[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 1]
[Senate]
[Pages 510-511]
[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 15 young 
Americans who have been killed in Iraq since December 9. This brings to 
523 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 23 percent of all U.S. deaths in Iraq.
  LCpl Samuel Tapia, age 20, died December 18 from small-arms fire 
while conducting combat operations in Ar Ramadi. He was assigned to the 
3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, Twentynine 
Palms, CA. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, his unit was attached to the 
2nd Marine Division.
  SGT Regina C. Reali, age 25, died December 23 in Baghdad when an 
improvised explosive device detonated near her humvee. She was assigned 
to the Army Reserve's 351st Civil Affairs Command, Mountain View, CA. 
She was from Fresno, CA.
  SGT Cheyenne C. Willey, age 36, died December 23 in Baghdad when an 
improvised explosive device detonated near his humvee. He was assigned 
to the Army Reserve's 351st Civil Affairs Command, Mountain View, CA. 
He was from Fremont, CA.
  SPC Sergio Gudino, age 22, died December 25 in Baghdad when an 
improvised explosive device detonated near his M1A1 tank during combat 
operations. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, GA. He 
was from Pomona, CA.
  SPC Marcelino R. Corniel, age 23, died December 31 in Baghdad when an 
enemy mortar attack occurred in the vicinity of his observation post. 
He was assigned to the Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 184th 
Infantry Regiment, Fullerton, CA. He was from La Puente, CA.
  PVT Robbie M. Mariano, age 21, died January 5 in An Najaf when an 
improvised explosive device detonated near his humvee during convoy 
operations. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 16th Field Artillery, 
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, TX. He was 
from Stockton, CA.
  SGT Adam L. Cann, age 23, was killed in action on January 5 by a 
suicide bomb attack on an Iraqi police recruitment center in Ar Ramadi. 
He was assigned to Security Battalion, Camp Pendleton, CA. During 
Operation Iraqi Freedom, his unit was attached to the 2nd Marine 
Division.
  MAJ Douglas A. La Bouff, age 36, died January 7 near Tal Afar when 
his UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crashed. He was assigned to the Army's 
3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Carson, CO. He was from La Puente, 
CA.
  LCpl Raul Mercado, age 21, died January 7 when his vehicle was 
attacked with an improvised explosive device while conducting combat 
operations near Al Karmah. He was assigned to 2nd Maintenance 
Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, Camp Lejeune, NC. He was from 
Monrovia, CA.
  CPL Justin J. Watts, age 20, died January 14 from an apparent 
nonhostile gunshot wound in Haditha. His death is currently under 
investigation. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine 
Regiment, 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, CA. During Operation 
Iraqi Freedom, his unit was attached to the 2nd Marine Division.
  CWO3 Rex C. Kenyon, age 34, died January 16 in Baghdad when his 
Apache helicopter was shot down while conducting aerial patrols. He was 
assigned to the 1st Battalion, 4th Aviation Regiment (Attack), Combat 
Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, TX. He was from El 
Segundo, CA.
  CPL Carlos Arrelanopandura, age 22, died January 20 from a suicide 
vehicle-borne improvised explosive device while conducting combat 
operations in Haqlaniyah. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 1st 
Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, CA. During 
Operation Iraqi Freedom, his unit was attached the 2nd Marine Division. 
He was from Los Angeles, CA.

[[Page 511]]

  LCpl. Brandon Dewey, age 20, died January 20 from a suicide vehicle-
borne improvised explosive device while conducting combat operations in 
Haqlaniyah. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 
1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, CA. During Operation Iraqi 
Freedom, his unit was attached to the 2nd Marine Division. He was from 
San Joaquin, CA.
  SGT David L. Herrera, age 26, died January 28 in Baghdad when an 
improvised explosive device detonated near his humvee during combat 
operations. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry 
Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort 
Campbell, KY. He was from Oceanside, CA.
  LCpl Hugo R. Lopezlopez, age 20, died January 27 at Brooke Army 
Medical Center in San Antonio from wounds sustained from an improvised 
explosive device while conducting combat operations against enemy 
forces in Rawah, Iraq on November 20, 2005. He was assigned to the 2nd 
Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, 
CA. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, his unit was attached to the 2nd 
Marine Division. He was from La Habra, CA.
  Mr. President, 523 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.

                          ____________________