[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 1]
[Senate]
[Page 176]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES


                      corporal jason scot clairday

  Mrs. LINCOLN. Mr. President, I rise today, to honor a young man from 
Arkansas who had a passion for life, a gift for bringing smiles to the 
faces of those around him, and a sense of duty toward the country and 
the people he would serve with honor. Jason Scot Clairday was a loving 
husband, son, brother and friend. He was also a brave soldier who died 
a hero, trying to bring freedom to a people he had never met in a 
country he had never known.
  Cpl. Clairday was the type of person others were naturally drawn to. 
He showed a genuine interest in their well-being and his gentle nature 
and infectious smile could brighten the darkest of moods. It was 
apparent to everyone around him that he approached every day with a 
rare enthusiasm and love for life. The youngest of three boys was often 
found playing sports or fishing and hunting along a nearby creek, 
enjoying the outdoors and the time spent with his friends and family. 
After moving to the small northern Arkansas town of Salem, he did what 
he did best, made friends, and quickly distinguished himself by 
excelling in high school athletics and becoming an active member of the 
First Baptist Church.
  Cpl. Clairday enlisted in the United States Marine Corps shortly 
after graduating from Salem High School in 2001. It was a decision he 
was proud to make and members of the First Baptist Church remember the 
pride with which he wore his Marine dress blues while attending 
service. On July 30, just weeks prior to his deployment to Iraq, Cpl. 
Clairday married the love of his life, Sarah. After his military 
service, he looked forward to returning home to be with her, attending 
Arkansas State University at Mountain Home, and building a family life. 
He felt his experience in the Marine Corps was a way to better prepare 
him for that future.
  While in Iraq, Cpl. Clairday sometimes spoke with friends and loved 
ones of liberating the war-torn country and making a better life for 
the Iraqi people. While he never talked much about the war, he 
preferred instead to talk about the end of his enlistment in the 
spring, the future and coming home to be with his new wife and his 
family. Sarah last spoke with her husband on December 3rd, when he was 
scheduled to enter Fallujah for 10 days with his fellow marines in an 
attempt to bring greater stability to the city prior to the Iraqi 
national elections slated for January. At the conclusion of the 10 
days, he was to be granted a 2-day leave. Tragically, he was killed by 
enemy fire on December 12th, a day before he was to leave the area.
  At his memorial service in Camp, Arkansas, more than 600 people would 
come to pay their respects to their fallen Arkansas soldier. At the 
conclusion of the service, Cpl. Clairday was buried with full military 
honors. The flag that had draped his casket was presented to his young 
widow with the Purple Heart that he had posthumously earned for his 
gallant service on behalf of a grateful nation.
  When we think of Jason Clairday, we will remember that he gave 
himself completely to every aspect of his life; his family, his 
community, and his country. The legacy of his 21 years is a testament 
to who he was. The love, the humor, the selflessness, and the passion 
with which he taught us to live our lives, will remain with us forever. 
My thoughts and prayers go out to his wife, Sarah, to his family, and 
to all those who knew and loved him.


                       sergeant michael a. smith

  Mr. President. Today, I humbly rise to pay tribute to the life of 
Michael A. Smith and to honor the sacrifice he made on behalf of a 
grateful nation. Sergeant Smith was a friendly, easy-going young man 
who had one of those rare personalities that allowed him to quickly 
make friends with everyone he met. He was also a brave soldier, who 
died a hero, fighting for the beliefs, the people and the country he 
cared for deeply.
  Sgt. Smith was born and raised in the small, southern Arkansas town 
of Camden. There, he is remembered by those who knew him best as a good 
and gentle soul, who was always concerned about the welfare of others, 
and often went out of his way to help them whenever they were in need. 
Upon his 1999 graduation from Camden Fairview High School, Sgt. Smith 
set his sights on Southern Arkansas University Tech. Attending the 
university would allow him to stay close to his family in Camden while 
pursuing his interest in computers. To help pay his way through 
college, Sgt. Smith joined the Arkansas Army National Guard. Once he 
completed his military service, he had plans to return home and begin 
his education.
  Sgt. Smith became a member of the Guard's 39th Support Battalion. He 
was later called up to serve in Operation Iraqi Freedom, where he was 
stationed at Camp Taji, about 16 miles northwest of downtown Baghdad. 
To his comrades in the 39th, ``Smitty'' quickly became one of the guys; 
a dedicated soldier who never complained, always did his duty, and 
could be entrusted with the lives of those around him.
  This November, family and friends of Sgt. Smith were excited with the 
news that he would be taking his leave of service, and would possibly 
be home before Thanksgiving. Tragically, 5 days before he was set to 
return to Arkansas, he was shot by a sniper while conducting patrols in 
Baghdad. As a result of the injury, he was flown to Landstuhl Army 
Medical Center in Germany and then to Walter Reed Medical Center in 
Washington, DC. His parents, Donald Ray and Deborah and his sister, 
Lai, came to visit him in the hospital's intensive care unit. Although 
Sgt. Smith never regained consciousness in his 2 weeks at Walter Reed, 
his family was with him in his final moments before he passed away on 
November 26.
  At his memorial service in Camden, Sgt. Smith's coffin, surrounded by 
red, white, and blue flowers, was placed at the front of his high 
school gymnasium. Throughout the service and in the aftermath of his 
son's passing, Donald Ray Smith described the outpouring of love from 
the community as ``remarkable.'' It was a testament to the gratitude of 
a community fully aware of the ultimate sacrifice paid by their fallen 
Arkansas soldier in the name of freedom.
  In the 24 years Michael Smith was with us, the impressions he made 
and the lives he touched will never be forgotten. Although he will be 
deeply missed by us all, it is his selflessness, his courage, and his 
heart that we will remember when we think of him. My thoughts and 
prayers go out to Donald Ray, Deborah, Lai, and the rest of his family, 
friends and loved ones.

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