[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 18]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 24130]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




A TRIBUTE TO LANCE CORPORAL BENJAMIN SAXON BRYAN, UNITED STATES MARINE 
                                 CORPS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MIKE McINTYRE

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 18, 2004

  Mr. McINTYRE. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise 
today and honor Lance Corporal Benjamin Saxon Bryan of my hometown of 
Lumberton, North Carolina. Earlier this week, Lance Corporal Bryan was 
killed in the line of duty while serving the people of this great 
nation in Iraq.
  Ben Bryan joined the Marines in 2000 after graduating from Lumberton 
High School and was serving in the infantry Company L, 3rd Battalion, 
1st Marine Regiment stationed out of Camp Pendleton, California. Lance 
Corporal Bryan was serving his second tour of duty in Iraq.
  Lance Corporal Bryan's love for his fellow man and for the values 
this nation holds dear--and his life's commitment to defending those 
values--can best be described by three simple, but profound words: 
spirit, service, sacrifice.
  It was Lance Corporal Bryan's spirit that made him the man that he 
was--a spirit that recognized and honored values beyond the material, 
temporal, and physical things of this world. Lance Corporal Bryan's 
unselfish and unabated service was reflected in his strong work ethic, 
his strong sense of patriotism, and his strong love for his family and 
his country. With a strong spirit and unwavering service, Lance 
Corporal Bryan made the ultimate sacrifice. He risked his life to 
ensure the safety of others. His valiant actions demonstrated that he 
knew that freedom is not free. His sacrifice was rich in integrity and 
reminds us of the gratitude we, as citizens of this great nation, 
should have toward him and toward all of our servicemen and women.
  We owe Lance Corporal Benjamin Saxon Bryan our sincere appreciation 
for his years of committed service to our nation. His devotion to the 
people of the United States should serve as an example to us all.
  May God bless his family, and may God bless this great nation.

                          ____________________