[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 2]
[House]
[Page 2810]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   HONORING FIRST SERGEANT BRAD KASAL

  Mr. KING of Iowa. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to speak out 
of order.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Iowa?
  There was no objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Iowa (Mr. King) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. KING of Iowa. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to deliver the story of 
an American hero, Marine First Sergeant Brad Kasal, to this Chamber and 
to the American people.
  Sergeant Kasal was born in the small town of Afton, Iowa, where he 
was raised on a small family farm and where he learned Midwestern 
values which would later serve him very well in his service in the 
United States Marine Corps. Sergeant Kasal is 39 years old and has 
served three tours of duty in Iraq and Kuwait. He is a member of 
Weapons Company, Third Battalion, First Marine Regiment, also known as 
``Thundering Third.''
  When you hear Sergeant Kasal's story of courage and sacrifice, it is 
not surprising that he comes from a solid family of patriots who have 
also served our country.
  Brad Kasal's brother Jeff is a retired Army paratrooper who served 
our country in Operation Desert Storm with the 82nd Airborne and now 
works in Iraq. Brad's brother Kelly served in the United States Army, 
and his brother Kevin also served in the United States Marine Corps. 
And 50 years ago, their father, Gerald, served in the Iowa National 
Guard.
  But even among the patriotic Kasal family, Sergeant Brad Kasal's 
experiences set him apart. During his three tours of duty in Iraq and 
Kuwait, Sergeant Kasal has received two Purple Hearts. His first was 
awarded for an incident in August 2004 for shrapnel wounds to the face, 
neck and shoulder from a rocket-propelled grenade.
  His second Purple Heart came from events which took place on November 
13, 2004, when Marines were in their fifth day of Operation Phantom 
Fury, which was a battle to free Fallujah from the grip of the 
terrorists.
  Sergeant Kasal was patrolling the streets and had the duty of 
clearing terrorists from buildings when he saw a fellow marine wounded 
and leaving a building. He told him that three more of their men were 
still inside and under attack.
  Without regard for his own life and safety, Sergeant Kasal charged 
into the building to defend and rescue his men. It was then that he saw 
several dead Iraqis, the wounded Marines, and a terrorist confronting 
him with an AK-47 rifle less than 2 feet away. While he managed to 
dodge the bullets and kill that terrorist, another terrorist was able 
to sneak up behind him and open fire. Sergeant Kasal was hit by those 
bullets and fell to the ground. He was dizzy and disoriented from his 
wounds, but he immediately began caring for another wounded marine. 
Sergeant Kasal knew he had to stay alive to save himself and the 
others. As he struggled to remain conscious, a grenade dropped onto the 
ground next to a wounded marine.
  Responding to his instinct to protect his comrade, Sergeant Kasal 
threw his own body over Private First Class Alexander Nicoll. 
Thankfully, Sergeant Kasal's helmet and body armor protected his vital 
organs, but he took the full brunt of shrapnel to his back, shoulders 
and legs. For the next 45 minutes as he lay grievously wounded, 
Sergeant Kasal used his 9 millimeter handgun to defend himself in a 
prolonged shootout where he suffered another bullet wound.
  This picture shows Sergeant Kasal being helped from the building 
still clutching his trusty 9 millimeter handgun. He explained that he 
kept the gun because he was being evacuated through a kill zone where 
he knew a number of terrorists remained, and he feared his weapon might 
be needed to fend off more potential attackers.
  Long after he was rescued, Sergeant Kasal learned the full extent of 
his injuries. Ultimately, he lost 60 percent of his blood. He took 40 
pieces of shrapnel wounds, and suffered seven bullet wounds.
  Despite his wounds, Sergeant Kasal said his efforts and wounds were 
worthwhile. The marine whom he shielded, Private Nicoll, had survived 
the battle.
  Sergeant Kasal must undergo constant medical procedures and therapy, 
but his ultimate goal is to recover so he can resume his service in the 
Marine Corps to defend you and me and the people of our country.
  Marine First Sergeant Brad Kasal does not think of himself as a hero. 
He is a model Marine and hero for Americans.
  In all wars, there are stories of bravery and heroism. The story of 
Marine First Sergeant Brad Kasal stands out among them. There is no 
doubt that Sergeant Kasal's actions on November 13, 2004, prove he is 
an honorable marine with a bigger passion for his fellow marines and 
our country than his own life and safety.
  Sergeant Kasal believes the values he learned in his Iowa upbringing, 
as well as the strong spirit of the Marine Corps, gave him the strength 
and will to persevere in an otherwise unsurviv-
able situation.
  Sergeant Kasal makes me proud to be an Iowan and an American; and I 
thank him for his bravery, honor, and patriotism.

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