[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 17]
[Senate]
[Pages 22599-22600]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


                       HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES

  Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, today I rise to pay tribute to 23 young 
Americans who have been killed in Iraq since July 29. This brings to 
457 the number of soldiers who were either from California or based in 
California that have been killed while serving our country in Iraq. 
This represents 24 percent of all U.S. deaths in Iraq.
  SGT Milton M. Monzon, Jr., age 21, died on July 24 in Baghdad where 
an improvised explosive device detonated near his Bradley fighting 
vehicle. He was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry 
Regiment, Fort Carson, CO. He was from Los Angeles, CA.
  PFC Ramon A. Villatoro, Jr., age 19 died on July 24 in Baghdad where 
an improvised explosive device detonated near his Bradley fighting 
vehicle. He was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry 
Regiment, Fort Carson, CO. He was from Bakersfield, CA.
  PVT Ernesto R. Guerra, age 20, died on July 29 in Baghdad of injuries 
sustained on July 28 when his humvee was involved in an accident. He 
was assigned to the Army's 4-3rd Brigade Troops Battalion, 3rd Infantry 
Division, Fort Stewart, GA. He was from Long Beach, CA.
  Petty Officer 1st Class Thomas C. Hull, age 41, died August 2 on 
board the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz in the Arabian Gulf after being 
medically evacuated to the carrier for a noncombat related incident. He 
was an operations specialist assigned to the USS Princeton, homeported 
in San Diego, CA.
  LCpl Adam J. Strain, age 20, died August 2 as a result of enemy 
small-arms fire while conducting combat operations in Ar Ramadi. He was 
assigned to 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 
Camp Pendleton, CA. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, his unit was 
attached to the 2nd Marine Division. He was from Smartsville, CA.
  SSG Ramon E. Gonzales Cordova, age 30, died August 8 as a result of 
enemy small-arms fire while conducting combat operations in Ar Ramadi. 
He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine 
Division, Camp Pendleton, CA. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, his unit 
was attached to the 2nd Marine Division.
  LCpl Evenor C. Herrera, age 22, died August 10 from wounds received 
from the detonation of an improvised explosive device while conducting 
combat operations near Ar Ramadi. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 
5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, CA. As part 
of Operation Iraqi Freedom, his unit was attached to the 2nd Marine 
Division.
  SPC Brian K. Derks, age 21, died on August 13 in Baghdad when an 
improvised explosive device detonated while he was on mounted patrol. 
He was assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, 
Fort Irwin, CA.
  SGT Nathan K. Bouchard, age 24, died on August 18 in Samarra, Iraq 
when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee following 
a mine assessing mission. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 69th 
Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort 
Stewart, GA. He was from Wildomar, CA.
  SPC Ray M. Fuhrmann, II, age 28, died on August 18 in Samarra, Iraq, 
when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee following 
a mine assessing mission. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 69th 
Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort 
Stewart, GA. He was from Novato, CA.
  SGT Joseph C. Nurre, age 22, died on August 21 near Samarra, Iraq 
when an improvised explosive device detonated near his M916 tractor 
during convoy operations. He was assigned to the Reserve's 463rd 
Engineer Battalion, Weirton, WV. He was from Wilton, CA.
  PFC Ramon Romero, age 19, died August 22 when the vehicle he was in 
was struck by an improvised explosive device while conducting combat 
operations near Fallujah. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 7th 
Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, Twentynine Palms, CA. As part of 
Operation Iraqi Freedom, his unit was attached to the 2nd Marine 
Division. He was from Huntington Park, CA.
  Cpl Timothy M. Shea, age 22, died August 25 in Husaybah, Iraq of 
injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near 
his position. He was assigned to the Army's 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger 
Regiment, Fort Benning, GA. He was from Sonoma, CA.
  Seaman Apprentice Robert D. Macrum, age 22, was reported missing on 
September 13 after failing to report to muster formation. It was 
concluded that he fell overboard and search and rescue attempts were 
unsuccessful. He was assigned to the USS Princeton, currently deployed 
to the Arabian Gulf conducting maritime security operations as part of 
the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group. The USS Princeton is homeported in San 
Diego, CA.
  LCpl Shane C. Swanberg, age 24, died September 15 from an explosion 
resulting from indirect fire at Forward Operation Base, Camp Ramadi, 
Iraq. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine 
Division, Twentynine Palms, CA. As Part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, his 
unit was attached to the 2nd Marine Division.
  SGT Alfredo B. Silva, age 35, died on September 15 in Baghdad when an 
improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee during patrol 
operations. He was assigned to the Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 
184th Infantry Regiment, 40th Infantry Division, Modesto, CA. He was 
from Calexico, CA.
  SPC Mike T. Sonoda, Jr., age 34, died on September 22 in Baghdad of 
injuries sustained on September 21 when an improvised explosive device 
detonated near his military vehicle. He was assigned to D Company, 1st 
Battalion, 184th Infantry Regiment, 29th Infantry Brigade, Army 
National Guard, Oak-
dale CA. He was from Fallbrook, CA.
  SGT Paul C. Neubauer, age 40, died on September 23 of injuries 
sustained in Baghdad when an improvised explosive device detonated and 
his patrol came under small-arms fire. He was assigned to the Army 
National Guard's 1st Battalion, 184th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry 
Division, Oakdale, CA. He was from Oceanside, CA.
  SSG Daniel R. Scheile, age 37, died on September 24 of injuries 
sustained in Baghdad on September 23 when an improvised explosive 
device detonated and his patrol came under small-arms fire. He was 
assigned to the Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 184th Infantry 
Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, Oakdale, CA. He was from Antioch, CA.
  SGT Brian E. Dunlap, age 34, died September 24 from an improvised 
explosive device while conducting combat operations against enemy 
forces in Taqaddum, Iraq. He was assigned to the Marine Forces 
Reserve's 2nd Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Los 
Alamitos, CA. As part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, his unit was attached 
to the 2nd Marine Division. He was from Vista, CA.
  PVT Elijah M. Ortega, age 19, died September 26 as the result of a 
non-hostile gunshot wound at Camp Baharia, Iraq. He was assigned to the 
2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, Camp Lejeune, NC. 
He was from Oxnard, CA.
  SPC Joshua J. Kynoch, age 23, died on October 1 in Bayji, Iraq when 
an improvised explosive device detonated near his Bradley Fighting 
Vehicle during convoy operations. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 
7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, GA. He was 
from Santa Rosa, CA.
  PFC Andrew D. Bedard, age 19, died October 4 from an improvised 
explosive device while conducting combat operations against enemy 
forces in Ar Ramadi. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine 
Regiment, 1st

[[Page 22600]]

Marine Division, Twentynine Palms, CA. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, 
his unit was attached to the 2nd Marine Division.
  Mr. President, 457 soldiers who were either from California or based 
in California have been killed while serving our country in Iraq. I 
pray for these young Americans and their families.
  I would also like to pay tribute to the two soldiers from or based in 
California who have died while serving our country in Operation 
Enduring Freedom since July 29.
  GySgt Theodore Clark, Jr., age 31, died August 4 when the vehicle he 
was in was struck by an improvised explosive device while conducting 
combat operations near Gardez, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 1st 
Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, CA.
  PVT Christopher L. Palmer, age 22, died on August 21 near Baylough, 
Afghanistan when an improvised explosive device detonated near his 
Humvee during patrol operations. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 
503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, Vicenza, Italy. He was 
from Sacramento, CA.
  Mr. President, 32 soldiers who were either from California or based 
in California have been killed while serving our country in Operation 
Enduring Freedom. I pray for these Americans and their families.

                          ____________________