[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 10]
[Senate]
[Page 13694]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


                       HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES


                   Tribute to Specialist Casey Byers

  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President. I rise today to pay tribute to an 
honorable soldier who has fallen in service to his country. Specialist 
Casey Byers of the 224th Engineer Battalion died on the 11th of June in 
Al Taqaddum, Iraq when an improvised explosive device detonated beneath 
his Humvee. Specialist Byers was a young native of Schleswig, IA, who 
was only 22 years old. I salute his patriotism and his sacrifice for 
the sake of freedom.
  Specialist Byers was a proud American who joined the Iowa National 
Guard in1999. He graduated from Ar-We-Va High School in 2001 where he 
participated in football and track and later attended Iowa Lakes 
Community College. Specialist Byers graduated from the combat engineer 
qualification course in July 2004 and volunteered for duty with the 
224th in Iraq. This was his second tour of duty in the Middle East.
  Casey Byers has earned the highest gratitude of the entire Nation and 
today I want to recognize him with the respect he deserves. His 
sacrifice reminds us of the incredibly high cost of ensuring freedom. 
My prayers go out to Ann and William Byers who grieve the loss of their 
son, Paul and Jennifer Byers who grieve a lost brother, and his infant 
daughter Hailey who grieves the absence of her father. I also extend my 
prayers to all of the family, friends, and neighbors of Casey who are 
touched by his passing. I ask my colleagues to join me and all Iowans 
in remembering Specialist Casey Byers. Such men as Casey Byers inspire 
us to hold in ever higher esteem the ideals of freedom and service. His 
valor shall certainly not be forgotten.

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