[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 14]
[Senate]
[Pages 19740-19742]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES


                          Major Michael Taylor

                       First Sergeant Tom Warren

                  Sergeant First Class John Gary Brown

  Mrs. LINCOLN. Madam President, today I rise to recognize three 
Arkansans who served our country with dignity and honor and gave their 
lives to our country in Iraq: MAJ Michael Taylor, 1SG Tom Warren, and 
Army SFC John Gary Brown. They will be remembered by their friends and 
family as men who lived lives full of passion and love. Their Nation 
will remember them as men who dedicated themselves to protection of our 
freedom.

[[Page 19741]]

  Michael Taylor's father-in-law described him as ``a good guy'' with a 
personality that attracted everyone to him since his childhood days in 
North Little Rock. As a National Guardsman, who worked at the Veterans' 
Administration, he soon learned that his true passion was in flying. He 
had spent a lot of time working with computers, and the relationship 
between modern helicopters and computers gave him a leg up when it came 
time to enter flight school. He retired from the VA to become a pilot 
with the Arkansas National Guard flying Black Hawk helicopters. Taylor 
eventually reached the Bravo Company's top position and commanded the 
company.
  The second member of the flight team was First Sergeant Tom Warren. 
1st Sgt. Warren grew up in Jacksonville, AR, near Camp Robinson. He 
attended North Little Rock High School in 1976 and married his wife 
Doris on January 17, 1983. He raised five children and throughout his 
life was very active in church. He was a Mason, including being past 
master at his lodge in Levy, which was the same position his father had 
held. He also served as deacon at Lifehouse Christian Fellowship, where 
he was an active member. Outside of church, Warren loved to golf, but 
nothing besides his family could match his love for aviation. Warren 
reached the position of first sergeant, making him the top ranked 
enlisted soldier in the company.
  Gary Brown hailed from the small town of Nashville, AR. He was born 
and raised there and attended Nashville High School, where he was on 
the track team. He graduated in 1982 and spent a year at Ouachita 
Baptist University. During his time in Little Rock, he was a member of 
Agape Church and was active in the church's children's bus ministry and 
men's Bible study. His twin brother said that everything Brown did in 
his life meant something to him, whether it was easy or hard, and he 
could always be found with a smile on his face.
  To him, serving his country meant something, and he served for 20 
years in the National Guard. Most recently Brown was the crew chief of 
the Arkansas National Guard's 77th Aviation Brigade. He pursued 
perfection and was truly dedicated to his job.
  The UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter that First Sergeant Warren flew was 
what he called a limousine service. They ferried others around Iraq as 
part of ``Task Force Dragon,'' but they became known as the ``Catfish 
Air.'' Serving their fellow soldiers, these men risked their lives 
every day to make sure people got to and from dangerous areas as safely 
as possible.
  Tragically these three men's lives intertwined on January 20, 2007, 
when their helicopter crashed in the area northeast of Baghdad in one 
of the deadliest moments of the war for our National Guard. I offer my 
condolences to their families, and I pray that they can find comfort in 
the knowledge that these three men died serving others and doing what 
they loved on behalf of a grateful Nation. My thoughts and prayers go 
out to the many people whose lives were touched by these men.


