[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 19]
[Senate]
[Pages 26767-26768]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES


                       Sergeant Gerald J. Cassidy

  Mr. BAYH. Mr. President, I rise today with a heavy heart and deep 
sense of gratitude to honor the life of a brave soldier from Carmel, 
IN. Gerald Cassidy, 31 years old, died September 21 in Fort Knox, KY. 
Gerald was on medical hold after sustaining injuries in Iraq from a 
roadside bomb. With an optimistic future before him, Gerald risked 
everything to fight for the values Americans hold close to our hearts, 
in a land halfway around the world.
  Gerald was a dedicated and longtime member of the Army. In 1992, 
Gerald enlisted in the Army Reserve after spending his summers at 
Culver Military Academy in northern Indiana, where he was named an 
adjutant commander in charge of 85 other academy goers and was a member 
of the Black Horse Troop, an elite equestrian group. In 2003, Gerald 
joined the Indiana National Guard where he was assigned to the 152nd 
Mechanized Infantry. He served in Bosnia-Herzegovina in 2004 and in 
Hurricane Katrina Operation Vigilant Relief in 2005. Sgt. Cassidy 
received the Humanitarian Service Medal for his stateside service.
  Known at ``G.J.'' to his family, Gerald was a natural leader. He 
volunteered to serve in Iraq with the Minnesota National Guard, who had 
an opening in their team. He was assigned to Battery C, 2nd Battalion, 
150th Field Artillery in Lebanon. For his great service and sacrifice, 
Gerald's family was presented with the Purple Heart, the Combat Action 
Badge and the Indiana Distinguished Service Award. Gerald is survived 
by his wife Melissa Castillo Cassidy; his daughter Abbey, 5 years old; 
his son Isaac, 3 years old; his mother and stepfather John and Kay 
McMullen; his father Gerald J. Cassidy; his sister Lisa Hignite; and 
his brother Darrin Cassidy.
  Today, I join Gerald's family and friends in mourning his death. 
While we struggle to bear our sorrow over this loss, we can also take 
pride in the example he set, bravely fighting to make the world a safer 
place. It is his courage and strength of character that people will 
remember when they think of Gerald, a memory that will burn brightly 
during these continuing days of conflict and grief. Today and always, 
Gerald will be remembered by family members, friends and fellow 
Hoosiers as a true American hero, and we honor the sacrifice he made 
while dutifully serving his country.
  As I search for words to do justice in honoring Gerald's sacrifice, I 
am reminded of President Lincoln's remarks as he addressed the families 
of the fallen soldiers in Gettysburg: ``We cannot dedicate, we cannot 
consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and 
dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power 
to add or detract. The world will little note nor long remember what we 
say here, but it can never forget what they did here.'' This statement 
is just as true today as it was nearly 150 years ago, as I am certain 
that the impact of Gerald's actions will live on far longer that any 
record of these words.
  It is my sad duty to enter the name of Gerald J. Cassidy in the 
Record of the U.S. Senate for his service to this country and for his 
profound commitment to freedom, democracy and peace. When I think about 
this just cause in which we are engaged, and the unfortunate pain that 
comes with the loss of our heroes, I hope that families like Gerald's 
can find comfort in the words of the prophet Isaiah who said, ``He will 
swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from 
off all faces.''
  May God grant strength and peace to those who mourn, and may God be 
with all of you, as I know He is with Gerald.
  Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, another 2 months have passed, and more 
American troops lost their lives overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan. It 
is only right that we take a few moments in the U.S. Senate to honor 
them. Outside my office here in Washington, we have a tribute called 
``Faces of the Fallen.'' Visitors to the Senate from across the country 
have stopped by the memorial. I encourage my colleagues to come see 
this tribute on the third floor of the Hart Building.
  I last came to the Senate floor to honor our fallen troops in early 
August. Since that time, the Pentagon has announced the deaths of 182 
troops in Iraq and in Operation Enduring Freedom, including in 
Afghanistan. They will not be forgotten. So today I will read their 
names into the Record:

     PO3 Mark R. Cannon, of Lubbock, TX
     SPC Chirasak Vidhyarkorn, of Queens, NY
     SGT Randell Olguin, of Ralls, TX
     GYSGT Herman J. Murkerson Jr., of Adger, AL
     SGT Robert T. Ayres III, of Los Angeles, CA
     SGT Zachary D. Tellier, of Charlotte, NC
     SSGT Donnie D. Dixon, of Miami, FL
     James D. Doster, of Pine Bluff, AR
     SPC Ciara M. Durkin, of Quincy, MA
     Randy L. Johnson, of Washington, DC
     SPC Mathew D. Taylor, of Cameron Park, CA
     PFC Christopher F. Pfeifer, of Spalding, NE
     PO2 Charles Luke Milam, of Littleton, CO
     SSGT Zachary B. Tomczak, of Huron, SD
     CPL Anthony K. Bento, of San Diego, CA
     SSGT Kevin R. Brown, of Harrah, OK
     Matthew D. Blaskowski, of Levering, MI
     SPC David L. Watson, of Newport, AR
     SPC Joshua H. Reeves, of Watkinsville, GA

[[Page 26768]]

     CSM Jonathan M. Lankford, of Scottsboro, AL
     CAPT (Dr.) Roselle M. Hoffmaster, of Cleveland, OH
     SPC John J. Young, of Savannah, GA
     PFC Luigi Marciante Jr., of Elizabeth, NJ
     CPL Graham M. McMahon, of Corvallis, OR
     SGT Edmund J. Jeffers, of Daleville, AL
     PFC Christian M. Neff, of Lima, OH
     SPC Aaron J. Walker, of Harker Heights, TX
     SPC Joseph N. Landry III, of Pensacola, FL
     SPC Nicholas P. Olson, of Novato, CA
     SPC Donald E. Valentine III, of Orange Park, FL
     SPC Matthew J. Emerson, of Grandview, WA
     SPC Brandon T. Thorsen, of Trenton, FL
     SSGT Michael L. Townes, of Las Vegas, NV
     SSGT Terry D. Wagoner, of Piedmont, SC
     CPL Todd A. Motley, of Clare, MI
     CPL Jonathan Rivadeneira, of Jackson Heights, NY
     PFC Christopher M. McCloud, of Malakoff, TX
     CPL Terrence P. Allen, of Pennsauken, NJ
     SGT John Mele, of Bunnell, FL
     SSGT Yance T. Gray, of Ismay, MT
     SSGT Gregory Rivera-Santiago, of St. Croix, VI
     SGT Michael C. Hardegree, of Villa Rica, GA
     SGT Omar L. Mora, of Texas City, TX
     SGT Nicholas J. Patterson, of Rochester, IN
     SPC Ari D. Brown-Weeks, of Abingdon, MD
     SPC Steven R. Elrod, of Hope Mills, NC
     SSGT Courtney Hollinsworth, of Yonkers, NY
     CPL Carlos E. Gilorozco, of San Jose, CA
     LCPL Jon T. Hicks Jr., of Atco, NJ
     CPL Travis M. Woods, of Redding, CA
     CPL Javier G. Paredes, of San Antonio, TX
     PFC Sammie E. Phillips, of Cecilia, KY
     LCPL Lance M. Clark, of Cookeville, TN
     SGT Alexander U. Gagalac, of Wahiawa, HI
     CAPT Drew N. Jensen, of Clackamas, OR
     SPC Marisol Heredia, of El Monte, CA
     CPL Ryan A. Woodward, of Fort Wayne, IN
     CPL Christopher L. Poole Jr., of Mount Dora, FL
     CPL Bryan J. Scripsick, of Wayne, OK
     SSGT John C. Stock, of Longview, TX
     SGT Michael J. Yarbrough, of Malvern, AR
     SGT Lee C. Wilson, of Chapel Hill, NC
     SPC Jason J. Hernandez, of Streetsboro, OH
     SPC Thomas L. Hilbert, of Venus, TX
     PFC Mykel F. Miller, of Phoenix, AZ
