[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 16]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 22498]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




HONORING PURPLE HEART RECIPIENT RICKE PETERSON OF LAND O'LAKES, FLORIDA

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GINNY BROWN-WAITE

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 25, 2008

  Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to 
honor an American soldier who was wounded in service to our Nation 
during the conflict in Iraq. Master Sergeant Ricke Peterson is a member 
of the United States Army who served with honor and distinction on the 
battlefield. It is truly an honor to present this brave patriot with 
his Purple Heart medal.
  Born in Melrose Park, Illinois, Mr. Peterson currently resides in 
Land O'Lakes, Florida. A decorated non-commissioned officer (NCO), Mr. 
Peterson comes from a long line of military service members. With a 
grandfather who served in World War I, a father who was in the Air 
Force, Reserves and Guard, an uncle who served in the Navy in Korea, 
two brothers who served, and a nephew who was seriously wounded in 
Iraq, no one can question the Peterson family's commitment to military 
service.
  A soldier who spent his entire career in the United States Army, Mr. 
Peterson was just less than a month away from completing his twenty-
eighth year of service when he was gravely wounded in Iraq. Indeed, Mr. 
Peterson had already completed his service commitment when his unit 
received orders to deploy to Iraq. Instead of leaving the Army prior to 
his deployment, Mr. Peterson requested to stay with his unit so that he 
could go to Iraq and share his years of expertise with the younger Army 
men and women.
  On October 6, 2004, at the age of forty-four, Mr. Peterson was 
serving as the Force Protection NCO for the Army HHC, 4th BDE, 1st 
Infantry Division, assigned to Tikrit, Iraq. While traveling with his 
fellow soldiers, an anti tank mine tore off the front of his vehicle. 
The blast came through the floorboard, tearing through his legs and 
hitting him square in the chest. Mr. Peterson was peppered with 
shrapnel in his face, thighs, inner arms, feet and ankles, and he was 
eventually rendered unconscious.
  Today Mr. Peterson is still recovering from his extensive injuries. 
Suffering from severe head trauma, he undergoes comprehensive physical 
therapy and is slowly getting better. Thankfully he has the support of 
his wife of twenty-seven years, Chung, as well as their two grown 
children, Ricke, Jr. and Sara.
  Madam Speaker, it is soldiers like Ricke Peterson who joined the 
military to protect the freedoms that all Americans hold dear. While 
brave men like Mr. Peterson were wounded fighting for freedom and 
liberty, his family, friends and loved ones know that this Congress 
will always remember his bravery and commitment in battle.

                          ____________________