[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 13]
[Senate]
[Page 17623]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               REMEMBERING STEVEN CROWLEY AND BRIAN ELLIS

  Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, 30 years ago this November, two 
Americans were killed when a mob attacked the American Embassy in 
Islamabad, Pakistan. I wish to pay tribute to those men, Marine CPL 
Steven Crowley and Army WO Brian Ellis.
  Just a little over 2 weeks earlier, 66 Americans had been taken 
hostage by students in Tehran. On November 21, 1979, Ayatollah 
Khomeini, the Supreme Leader of Iran, took to the airwaves and falsely 
accused American troops of occupying the Great Mosque in Mecca.
  Protests raged against the United States throughout Pakistan that 
day. A student protest formed outside the gates of the American Embassy 
compound in Islamabad, but it quickly turned violent. Protesters broke 
down part of the wall, surged into the compound, and began shooting at 
American forces, breaking windows, and setting fire to the buildings.
  Most of the Embassy staff members were able to get to a secure 
communications room, where they remained for over 5 hours until the 
Pakistani military arrived to quell the rioters. Corporal Crowley was 
killed while protecting the compound; Warrant Officer Ellis was found 
burned to death in his apartment on the compound. Two Pakistani 
employees of the Embassy were also killed by rioters that day.
  This weekend, survivors of that attack will meet at Arlington 
National Cemetery. My thoughts and prayers will be with them as they 
remember those whose lives were cut short that fateful day in November.
  Steven Crowley and Brian Ellis died in the line of duty, serving 
their country and defending American lives. Their service must not be 
forgotten.

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