[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 13]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 17771-17772]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    IN RECOGNITION OF CHAD WATSON'S SERVICE TO THE U.S. MARINE CORPS

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                           HON. DUNCAN HUNTER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 30, 2008

  Mr. HUNTER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the service 
and sacrifice of Cpl Chad Michael Watson who lost a leg in an 
improvised explosive device attack. While on patrol in the Anbar 
province in Iraq on November 29, 2006, Chad's vehicle came under attack 
and he was severely wounded and later lost his right leg.
  The son of Mike and Gina Watson, Chad was born in Mount Zion, 
Illinois on February 8, 1983. He attended Mount Zion High School 
graduating in 2004. Chad joined the Marine Corps May 17, 2004 and was 
trained as an infantryman. Following his initial training he deployed 
to Iraq with Charlie Company, 1st Infantry Battalion, and 24th Marines 
where he served until his injury.
  During the twenty months of recovery, Chad maintained a positive and 
even uplifting attitude which reflected well among those fellow marines 
and soldiers passing through the recovery process at Walter Reed Army 
Medical Center. Mr. Albert Caswell of the U.S. Capitol Guide Service, a 
friend of his, penned the following poem as a fitting tribute to Chad 
for his sacrifice and unrelenting commitment to his long and enduring 
recovery.

                           Breaking Chad. . .

     Breaking Bad!
     Breaking Chad! He's Good, but he's the good king of Bad. . .
     A Marine's Marine, one Fine Fighting Machine! The kind of 
           son, you wish you had!
     First in boot camp. . .
     First in his class in military school . . . training with his 
           brothers in arms, as number one he'd rule. . .
     Wherever hearts of courage roam, men like Chad have come home 
           with but their hearts of heroism full. . .
     A Hero who went off to war. . .
     Who lost a leg, but came back with so much more!
     With his courage full, over our hearts he rules . . . as he 
           takes us all to school . . . is that not what heaven is 
           for?
     Upon, battlefields of honor seen!
     Running towards death, as he was strong . . . fast and lean . 
           . . a real bad fighting machine! Upon the scene!
     The kind of guy you'd fight for and not ask why . . . ready 
           to die for you and his United States Marines!
     For in our Country Tis of Thee. . .
     There have been many heroes such as these who heard the call 
           . . . who did not pause, as did he!
     Who are but rough & ready, while in the face of hell were 
           ever steady . . . for their colors did not run, you 
           see!
     And now his new fight. . .
     To rebuild his life, with his fine and future wife . . . 
           teaching us all what is right!
     `Oh what a heck of a sight, bringing tears to eyes . . . as 
           he does not ask why . . . bringing to our world his 
           light!
     SORRY!
     Is a word, from him . . . you shall never hear! For he is man 
           of courage and convictions so very clear!
     Which will teach us, which will reach us . . . into our souls 
           so beseech us here!
     In our lives, and in our times. . .
     What have we've so done, which so survives . . . which will 
           live on long after we have died?
     For it's all about what we've said and done, and for whom 
           we've so bled. . . . Which tells the world, Who Am I!
     For in That Moment of Truth. . .
     How will you break? What is your truth? All in your actions 
           you take, as so lies the proof!
     You may stand, or you may run! You may fade, or shine like 
           the morning sun! In heroic truth!
     How will you break?
     What steps will you take? What hearts will you break? While 
           all in your actions state. . .
     God is Good, and God is Great . . . all in heroes as Chad he 
           creates!
     Uraaaahh Jar head. . .
     You have fought and you have bled . . . Breaking Bad . . . 
           all in what your fine heart has said!
     What a hero is, and what you must have to break great and 
           break bad in the fight ahead . . .

[[Page 17772]]



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