[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 7153]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   TRIBUTE TO U.S. ARMY PRIVATE FIRST CLASS JOHN FRANCIS LANDRY, JR.

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MARTIN T. MEEHAN

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 21, 2007

  Mr. MEEHAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a true hero, Private 
First Class John Francis Landry, Jr., who gave his life in service to 
our country.
  Private First Class Landry was a resident of Lowell, a community in 
my Massachusetts district, and was deployed with the brave men and 
women serving in our armed forces on October 31, 2006. John had served 
nearly 5 months in Iraq, when his unit was ambushed in Baghdad on March 
17, 2007. John had been spending time on leave with his family in 
Florida just 8 days before his tragic death in that ambush.
  John served as a rifleman with Company C, 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry 
Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, based at Fort 
Bliss, Texas. He was 20 years old, having been born on Christmas Day in 
1986.
  John's parents, John and Pamela, were proud of their son, not just 
for the supreme sacrifice he paid on behalf of his country, but for the 
honor he brought to them as a soldier. Military service runs deep in 
the Landry family. John's grandfather was a member of the 82nd Airborne 
Division and his father served in the U.S. Marine Corps. All of his 
life, John dreamt of becoming a part of that legacy of service, and he 
died fulfilling that dream.
  Before joining the United States Army, John attended Lowell Catholic 
High School where he was remembered for his kindness, his aptitude in 
the classroom and his hard-nosed leadership a co-captain and as an 
offensive and defensive lineman on the football team. Lowell Catholic 
was nearly finished with a care package to send to John in Iraq when 
they learned of his death.
  As John's aunt, Missy Surette, said: ``All that were fortunate enough 
to have had John as a part of their lives, feel the sadness and loss 
beyond words. Along with that sadness is a sense of honor and of being 
very proud of John. We will forever keep him in our hearts.''
  John died fighting for the country he loved, alongside comrades he 
respected and with the family he adored, forever in his heart. Our 
Nation is humbled and grateful for his sacrifice.
  Madam Speaker, I ask that we all take a moment to recognize PFC John 
Francis Landry, Jr., United States Army, who paid the ultimate 
sacrifice fighting for our country. Our Nation will be forever 
grateful.

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