[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 9706]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


                 HONORING NATIONAL POLICE MEMORIAL WEEK

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. DAVID G. REICHERT

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, May 19, 2008

  Mr. REICHERT. Madam Speaker, I respectfully submit the following two 
poems into the Congressional Record, authored by long-time U.S. Capitol 
tour guide Albert Caswell in honor of National Police Memorial Week:

  In Honor of Two Slain Officers, Jacob Chestnut and John Gibson, and 
Officer John McMillian on the Occasion of National Police Memorial Week 
                          at the U.S. Capitol

                            The Unsung Hero

     A Hero!
     A quiet man . . .
     A calm and careful caring man, with a sure and steady hand . 
           . .
     While there just waiting . . . waiting . . . waiting . . . to 
           make his stand . . .
     A time . . . when all life and death upon him so depend and 
           lie . . . all within his hands . . .
     A transformation, from a mere mortal . . . all to a Gotham-
           like Superman!
     A Hero!

     This unsung man . . .
     Quietly, ever so moving on his way . . .
     Quintessentially humble, throughout each and every passing 
           day . . .
     Questioning and there qualifying . . . observing all . . . 
           while, upon his way . . .
     Quantifying, reading and measuring carefully, as we see him 
           both night and day . . .
     Quiet, until that one moment, that one instant, that one day, 
           until out there on harm's way . . .
     This unsung man . . .

     That moment of truth . . .
     That time when all hell around him so breaks loose . . .
     That split second of life or death, that real moment of truth 
           . . .
     That reaction, his response . . . determining if evil will 
           win or lose . . .
     Quiet stealthiness erupting, as this dark evil he pursues, a 
           hero, a real American who's who . . .
     Who without regard of his own life to lose, as these grave 
           decisions as he must so choose . . .
     That moment of truth!

     Reacting all in time . . .
     Reaching that edge, where life and death are all so defined . 
           . .
     Reading the moment, instinctively preserving life, with but 
           this thin blue line . . .
     Responding all there within these precious moments in time . 
           . . as his true heart we find . . .
     Rushing into the darkest of all dangers . . . while there, 
           caution he so heroically leaves so very far behind . . 
           .
     Relief, it's all over . . . as there in the midst of grief, 
           so brilliantly he now so shines. . .
     Reacting all in time . . .

     As, he's saving lives . . .
     As all of the loved ones he has spared, all because he cared, 
           on this day . . .
     All living to see another sunset . . . basking in the sunrise 
           as together they . . .
     Life guards . . . whose heroism its so splendidly portrayed . 
           . . as onward they so make their way . . .
     Liege, as to them we so our allegiance owe . . . as now so 
           quietly back to work he so goes this day . . .
     Letting none know, waiting until that one moment of truth The 
           Unsung Hero, as for him we pray . . .
     As, he's saving lives . . .

     A Hero, This Unsung Man . . . That Moment Of Truth . . . 
           Reacting All In Time . . . As He's Saving Lives!

       Dedicated to All Great Americans and these officers 
     Chestnut . . . Gibson . . . and McMillian . . . who are the 
     personification of the words `Unsung Hero'

     --Albert Carey Caswell  2001.
                                  ____


 In Memory, on National Police Memorial Week at the Capitol, of Slain 
Officers Jacob Joseph Chestnut and John Michael Gibson on the Upcoming 
            10th Anniversary of Their Deaths, July 24th 1998

                    Up to the Lord, They Would Rise

     On one bright warm sunny day in July . . .
     As two great American Heroes were to lay down their lives . . 
           .
     People stunned and confused, asking that age old eternal 
           question, why?
     As few noticed on that day, as two bright lights were heading 
           up into the skies . . .
     As straight to heaven, their souls to our Lord they would 
           rise . . .

     In this our world, no woman or man . . . nor even a child . . 
           . can know of or plan, of this their final fate or time 
           . . .
     As when one's life passage which is so very precious, which 
           is so very fine . . . will end without reason or rhyme 
           . . .
     Until tested . . . while acting on a clarion call, will we be 
           the ones ever standing tall . . . while standing in 
           death's line?
     For on this bright and beautiful sunny day in July, as two 
           great American heroes in harm's way stood . . . as our 
           nation she would find!
     As straight up to heaven, their souls to our Lord they would 
           rise . . .

     For all of the children and wives, now without husbands or 
           dads . . .oh how so very unjust, so very sad . . .
     As there is no greater courageous act, which can be . . . 
           than while in the line of ones duty, gallantly 
           forsaking the life that you have . . .
     To all those men, women and children who were spared . . . 
           forever remember how they cared . . . ever hold in your 
           hearts, the good not the bad . . .
     In the Kingdom of our Lord, one's life . . . for there is no 
           greater gift, nor is there such higher sacrifice, so 
           rejoice . . . for they are in our Lord's arms, be glad.
     As straight up to Heaven, their souls to our Lord they would 
           rise . . .

     Let not this day always be remembered for that one lone foul 
           coward's evil attack . . .
     Instead . . . ever look on the goodness of mankind and those 
           heroic hearts which were so to find these unselfish 
           Christian acts!
     Now, honor our Fallen Heroes ever in this way . . . so 
           forever in our hearts, their great deeds of valor shall 
           so stay . . . so warmly so intact . . .
     For on this dark . . . dark . . . dark day of evil . . . as 
           two lone brave hearts stood . . . bringing light . . . 
           bringing good . . . for their courage would not lack . 
           . .
     As straight up to Heaven, their souls up to our Lord as they 
           would rise . . .

     To the children and the wives, who have lost the ones ever so 
           close . . . their grave sacrifice means everything, 
           just the most!
     A Dr. King or a woman who just might save the world, as from 
           all of these unselfish Christian acts . . .. as we may 
           soon warmly boast . . .
     Families hugging and crying, all still intact . . . all 
           because two heroes now lay dying . . . as on this day, 
           death came so very . . . very . . . very close . . .
     For the names of Chestnut & of Gibson, we shall now forever 
           carry in our hearts, just everything . . . all! As 
           these fine magnificent souls gave the most!
     Surely, those two bright lights heading up into the skies, 
           were but their fine souls . . . as up to Heaven they 
           had closed . . .
     As straight up to Heaven, their precious souls to our Lord . 
           . . they rose!

       In Memory of Officers Chestnut and Gibson, to the Families, 
     our prayers and thoughts are with you, we cherish the honor & 
     great privilege to have known & served with such fine men of 
     character & great honor . . . And to all the men and women in 
     blue who showed their true & great worth on this day of 
     heroes . . . May God Bless you . . .

     --Albert Carey Caswell  1998.

                          ____________________