                        Specialist Jeremy Stacey

                   Private First Class Bruce Salazar

  Madam President, it is with great sadness that I also rise to honor 
two young men with Arkansas ties who died on back-to-back days during 
the July 4 recess. Specialist Jeremy L. Stacey was killed on July 5 by 
a roadside bomb in Baghdad, and Army PFC Bruce Salazar Jr., was killed 
on July 6 by an improvised explosive device, IED, in Muhammad Sath, 
Iraq.
  Specialist Stacey spent a large portion of his life growing up in 
Amarillo, TX, and later moved with his mother, Betty Click, to 
Bismarck, AR, where he graduated from Bismarck High School in 2003. 
Shortly after graduating from high school, he enlisted in the Army.
  Specialist Stacey was remembered by those in Bismarck as a great guy 
that everyone loved. He had been called a prankster with a quick wit by 
those who knew him well, and his death has been devastating for his 
family and the Bismarck community. Specialist Stacey was the first 
fatality of the Bismarck graduates serving in Iraq.
  Specialist Stacey was an M1 armor crewman with the 1st Cavalry 
Division stationed in Fort Bliss, TX, and had received the National 
Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Good 
Conduct Medal, and the Army Service Ribbon. He was posthumously 
appointed to the rank of corporal and awarded the Bronze Star and 
Purple Heart.
  After his graduation in Arkansas, Stacey's mother moved to Los 
Chavez, NM, and although he reenlisted in December for another 3-year 
term, he talked of moving to New Mexico to be near his mother once his 
service was complete. A talented writer who wrote fiction, Stacey also 
dreamed of going to college one day. He is survived by his mother and 4 
sisters: Jessica Stacey, Shaila Stacey, Lisa Close, and Erica Close.
  Just one day after Specialist Stacey was killed, Arkansas lost 
another one of its sons when Army PFC Bruce Salazar was killed. Salazar 
moved to Fayetteville, Arkansas, in 2003 when he followed his best 
friend Ronnie Jacques from Davis, CA, to Northwest Arkansas. Salazar's 
father, Bruce Salazar Sr., lives in Springdale, and the younger Salazar 
worked in Springdale while completing his general equivalency degree.
  The 24-year-old joined the Army and planned on being a career 
solider, according to his mother and his friend. After the war, Salazar 
planned on helping his mother, Suzie Ruiz of Modesto, CA, buy a house, 
and he looked forward to moving to Florida. His mother remembered him 
as a good kid who was always there when she needed him. He was an avid 
baseball fan and wanted to be a fighter pilot. A few weeks before his 
death, Salazar spoke to his mom about family and friends and asked for 
a baseball glove to play catch. Ms. Ruiz mailed the glove and a book on 
becoming a pilot.
  Private First Class Salazar was an infantryman with the 1st 
Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd 
Infantry Division based in Fort Stewart, GA. He is survived by his 
mother Suzy father Bruce sister Alicia Salazar and 4 half-sisters in 
Southern California.
  The deaths of these two young men, like the thousands who have 
already given their lives defending our freedom in Iraq and 
Afghanistan, touch many families and many communities across our State 
and throughout this great land. Our Nation is grateful for their 
service, and in the days and weeks ahead, our thoughts and prayers are 
with their families and loved ones during this difficult time.


                       Corporal Zachary D. Baker

  Madam President, I also wish to remember a young Arkansan who paid 
the ultimate sacrifice by giving his life for our freedom in Iraq 
earlier this year, CPL Zachary Baker. Coporal Baker was 24 years old 
and is survived by his wife Christina and seven-year-old son Andrew, as 
well as his mother, father, brother, sister, and other relatives.
  Known affectionately to his family as ``Bubba,'' Baker was serving 
his second tour of duty in Iraq. He was originally sent to Iraq in 2005 
and volunteered to go back after completing that tour. His family 
described him as a good Christian man who thought about others before 
himself.
  He was killed with 5 other members of the First Cavalry Division 
based out of Fort Hood, TX, when a roadside bomb exploded near the 
Bradley fighting vehicle they were in. His team was responding to a 
helicopter that Iraqi insurgents shot down north of Baghdad after 2 
crew members radioed for help. Both crew members died in the crash.
  I extend my deepest sympathy to his family. My thoughts and prayers, 
as well as those of so many Arkansans, are with you during this 
difficult time.


                      Staff Sergeant Justin Estes

  Madam President, Arkansas lost a fine young American this past year 
when SSG Justin Estes of Sims was killed while trying to assist a 
wounded soldier near Samarra, Iraq. According to reports, Sergeant 
Estes was in the third vehicle of a convoy when another vehicle was 
struck by an improvised explosive device, IED. Without regard for 
himself, Sergeant Estes left his vehicle and rushed to pull an injured

[[Page 19742]]

comrade out of the burning vehicle. He began administering first aid to 
the wounded soldier when another IED detonated. He died in the arms of 
a second soldier from the explosion.
  Sergeant Estes was remembered as a fine soldier, ``The Best of the 
Best,'' who put others before himself. He was serving his second tour 
for the 82nd Airborne and was set to return to the United States after 
his first tour. However, he gave his slot to a fellow soldier so that 
he could see his newborn son. Family and friends also recalled his fun-
loving spirit.
  Sergeant Estes was awarded three medals: The Bronze Star, the Purple 
Heart, and the Combat Infantryman Badge. He is survived by his parents, 
Don and Kathy Estes of Kentucky and John and Diane Salyers of Sims. He 
also has 2 older sisters, Norma and Kelli, in addition to other family. 
My thoughts and prayers go out to the Estes family during this trying 
time.


