[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 18]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 23079]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                TRIBUTE TO FIRST LIEUTENANT JOSHUA DEESE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MIKE McINTYRE

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 6, 2006

  Mr. McINTYRE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a true 
gentleman, wonderful father, and a leader in the Armed Forces, First 
Lieutenant Joshua Deese, who passed away while on patrol near Kirkuk, 
Iraq when his vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb on October 15, 2006. 
Josh's legacy and contributions will live on in the hearts and minds of 
many for generations to come, and we are forever grateful for his 
service to our country.
  Born and raised in Rowland, North Carolina, Josh embodied the true 
spirit of a dedicated and determined leader. He graduated from South 
Robeson High School in 1999 and joined the Army shortly after his 
graduation from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke in 2003. 
Described as a natural leader by his family, Josh served as a platoon 
leader in the infantry and had recently become an executive officer of 
his unit. He had been deployed to Iraq in August after serving in 
Afghanistan.
  As someone who grew up in a military family, Josh always dreamed of 
serving in the Army as a paratrooper. In addition to his uncle, Dexter 
Clark, his older sister Ronnean Collins, and his two grandfathers, 
served in the military.
  Josh loved his family and is survived by his parents, Ronnie and 
Regina Deese; his sisters, Ronnean Collins and Myra Deese; his 2-year-
old son Jacob and his girlfriend Andrea Anderson.
  President Dwight D. Eisenhower once said, ``If we make ourselves 
worthy of America's ideals, if we do not forget that our nation was 
founded on the premise that all men are creatures of God's making, the 
world will come to know that it is free men who carry forward the true 
promise of human progress and dignity.'' Indeed, Josh's life was the 
embodiment of this. He was a man who was known by persons of all races, 
ages, and religions for both his kind deeds and his loving, unselfish 
heart.
  Mr. Speaker, dedicated service to others combined with dynamic 
leadership has been the embodiment of Josh's life. May we all use his 
wisdom, selflessness, and integrity as a beacon of direction and a 
source of true enlightenment. Indeed, may God bless to all of our 
memories the tremendous life and legacy of First Lieutenant Joshua 
Deese.

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