[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 13]
[Senate]
[Page 18393]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES


                     Marine Corporal Jordan Pierson

  Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I rise to speak in honor of U.S. Marine 
Corps Corporal Jordan C. Pierson, of Milford, CT, who was killed in 
Iraq on August 25, 2006. He was 21 years old.
  Corporal Pierson, a member of Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 25th 
Marine Regiment, died from hostile gunfire while on foot patrol in 
Fallujah, Iraq.
  Corporal Pierson joined the U.S. Marine Corps in December 2003, just 
a few months after graduating from Joseph A. Foran High School in 
Milford. He was adamant about his decision to join the Marines. As a 
young man who loved the military from an early age, Jordan found his 
calling in the principles and discipline of the Marine Corps. He 
postponed his studies at the University of Connecticut, where he was 
taking courses in business and psychology, to serve in Iraq. During his 
deployment he was wounded by shrapnel from an insurgent grenade and was 
awarded the Purple Heart. After treatment at Camp Fallujah, he bravely 
returned to combat, exhibiting great dedication to his fellow marines 
and his Nation.
  Jordan's positive spirit and selflessness were an inspiration to all 
those around him, whether friends, family, or the men and women he 
served with in the Marine Corps. He represented the very best features 
of American patriotism. Among his fellow marines, his enthusiasm was 
contagious, and he often reminded them of the difference they were 
making in Iraq. To his childhood friends, he was a refuge in times of 
trouble and a constant source of entertainment. Never forgetting about 
the family he left behind, Jordan sent money home every month without 
ever being asked.
  People like Corporal Pierson make it possible for us to live each and 
every day in freedom, peace, and security. They have made the ultimate 
sacrifice to protect their fellow citizens and our Nation, and we must 
never forget their heroic service.
  So today I salute the courage and commitment of U.S. Marine Corporal 
Pierson, a young man who lived his life to the fullest and died 
fulfilling the noblest of callings, defending our Nation and the values 
we hold dear. I offer my deepest sympathies and support to his parents, 
Eric and Beverley, his brother Ethan, and to everyone who knew and 
loved him.

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