[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 12570]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1900
                        ILARIO PANTANO'S MEMOIR

  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent 
that I might speak at this time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the gentleman from North 
Carolina is recognized for 5 minutes.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, on April 5, 2005, I rose on 
the House floor in defense of former Marine Lieutenant Ilario Pantano, 
who had been accused of premeditated murder for his actions in April 
2004 that resulted in the deaths of two suspected Iraqi insurgents.
  At that time I encouraged my colleagues to support a resolution 
calling on the United States Government to dismiss all charges against 
Lieutenant Pantano who had defended the cause of freedom, democracy and 
liberty, while serving as a platoon commander in Iraq.
  In an action of self-defense, Lieutenant Pantano made a split-second 
battlefield decision to shoot two suspected Iraqi insurgents who 
refused to follow his orders to stop their movement towards him. 
Lieutenant Pantano did his duty as any marine officer should when faced 
with the enemy.
  Following a 5-day military hearing in May 2005, the truth of 
Lieutenant Pantano's innocence prevailed, and he was cleared of all 
charges. Lieutenant Pantano left the Marine Corps following the 
dismissal of the charges brought against him, as the media frenzy 
surrounding his case may have put him or other corps members at greater 
risk were he to return to duty.
  As an outstanding leader and dedicated servant to the Marine Corps 
and our Nation, I believe Lieutenant Pantano's resignation was a great 
loss for the Marine Corps and a great loss for America. Mr. Speaker, I 
recall these events to draw attention to the recent release of a memoir 
by Lieutenant Pantano, coauthored by Malcolm McConnell, entitled: 
``Warlord, No Better Friend, No Worse Enemy.''
  Ilario Pantano first enlisted in the Marine Corps at the age of 17 
and was inspired to reenlist following the terrorist attack of 
September 11 of 2001, 10 years after his service as an elite marine 
sniper and a veteran of Desert Storm.
  Answering the patriotic call to duty, Lieutenant Pantano voluntarily 
left a successful career in finance to head to officer's training 
school in Quantico, Virginia. As a platoon commander in Iraq, 
Lieutenant Pantano was praised by his fellow marines and superiors as a 
capable and devoted leader and an intelligent and motivated officer who 
embodied the Marine Corps principles of honor, courage, and commitment.
  As someone who had the pleasure of meeting Lieutenant Pantano, along 
with his lovely wife, Jill, and his two sons, I believe every American 
would benefit from reading the inspiring story of such a great American 
and a military hero.
  Mr. Speaker, I am confident that those who read Lieutenant Pantano's 
story will come to a better understanding of the depth of his strength 
and heroism, both on the battlefield and in the courtroom.
  Mr. Speaker, I close by asking God to please bless the men and women 
in uniform and to ask God to continue to bless America.

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