[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Page 6765]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES


                          PFC JOHN D. AMOS II

  Mr. BAYH. Mr. President, I rise today with a heavy heart and deep 
sense of gratitude to honor the life of a brave young man from 
Valparaiso, IN. Private First Class John Amos II, 22 years old, died in 
the northern city of Kirkuk, Iraq on April 4, 2004, during an attack 
when the military vehicle he was riding in was struck by an improvised 
explosive device.
  After graduating from Valparaiso High School in 2002, John joined the 
Army and was assigned to the C Company, 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry 
Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, HI. 
According to his mother, John was serving as the rear guard during a 
patrol at the time of his death. His deployment began when he joined 
the efforts in Iraq only 2 months ago. With his entire life before him, 
John chose to risk everything to fight for the values Americans hold 
close to our hearts, in a land halfway around the world.
  John was the 26th Hoosier soldier to be killed while serving his 
country in Operation Iraqi Freedom. This brave young soldier leaves 
behind his father, John; his mother, Susan; his grandfather, Hank Amos; 
grandparents Doug and Lucy Whitehead; his sister, Rebecca; and his two 
half brothers Hunter and Tyler. May John's siblings grow up knowing 
that their brother gave his life so that young Iraqis will some day 
know the freedom they enjoy.
  Today I join John's family, his friends, and the entire Valparaiso 
community in mourning his death. While we struggle to bear our sorrow 
over his death, we can also take pride in the example he set, bravely 
fighting to make the world a safer place. It is his courage and 
strength of character that people will remember when they think of 
John, a memory that will burn brightly during these continuing days of 
conflict and grief.
  When looking back on the life of her late son, John's mother, Susan, 
told the Gary Post-Tribune that her son ``was a fun-loving kid and a 
lot of fun.'' Today and always, John will be remembered by family 
members, friends and fellow Hoosiers as a true American hero, and we 
honor the sacrifice he made while serving his country.
  As I search for words to do justice in honoring John's sacrifice, I 
am reminded of President Lincoln's remarks as he addressed the families 
of the fallen soldiers in Gettysburg: ``We cannot dedicate, we cannot 
consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and 
dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power 
to add or detract. The world will little note nor long remember what we 
say here, but it can never forget what they did here. This statement is 
just as true today as it was nearly 150 years ago, as I am certain that 
the impact of John's actions will live on far longer than any record of 
these words.''
  It is my sad duty to enter the name of John D. Amos II in the 
official record of the United States Senate for his service to this 
country and for his profound commitment to freedom, democracy and 
peace. When I think about this just cause in which we are engaged, and 
the unfortunate pain that comes with the loss of our heroes, I hope 
that families like John's can find comfort in the words of the prophet 
Isaiah who said, ``He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord 
God will wipe away tears from off all faces.''
  May God grant strength and peace to those who mourn, and may God 
bless America.

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