[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 16]
[Senate]
[Page 21530]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES


                     Lance Corporal Philip Johnson

  Mr. DODD. Mr. President, today I rise to pay tribute to U.S. Marine 
Corps LCpl Philip A. Johnson, of Enfield, CT, a heroic young man who 
lost his life serving his country in Iraq on September 2, 2006. He was 
19 years old.
  Lance Corporal Johnson, a member of the weapons company of the 3rd 
Battalion, Second Marine Division based at Camp Lejeune, NC, was killed 
along with one other marine when a roadside bomb detonated as their 
unit was traveling from Ramadi.
  Philip Johnson was the consummate American patriot. He dedicated his 
life to the U.S. Marine Corps and took immense pride in serving his 
country. As a little boy, Philip dreamed of being a marine and wasted 
no time in pursuing his goal. He joined a youth education and service 
organization named the Westover Young Marines at the age of 11, where 
he attained the rank of staff sergeant and served as a role model for 
younger members. Many who knew him remember his lifelong love of the 
Marine Corps, but they also remember him as a focused and thoughtful 
young man with a drive to help people. Philip was active in his church 
and committed to his faith.
  Above all, Philip was eager to serve his country, so shortly after 
graduating from Enfield High School in 2005 he fulfilled his childhood 
dream by enlisting in the Marine Corps. As a marine, he continued to 
exhibit the exceptional determination and focus that defined his youth. 
Philip attained the rank of lance corporal in less than a year, an 
impressive feat that speaks volumes about his dedication to the Marine 
Corps.
  Philip Johnson was a model marine, prepared to fight America's worst 
enemies and deeply committed to both the Corps and our Nation. Lance 
Corporal Johnson and others like him have made the ultimate sacrifice 
so that their fellow Americans can live in peace and security, and for 
that, we should be eternally grateful.
  So today I salute Philip Johnson for his unwavering commitment to our 
Nation and the principles for which it stands. He was a young man of 
exceptional integrity and will be greatly missed. I wish to extend my 
deepest sympathies to his parents, Louis and Kathy, his sister, 
Jessica, and to all those who knew and loved him.

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