[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 1]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 1262]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 TRIBUTE TO SPECIALIST JONATHAN CASTRO

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. KEN CALVERT

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 1, 2005

  Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to a hero from my 
congressional district. On December 21, 2004, U.S. Army Specialist 
Jonathan Castro of my hometown of Corona, CA, was killed in Mosul, 
Iraq. Specialist Castro, along with 18 other American soldiers, died 
from injuries sustained when their dining facility was attacked. I 
would ask that the House of Representatives honor and remember this 
incredible young man who died in service to his country. Specialist 
Castro will be remembered as a hero who lived a life filled with 
compassion and a respect for all people.
  Jonathan, son of Jorge and Vickie Castro, spent most of his life in 
Corona, CA. The summer after graduating from Corona's Centennial High 
School in 2001, he enlisted in the Army. He entered the military with 
the hope that it would enable him to pay his own way through school and 
would open his eyes to the world. He was assigned to the 73rd Engineer 
Company in Fort Lewis, WA, and was deployed to Iraq in October, 2004.
  He is remembered not only for his caring nature, but also for his 
intelligence. He was a budding engineer with a talent for working with 
metals and wood, as well as having strong skills in computer-aided 
drafting. He demonstrated creativity and ingenuity during high school 
as he built his own electric guitar, as well as a full-sized electric 
car.
  On December 1, 2004, in Mosul, Iraq, while sharing a meal with his 
fellow soldiers, the dining facility was attacked. This has been the 
deadliest blast to date at a U.S. military base in Iraq, with 22 people 
killed. Specialist Castro was only 21 years old. He is survived by his 
loving parents and seven brothers. Jonathan was decorated posthumously 
with the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart.
  Jonathan, and men and women like him, contribute to the incredibly 
rich history of our country. I commend all our service members who 
volunteer to defend our ideals of freedom and democracy.
  I extend my ongoing thoughts, prayers and deepest gratitude to the 
Castro family. I hope they know their son and brother's goodness and 
sacrifice will never be forgotten.

                          ____________________