[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 15348]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




       HONORING THE SOLDIERS OF THE OHIO NATIONAL GUARD'S 1487TH 
                         TRANSPORTATION COMPANY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN A. BOEHNER

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 30, 2005

  Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the soldiers 
of the Ohio National Guard's 1487th Transportation Company. I would 
also like to pay my respect to their families and their employers who 
remained strong and supportive during their absence.
  The 1487th Transportation Company was mobilized in January 2004 and 
spent a year supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring 
Freedom, providing truck transportation in the theatre of operation. 
The company logged over 230 missions, traveling over four million 
miles.
  The Iron Camels earned eight Purple Heart Awards, ten Bronze Star 
Medals, two Meritorious Service Medals, five Bronze Star Medals with 
Valor Devices, forty-three Army Commendation Medals, twenty-three Army 
Achievement Medals, 121 Drive Badges, and twenty Mechanic Badges.
  Although their friends, family, and community celebrated the 
company's return stateside earlier this year, the 1487th will be 
honored this Saturday, July 2, 2005 as Preble County celebrates 
``1487th Day.'' The residents of Preble County have organized ``A 
Tribute to America and Her Veterans,'' and in addition to honoring our 
veterans from Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, 
Preble County will also be honoring veterans from World War II, the 
Korean War, the Cold War era, and Desert Storm.
  Mr. Speaker, all of us here in Congress are grateful and humbled by 
the magnificent work our men and women in uniform have accomplished in 
Iraq, Afghanistan, and Southeast Asia. Their professionalism, 
dedication, and patriotism are shining examples of our American values, 
and we are grateful they stand between us and our enemies. The soldiers 
of the 1487th Transportation Company performed outstanding service for 
our country, and I am grateful for their service and for their return.
  I would also like to acknowledge the strength exhibited by the family 
and friends of our deployed soldiers, who have endured quiet moments of 
fear and uncertainty while they present a brave front to their loved 
ones who are separated from them by distance and danger. I am grateful 
husbands and wives, parents and children, fiances, siblings, and 
friends are reunited to celebrate our Independence Day together.
  In addition, I would like to acknowledge the employers in my district 
who bore the burden of their employees' absence without complaint and 
who supported their families with material support throughout the 
length of the 1487th's deployment.
  To the 1487th, my message to you is simple and heartfelt: Thank you. 
Thank you for your service, your patriotism, and your professionalism. 
God bless you and your loved ones in your future endeavors.

                          ____________________