     SGT Joel L. Murray, of Kansas City, MO
     SPC David J. Lane, of Emporia, KS
     PVT Randol S. Shelton, of Schiller Park, IL
     CPL Keith A. Nurnberg, of McHenry, IL
     1st SGT David A. Cooper Jr., of State College, PA
     SSGT Delmar White, of Wallins, KY
     CPL William T. Warford III, of Temple, TX
     SPC Dane R. Balcn, of Colorado Springs, CO
     SPC Rodney J. Johnson, of Houston, TX
     MSGT Patrick D. Magnani, of Martinez, CA
     SPC Christopher G. Patton, of Lawrenceville, GA
     SGT Kevin A. Gilbertson, of Cedar Rapids, IA
     PVT Justin T. Sanders, of Watson, LA
     SPC Travis M. Virgadamo, of Las Vegas, NY
     1stSGT Daniel E. Scheibner, of Muskegon, MI
     SSGT Andrew P. Nelson, of Moorhead, MN
     SSGT Jason M. Butkus, of West Milford, NJ
     SPC Edward L. Brooks, of Dayton, OH
     CPL John C. Tanner, of Columbus, GA
     CAPT Erick M. Foster, of Wexford, PA
     Maj. Henry S. Ofeciar, of Agana, Guam
     MSGT Scott R. Ball, of Mount Holly Springs, PA
     SGT Jan M. Argonish, of Peckville, PA
     1stSGT Rocky H. Herrera, of Salt Lake City, UT
     SGT Cory L. Clark, of Plant City, FL
     SGT Bryce D. Howard, of Vancouver, WA
     SGT James S. Collins Jr., of Rochester Hills, MI
     PFC Thomas R. Wilson, of Maurertown, VA
     LCPL Rogelio A. Ramirez, of Pasadena, CA
     SSGT Nicholas R. Carnes, of Dayton, KY
     SGT Joshua L. Morley, of Boise, ID
     SPC Tracy C. Willis, of Marshall, TX
     LCPL Matthew S. Medlicott, of Houston, TX
     1stSGT Daniel E. Miller, of Rossford, OH
     1stSGT Scott M. Carney, of Ankeny, IA
     1stSGT David A. Heringes, of Tampa, FL
     PFC Edgar E. Cardenas, of Lilburn, GA
     1stSGT Adrian M. Elizalde, of North Bend, OR
     1stSGT Michael J. Tully, of Falls Creek, PA
     SSGT Sandy R. Britt, of Apopka, FL
     CAPT Corry P. Tyler, of GA
     CWO Paul J. Flynn, of Whitsett, NC
     SGT Matthew L. Tallman, of Groveland, CA
     SPC Rickey L. Bell, of Caruthersville, MO
     CAPT Derek A. Dobogai, of Fond du Lac, WI
     SSGT Jason L. Paton, of Poway, CA
     SGT Garrett I. McLead, of Rockport, TX
     CPL Jeremy P. Bouffard, of Middlefield, MA
     CPL Phillip J. Brodnick, of New Lenox, IL
     CPL Joshua S. Harmon, of Mentor, OH
     CPL Nathan C. Hubbard, of Clovis, CA
     SPC Michael A. Hook, of Altoona, PA
     SPC Jessy G. Pollard, of Springfield, MO
     SPC Tyler R. Seideman, of Lincoln, AR
     PFC Omar E. Torres, of Chicago, IL
     PFC Donovan D. Witham, of Malvern, AR
     CPL Willard M. Powell, of Evansville, IN
     SPC George V. Libby, of Aberdeen, NC
     SSGT Paul B. Norris, of Cullman, AL
     SPC Kamisha J. Block, of Vidor, TX
     CAPT Michael S. Fielder, of Holly Springs, NC
     1st Lt. Jonathan W. Edds, of White Pigeon, MI
     SGT Princess C. Samuels, of Mitchellville, MD
     SPC Zandra T. Walker, of Greenville, SC
     SSGT Robert R. Pirelli, of Franklin, MA
