[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 13]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 17820]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    TRIBUTE TO CORPORAL MATTHEW BOISVERT OF TYNGSBORO, MASSACHUSETTS

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MARTIN T. MEEHAN

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, September 8, 2004

  Mr. MEEHAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a brave 
Marine from my District, Corporal Matthew Boisvert of Tyngsboro, 
Massachusetts, for his patriotic service to our country. Matthew has 
twice been deployed to Iraq, where he performed courageously as a squad 
leader in Um-Qasar and the volatile town of Fallujah.
  On August 17, tragedy struck when a roadside bomb tore through the 
humvee Matthew was patrolling in, leaving him critically wounded. But 
despite his injuries, Matthew's spirits have remained high and his 
faith strong. The first words out of his mouth to his mother were not 
those of anger or sadness, but rather concern for the well-being of his 
fellow Marines back in Iraq.
  Matthew knew the risks of war when he enlisted in the Marine Corps 
the summer after high school. But he was willing to make the sacrifice 
necessary to defend his country and protect our democratic ideals. At 
the young age of 18, he left his friends and family behind to endure 
the harsh realities of a war-torn land. Our Nation, and the 
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, are humbled and grateful for his 
sacrifice.
  Tonight, I plan to visit Matthew at Bethesda Naval Hospital to thank 
him for his honorable service. I am certain that all of our colleagues 
will join me in expressing our heartfelt gratitude for his courage and 
wishing him well as he begins to recover from his injuries. I will 
renew my commitment to him, and to all of our troops stationed 
overseas, to ensure that they have the equipment and the support they 
need to perform their duties. These brave Soldiers, Marines, and Airmen 
are on the front lines defending our national security. We owe it to 
them to provide the protection they deserve. And when these heroes 
return home, we must afford them the support, the respect, and the 
honor they have earned.

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