                       Specialist Erich Smallwood

  Madam President, it is with great sadness that I also rise today to 
pay tribute to a Arkansan who served his country with honor, SPC Erich 
S. Smallwood of Trumann, AR. Specialist Smallwood died on May 26, 2007, 
from injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated 
near his vehicle outside of Balad, Iraq. Erich was a member of Company 
B of the 87th Troop Command's 875th Engineer Battalion based in Marked 
Tree, AR, and served with the battalion's Company A based in Jonesboro, 
AR. He was the first loss for the 875th during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
  A 2002 graduate of Trumann High School, Smallwood was a beloved 
member of his community. He was selected ``Mr. Trumann High School'' by 
his classmates and was a good athlete who played football, baseball, 
and ran track for THS. He was also selected ``Most Involved'' his 
senior year in high school and was a member of Future Farmers of 
America and the Spanish Club.
  In the days following his death, friends and loved one remembered 
Smallwood for the person he was and the examples he set. In an 
interview in the Trumann Democrat, his high school principal, Jim 
Montgomery, recalled that Specialist Smallwood had a great sense of 
humor. ``He liked to kid around, but he never got into any trouble. . . 
He was always doing something to make people laugh . . . He was a good 
student and a good person.''
  At his funeral on June 4, his brother-in-law, Jon Redman of 
Jonesboro, noted that he was an inspiration to others. ``He was a 
special kind of person. He always had that smile on his face. . . He 
was the greatest brother anyone could have. He was a friend to many 
people and never met a stranger. He was the heart and soul of his 
unit.''
  Arkansas National Guard Adjutant GEN William B. Wofford remembered 
him as ``a soldier both inside and outside the wire. He wanted to be an 
encouragement to someone. He was a true patriot, was intelligent, and 
loved his fellow soldiers.''
  At a Memorial Day service in Trumann, just 2 days after his passing, 
Mayor Sheila Walters read a proclamation recognizing the sacrifice of 
Specialist Smallwood. It read: ``We honor all soldiers and their 
commitments to this great country by their legacy of patriotism and 
sacrifice. We honor our very own Erich Smallwood for giving his life in 
the cause of freedom. He is one of the many heroes who have protected 
and inspired us all.''
  Madam President, Specialist Smallwood was a unique person who paid 
the ultimate sacrifice in serving his country and protecting our 
freedoms. My thoughts and prayers are with his fiancee, Amanda; father, 
James; mother, Pamela; sister, Terah; brother J.T., who is also 
currently serving in Iraq; and the rest of the Smallwood family during 
this trying time.


                         sergeant robb rolfing

  Mr. THUNE. Madam President, I mourn the loss and celebrate the life 
of Rob Rolfing. Robb died on June 30 while engaging enemy insurgents in 
Baghdad. He was the 23rd South Dakotan to make the ultimate sacrifice 
in the war on terror. My deepest sympathies go out to Robb's family, in 
particular, his mother Margie, his father Rex, his brother TJ, and his 
sister Tiffany. With Robb's tragic death, South Dakota has lost one of 
its finest sons and the Army has lost a dedicated professional.
  Robb was from Sioux Falls and graduated from O'Gorman High School in 
1996. His love of science and ingenuity was inspired by television's 
MacGyver. Those who remember Robb from high school like to recount how 
Robb was never without duct tape or a Swiss Army knife. Another of 
their favorite stories is how Robb rigged up a makeshift parachute for 
his graduation cap so that when he threw it in the air it glided back 
down to the ground.
  As Robb grew it was clear that he was a gifted scholar, athlete, 
leader, and coach. He dedicated himself to the pursuit of excellence in 
every aspect of his life. He was a passionate soccer player who 
excelled on and off the field at Vassar College. He finished his 
collegiate career with a degree in Astrophysics and was twice named the 
captain of the Vassar soccer team, scored the winning goal to advance 
his team to Vassar's first ever national tournament, and was the team's 
second all-time leader in goals, assists, and points. Following 
graduation from college, Robb coached soccer at Rollins College in 
Florida and Curry College in Massachusetts.
  When the United States was attacked on September 11, 2001, Robb 
pursued another of his dreams. He joined the U.S. Army and became a 
member of the Green Berets, the Army's elite experts in unconventional 
warfare. Based on Robb's dedication to excellence and his mechanical 
ingenuity it came as no surprise that Robb served as the special forces 
engineer for his unit, Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 10th Special 
Forces Group, airborne. Special forces engineers are skilled at 
construction projects, building field fortifications, and using 
explosive demolitions. Looking back over Robb's life, it seems that his 
whole experience was designed to culminate in gaining the coveted Army 
Green Beret that is recognized the world over.
  Green Berets are commonly called quiet professionals and referred to 
as a special breed of man. Robb was both these things and truly lived 
the Green Beret motto, De Oppresso Liber, To Liberate the Oppressed.
  Mr. President, I truly mourn the loss of SGT Robb Rolfing and I 
extend my thoughts, prayers, and best wishes to his family, friends, 
and loved ones.

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