     SPC Alun R. Howells, of Parlin, CO
     SSGT Eric D. Cottrell, of Pittsview, AL
     CPL Juan M. Lopez Jr., of San Antonio, TX
     PFC Paulomarko U. Pacificador, of Shirley, NY
     CWO Christopher C. Johnson, of MI
     CWO Jackie L. McFarlane Jr., Virginia Beach, VA
     SSGT Sean P. Fisher, of Santee, CA
     SSGT Stanley B. Reynolds, of Rock, WV
     SPC Steven R. Jewell, of Bridgeton, NC
     SSGT Alicia A. Birchett, of Mashpee, MA
     CPL Shawn D. Hensel, of Logansport, IN
     SSGT William D. Scates, of Oklahoma City, OK
     SGT Scott L. Kirkpatrick, of Reston, VA
     SGT Andrew W. Lancaster, of Stockton, IL
     SPC Justin O. Penrod, of Mahomet, IL
     SGT Michael E. Tayaotao, of Sunnyvale, CA
     1st SGT Jeffrey D. Kettle, of Madill, OK
     SSGT Jesse G. Clowers Jr., of Herndon, VA
     SGT Charles B. Kitowski III, of Farmers Branch, TX
     SPC William L. Edwards, of Houston, TX
     PVT Alan J. Austin, of Houston, TX
     SPC Jordan E. Goode, of Kalamazoo, MI
     SSGT Joan J. Duran, of Roxbury, MA
     CPL Reynold Armand, of Rochester, NY
     SPC Donald M. Young, of Helena, MT
     SSGT Jacob M. Thompson, of North Mankato, MN
     SGT Nicholas A. Gummersall, of Chubbuck, ID
     CPL Juan M. Alcantara, of NY
     CPL Kareem R. Khan, of Manahawkin, NJ
     SPC Justin R. Blackwell, of Paris, TN
     PFC Jeremy S. Bohannon, of Bon Aqua, TN
     SGT Jon E. Bonnell Jr., of Fort Dodge, IA
     SPC Christopher T. Neiberger, of Gainesville, FL
     1stSGT Travis S. Bachman, of Garden City, KS
     SGT Bradley W. Marshall, of Little Rock, AR
     SPC Daniel F. Reyes, of San Diego, CA
     SPC Charles E. Leonard Jr., of Monroe, LA
     PFC Matthew M. Murchison, of Independence, MO
     SGT Dustin S. Wakeman, of Fort Worth, TX
     CPL Jason K. Lafleur, of Ignacio, CO
     SPC Jaron D. Holliday, of Tulsa, OK
     LCPL Cristian Vasquez, of Coalinga, CA
     Tech. SGT Joey D. Link, of Portland, TN
     SPC Braden J. Long, of Sherman, TX
     MSGT Julian Ingles Rios, of Anasco, Puerto Rico
     SSGT Fernando Santos, of San Antonio, TX
     SPC Cristian Rojas-Gallego, of Loganville, GA
     SPC Eric D. Salinas, of Houston, TX
     SGT Taurean T. Harris, of Liberty, MS
     SPC Zachariah J. Gonzalez, of IN
     PFC Charles T. Heinlein Jr., of Hemlock, MI
     PFC Alfred H. Jairala, of Hialeah, FL

  To date, more than 3,800 American men and women have lost their lives 
in Iraq. And more than 440 have lost their lives in Operation Enduring 
Freedom, including in Afghanistan.
  This list includes five soldiers from NJ: PFC Luigi Marciante Jr. of 
Elizabeth, NJ, CPL Terrence P. Allen, of Pennsauken, NJ, LCPL Jon T. 
Hicks Jr., of Atco, NJ, SSGT Jason M. Butkus, of West Milford, NJ and 
CPL Kareem R. Khan, of Manahawkin, NJ.
  We will not forget them and the Nation will not forget their 
sacrifice.

                          ____________________