[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 16013]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        HONORING THE MEMORY OF FIRST LIEUTENANT MICHAEL FASNACHT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Gutknecht) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. GUTKNECHT. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of 
First Lieutenant Michael Fasnacht, who served in the Third Infantry 
Division from Fort Benning, Georgia.
  Lieutenant Fasnacht died when a roadside bomb exploded near his 
Bradley Fighting Vehicle while he was on patrol near Adwar, Iraq on 
June 8. Lieutenant Fasnacht was a native of Janesville, Minnesota who 
served his country honorably. He lived in Mankato, Minnesota with his 
wife, Tresa.
  An Army Ranger, Michael had followed in the footsteps of his father, 
Raymond, who served in the Army during the Vietnam War. He graduated 
from Minnesota State University in Mankato, Minnesota. He developed his 
leadership skills as an outstanding member of the ROTC program. 
Lieutenant Fasnacht's mother, Marny, said, ``He believed strongly in 
what he was doing. He definitely believed the Iraqi people deserved 
freedom from tyranny.''
  Madam Speaker, it is with great sadness that I honor the memory and 
service of this brave American. Michael Fasnacht made the ultimate 
sacrifice in the selfless defense of freedom and democracy. Today, the 
lamp of liberty burns brightly across the globe, thanks to young men 
like Lieutenant Fasnacht who are serving on the front lines. Indeed, 
these Americans in uniform are the new ``Boys of Pointe du Hoc.''
  Like countless Americans before them, these men and women know 
firsthand what President Bush meant when he said that ``freedom isn't 
America's gift to the world; freedom is God's gift to mankind.'' 
Everywhere the embers of freedom burn hot, people like Michael Fasnacht 
are there to give the embers flame.
  I thank Lieutenant Fasnacht for his service, and I thank the Fasnacht 
family for giving their loved one to this service. I hope it brings 
them some comfort to know that the thoughts and prayers of thousands of 
Minnesotans are with them.

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