[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Pages 8619-8620]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES


               Private First Class Stephen K. Richardson

  Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I rise today to humbly honor a Bridgeport, 
CT, soldier who lost his life in the service of our country: Private 
First Class Stephen K. Richardson.
  On Tuesday, March 20, the 22-year-old Private First Class Richardson 
and another soldier were killed when a roadside bomb exploded near 
their vehicle in Baghdad. Now Stephen is being remembered for his 
spirit of service, for his devotion to his country, and for his love of 
his family.
  Stephen served with the 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry, 4th Brigade, 
1st Infantry Division, which has been charged with securing Baghdad. 
Private First Class Richardson took on that mission willingly: ``He 
wanted to be part of America's protection,'' said his grandmother, Ina 
Jackson. ``He wanted to help resolve the problems in Iraq.'' Like 
nearly every other soldier who has enlisted since the start of the

[[Page 8620]]

Iraq war, Private First Class Richardson knew exactly where he was 
going and exactly what risks he'd be facing which makes his sacrifice 
all the more admirable.
  Those who were close to Stephen know just what a fine young life has 
been cut off. Edward Geist, a professor at the University of 
Bridgeport, remembers teaching him. ``He was older than my other 
students he took the work more seriously,'' said Professor Geist. He 
still remembers an essay Private First Class Richardson wrote about his 
future plans returning to his family's home in Jamaica and starting a 
business to help improve living conditions. ``It was much more 
reflective and serious than what we normally get,'' Stephen's professor 
said. I think that seriousness of purpose was exactly what drove 
Private First Class Richardson to serve his country and a glimpse of 
the bright future he might have had in store.
  Instead, his death leaves a father and mother to bury their son; a 
fatherless daughter, Iyanna; and a widowed and pregnant wife, Katana. 
Their memories of Stephen are bright and indelible: Stephen planting 
tomatoes, spinach, and string beans in the backyard garden with his 
grandmother; Stephen giving a pony ride to his 7-year-old cousin; 
Stephen watching ``Bugs Bunny'' with infant Iyanna. Today, I imagine 
that each of those memories comes back with a stab of grief to those 
who loved Stephen; but I pray that time will turn them into a 
wellspring of comfort.
  This war leaves behind more anguish than we can easily bear. At 4 
a.m. on Tuesday morning, Stephen's mother, Jacqueline Hamilton-Carby, 
started out of bed in Jamaica and sat down to write him a letter: ``It 
has been 43 days, that is 1,032 hours or 61,920 minutes, better yet 
3,715,200 seconds, since I heard your voice. That is a long, l-o-n-g 
time but whereas I was worried before, I have placed you in the hand of 
God.'' On the same day, her son was killed.
  But she has no doubt that he is in that hand still. ``I'm not angry 
with anyone,'' said Ms. Hamilton-Carby. ``I just view it as the work of 
God.''
  May she find comfort, and all who loved Stephen, and all who are 
bereaved. I add my voice to their prayers, and I pledge my highest 
respect to an American soldier who died in our service, Private First 
Class Stephen K. Richardson.

                          ____________________