An-
     Anbar.
       Twenty-one other members of the armed services with ties to 
     South Carolina have died in the Iraq war. He is the second 
     casualty from Allendale County.
       Marine casualty officers notified the family of his son's 
     death about 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Youmans said.
       The Marines first broke the news to Youmans' wife, 
     Amanderlene. As he approached the house, his 17-year-old 
     daughter, Sholanda, came out and told him Rodericka was dead, 
     Johnny Youmans said.
       Johnny Youmans, a staff sergeant in 163rd Support Battalion 
     of the S.C. Army National Guard, has been on active duty for 
     1\1/2\ years. He is serving on a security detail at Seymour-
     Johnson Air Force Base, N.C.
       Youmans said his son called home last week to say he was 
     doing fine and that ``he loved all of us.''
       On Monday, Rodericka Youmans called his 20-year-old 
     fiancee, Stephanie Cuthbertson of Allendale.
       They were planning to marry in September when his unit was 
     scheduled to return to Camp LeJeune, Cuthbertson said.
       ``I loved everything about him. His sense of humor and the 
     way he treated me. He was very sweet and very giving,'' she 
     said.
       Rodericka Youmans, a graduate of Allendale-Fairfax High 
     School, joined the Marines about a year ago and went through 
     boot camp at Parris Island, Youmans said.
       ``He was almost 21 when he joined. He couldn't find a job 
     and when he did, he'd get laid off because the economy was so 
     bad. He had two kids (ages 4 and 1) and needed to support 
     them.''
       Rodericka quickly fell in love with the Marines and wanted 
     to make a career out of the military, Youmans said.
       ``He liked the respect that he received. It changed his 
     whole life. He wanted to do the right thing.''
       Other survivors include his children, A-Miyah, 4, and 
     Mekhi, 1; and a brother, Johnny Youmans Jr., 24.
       Cave Funeral Service is in charge of arrangements.

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