[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 10]
[House]
[Pages 13527-13528]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 MEMORIAL DAY: ROLL CALL OF THE FALLEN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, Memorial Day will soon be upon us. Eighteen 
soldiers from southeast Texas and troops have given their lives in 
Iraq. These are their photographs over here to my left, all 18 of them. 
These are the names of those warriors, the roll call of the fallen:
  Staff Sergeant Russell Slay, United States Marine Corps, age 34. He 
was killed on November 9, 2004. He is from Humble, Texas. When Russell 
told his mother he was joining the Marine Corps after high school, he 
told her that he knew she would not like it, but he joined anyway to 
serve his country.
  Lance Corporal Wesley Canning, United States Marine Corps, age 21, 
killed November 10, 2004. He is from Friendswood, Texas. He always 
wanted to be a marine and had the ambition to serve for 20 years. He 
was a proud Texan, and when he was home on leave, he bought a new 
pickup truck so he could show his marine buddies his ``Don't Mess with 
Texas'' bumper sticker.
  Lance Corporal Fred Lee Maciel, United States Marine Corps, age 20, 
killed January 26, 2005. He was from Spring, Texas. He was killed in a 
helicopter crash in al-Anbar province on his way to begin security 
preparations for the historic Iraqi elections. Four days later I was in 
Iraq to witness those successful elections. Lance Corporal Maciel made 
them possible.
  Private First Class Wesley Riggs, United States Army, age 19, killed 
May 17, 2005, from Baytown/Beach City, Texas. He graduated in just 3 
years from high school, and he loved agriculture.
  Sergeant Bill Meeuwsen, United States Army, age 24, killed November 
23, 2005, from Kingwood, Texas. He went to Texas A&M, but he dropped 
out of school and enlisted in the Army as a result of 9/11.
  Lance Corporal Robert Martinez, United States Marine Corps, age 20, 
killed December 1, 2005, from Cleveland, Texas. He dreamed of getting a 
degree in education and becoming a baseball coach after his career in 
the Marines was over. Today, there is a post office in Cleveland, 
Texas, named in his honor.
  Staff Sergeant Michael Durbin, United States Army, age 27, killed 
January 25, 2006, from Houston, Texas. He was a gifted artist. The day 
he was killed, he called his wife to tell her that he loved her.
  Tech Sergeant Walter Moss, Jr., United States Air Force, age 37, 
killed on March 30, 2006, from Houston, Texas. He joined the Air Force 
after high school, and he served in Operation Desert Storm. He 
specialized in detecting and defusing makeshift bombs. He was killed 
while defusing an IED.
  Private First Class Kristian Menchaca, United States Army, age 23, 
killed June 16, 2006, from Houston, Texas. When he joined the Army, 
Kristian wanted to become an infantryman. Kristian's wife stated that 
being in the military was what he always wanted to do. He was kidnapped 
and murdered by enemy forces.
  Staff Sergeant Ben Williams, United States Marine Corps, age 30, 
killed June 20, 2006, from Orange, Texas. He joined right after high 
school, and he served his country for 12 years and was on his third 
duty in Iraq when he was killed.
  Lance Corporal Ryan Miller, United States Marine Corps, age 19, 
killed September 14, 2006, from Pearland, Texas. He was a third-
generation marine, and he graduated early so he could enlist and follow 
his father's and grandfather's footsteps. After his tour of duty was 
over, he wanted to become a Houston police officer, just like his mom 
and dad.
  Staff Sergeant Edward Reynolds, Jr., United States Army, age 27, 
killed September 26, 2006, from Port Arthur,

[[Page 13528]]

Texas. He was looking forward to his New Year's Eve wedding date with 
his new fiancee, and he was the man that pushed his friends to succeed.
  Captain David Fraser, United States Army, age 25, killed November 26, 
2006, from Spring, Texas. He attended West Point Military Academy, 
where he graduated as the top student in civil engineering.
  Lieutenant Colonel Luke Yepsen, United States Marine Corps, age 20, 
killed September 14, 2006, from Kingwood, Texas. He attended Texas A&M 
after high school, but he dropped out to enlist in the United States 
Marine Corps.
  Specialist Dustin Donica, United States Army, age 22, December 28, 
2006, from Spring, Texas. When he was asked why he joined the United 
States Army, he said, ``Most people my generation want something for 
them, but I want to give something back.''
  Specialist Ryan Berg, United States Army, age 19, killed January 9, 
2007, from Sabine Pass, Texas. He joined the Army on his 18th birthday, 
and he was the first soldier from Sabine Pass killed in Operation Iraqi 
Freedom.
  Staff Sergeant Terrance Dunn, United States Army, age 38, killed 
February 2, 2007, from Atascocita, Texas. He enlisted in the Army 
several years after high school, and to his fellow soldiers he was 
known as ``Dunnaman,'' because he could get anything done.
  And lastly, Mr. Speaker, Lance Corporal Anthony Aguirre, United 
States Marine Corps, age 20, killed February 22, 2007, from 
Channelview, Texas. He entered the Marines because it was the toughest 
branch in the military.
  Mr. Speaker, these are the few, the bold, the brave, the courageous, 
the Americans. These are the sons of southeast Texas who have fallen in 
battle for their country.
  And that's just the way it is.

                          ____________________