[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 16323]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




IN HONOR AND IN MEMORY OF CORPORAL CHRISTOPHER WINCHESTER OF FLOMATON, 
                                ALABAMA

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JO BONNER

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, July 18, 2005

  Mr. BONNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of a young 
man from the First Congressional District of Alabama who recently made 
the ultimate sacrifice in the defense of freedom abroad.
  Corporal Christopher Winchester, a native of Flomaton, Alabama, was a 
2002 graduate of Flomaton High School and attended Reid State Technical 
College. He first joined the United States Marine Corps in February, 
2003, and since March, 2005, had been on duty on Iraq as a member of 
Regimental Combat Team 2, of the 2nd Marine Division. It was there that 
on July 14, 2005, he and one of his comrades were killed by an 
exploding roadside bomb while on patrol near the Iraqi-Jordanian 
border.
  Christopher set a standard of excellence and displayed the qualities 
of discipline, devotion, and dedication to country that are hallmarks 
of men and women throughout the long and distinguished history of the 
American military. He had initially joined the Marine Corps as a result 
of his desire to both better himself personally and secure a better 
future. However, as a result of his deployment to Iraq and his 
interaction with the citizens of that newly-freed nation, he grew to 
realize his importance as one of thousands of young Americans who are 
working to protect the lives and liberty of millions of men, women, and 
children who for the first time could enjoy a life free of torture 
chambers, torment, and terror.
  Mr. Speaker, as you can imagine, Flomaton and the neighboring 
community of Brewton are truly mourning the loss of this fine young 
man. I feel certain his many friends in Escambia County, as well as his 
colleagues in the Marine Corps, while mourning his loss, are also 
taking this opportunity to remember his many accomplishments during his 
brief 24 years, and to recall the fine gift they each received simply 
from knowing him and having him as an integral part of their lives.
  I urge my colleagues to take a moment and pay tribute to Corporal 
Christopher Winchester and his selfless devotion to not only our 
country and the freedoms we enjoy, but to a people who are but now in 
the infancy of a new life--a new freedom--in their own land.
  We should also remember his parents, Gail and Greg Williams and Al 
Winchester; his brother and sister; his grandparents, Leo and Janell 
Winchester, Wandy Darby, and Arnie and Pat Williams; and his five 
nieces and nephews. Our prayer is that God will give them all the 
strength and courage that only He can provide to sustain them during 
the difficult days ahead.
  It was Joseph Campbell who said, ``A hero is someone who has given 
his or her, life to something bigger than oneself.'' Make no mistake, 
young Christopher Winchester was not only a dedicated Marine who made 
the ultimate sacrifice serving in the uniform of his country, but he 
was also a true American hero.

                          ____________________