[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 17]
[Senate]
[Page 21972]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        HEROICS OF ALAN JOHNSTON

  Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, I rise today to honor and recognize with 
the highest esteem Mr. Alan Johnston of Windsor, ME, for the tremendous 
courage and enormous valor he demonstrated in Iraq in 2004 that helped 
save many lives.
  CPT Aaron P. Hill of the U.S. Marine Corps recounted in a witness 
statement that Alan Johnston's heroic actions on August 7, 2004, had he 
been in military uniform, would have earned him a medal. Mr. Johnston, 
a civilian contractor who was overseeing construction of two medical 
clinics in Iraq, acted swiftly and selflessly to rescue others during a 
suicide attack on the headquarters facility at the Al Kasik Military 
Base located approximately 35 miles northwest of Mosul, Iraq.
  Captain Hill was part of a unit advising Iraqi soldiers in Northern 
Iraq. He credits Mr. Johnston with saving a number of lives after 
insurgents drove two water trucks packed with as many as 8,000 pounds 
of explosives to the headquarters building. The blasts from this 
insurgent attack lasted over 90 minutes and destroyed the 2-level 
headquarters building, resulting in 14 deaths and an estimated 40 
severely to critically injured people.
  Acting without hesitation, Mr. Johnston sounded the alarm, throwing 
those around him to the floor, saving many lives. In the devastation 
that followed, acting with total disregard to his own safety, Mr. 
Johnston emerged from the wreckage and began to assist in evacuating 
and treating the survivors. Despite the continuing barrage of mortars 
and rockets, Mr. Johnston continued to offer help with his medical 
expertise, calm demeanor, and steadfast devotion to helping his fellow 
man.
  Mr. Johnston not only reduced casualties and treated the wounded but 
restored critical support systems, including power and water. He also 
helped to find ways to feed the thousands of Iraqi soldiers dependent 
on the American military for support.
  Alan Johnston, a 6-year veteran of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 
and an emergency medical technician for nearly 18 years, suffered 
injuries to his head and leg but treated himself and remained at the 
base in Iraq for 3 months after the attack. He left Iraq in December of 
2004 and underwent another series of leg surgeries once he returned to 
the United States.
  As a result of Captain Hill's eyewitness account of Alan Johnston's 
actions, last month I had the solemn privilege of pinning the Defense 
of Freedom Medal on Mr. Johnston's lapel at a medal ceremony held at my 
Augusta, ME, office with Mr. Johnston's family present, officially 
acknowledging these courageous actions. This award is a rare and unique 
commendation issued only to civilians and is equivalent to the Purple 
Heart awarded to military service men and women.
  But what is most remarkable is that this occasion marked the first 
time a civilian, private contractor was awarded this particular medal. 
Mr. Johnston's lifesaving response to serve and sacrifice on behalf of 
others was something he chose to do. It was not his duty. It was not 
his responsibility it was his goodwill and American patriotism that 
drove him to put his life at risk in order to assist and save others. 
There is only one word that sufficiently describes this exemplary 
Mainer, and that word is hero. I was extremely proud to present him 
with the Defense of Freedom Medal.
  Mr. Johnston's awe-inspiring willingness to think of others ahead of 
himself will forever be remembered by those whose lives he touched and 
saved that day. The courageous commitment and valiant care demonstrated 
by Alan Johnston of Windsor, ME, exemplifies the very best of what it 
means to be a Mainer and an American

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