[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 8]
[Senate]
[Pages 10561-10562]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES

  Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, another 5 months have passed, and more 
American troops have lost their lives overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan. 
I wish to honor their service and sacrifice by including their names in 
the Record.
  Since I last included the names of our fallen troops on November 20, 
2008, the Pentagon has announced the deaths of 123 troops in Iraq and 
in Operation Enduring Freedom, which includes Afghanistan. They will 
not be forgotten and today I submit their names into the Record:

  LCpl Ray A. Spencer II, of Ridgecrest, CA; PFC Richard A. Dewater, of 
Topeka, KS; CPL Francisco X. Aguila, of Bayamon, Puerto Rico; SGT Raul 
Moncada, of Madera, CA; SPC Michael J. Anaya, of Crestview, FL; SSG 
Gary L. Woods Jr., of Lebanon Junction, KY; SFC Bryan E. Hall, of Elk 
Grove, CA; SGT Edward W. Forrest Jr., of St. Louis, MO; CPL Jason G. 
Pautsch, of Davenport, IA; PFC Bryce E. Gautier, of Cypress, CA; A1C 
Jacob I. Ramsey, of Hesperia, CA; LCpl Blaise A. Oleski, of Holland 
Patent, NY; LCpl Stephen F. Dearmon, of Crossville, TN; SPC Adam M. 
Kuligowski, of Arlington, VA; SPC Israel Candelaria Mejias, of San 
Lorenzo, Puerto Rico; SGT Daniel J. Beard, of Buffalo, NY; TSgt Phillip 
A Myers, of Hopewell, VA; SGT Devin C. Poche, of Jacksonville, NC; LCpl 
Nelson M. Lantigua, of Miami, FL; LTJG Francis L. Toner IV, of 
Narragansett, RI; LT Florence B. Choe, of El Cajon, CA; SSG Raphael A. 
Futrell, of Anderson, SC; SGT Jose R. Escobedo Jr., of Albuquerque, NM; 
Cpl Michael W. Ouellette, of Manchester, NH; Cpl Anthony L. Williams, 
of Oxford, PA; LCpl Daniel J. Geary, of Rome, NY; PFC Adam J. Hardt, of 
Avondale, AZ; SPC Gary L. Moore, of Del City, OK; SGT Christopher P. 
Abeyta, of Midlothian, IL; SGT Robert M. Weinger, of Round Lake Beach, 
IL; SPC Norman L. Cain III, of Oregon, IL; SSgt Archie A. Taylor, of 
Tomball, TX; SSgt Timothy L. Bowles, of Tucson, AZ; PO1 Theophilus K. 
Ansong, of Bristow, VA; LCpl Patrick A. Malone, of Ocala, FL; PFC 
Patrick A. Devoe, II, of Auburn, NY; 1LT Daniel B. Hyde, of Modesto, 
CA; SPC Jessica Y. Sarandrea, of Miami, FL; SGT Jeffery A. Reed, of 
Chesterfield, VA; Cpl Donte J. Whitworth, of Nobelsville, IN; SGT 
Simone A. Robinson, of Dixmoor, IL; CPL Brian M. Connelly, of Union 
Beach, NJ; CPT Brian M. Bunting, of Potomac, MD; SGT Schuyler B. Patch, 
of Owasso, OK; SGT Scott B. Stream, of Mattoon, IL; SGT Daniel J. 
Thompson, of Madison, WI; 1LT William E. Emmert, of Lincoln, TN; CPL 
Michael L. Mayne, of Burlington Flats, NY; CPL Michael B. Alleman, of 
Logan, UT; CPL Zachary R. Nordmeyer, of Indianapolis, IN; SSG Mark C. 
Baum, of Telford, PA; SSG Jeremy E. Bessa, of Woodridge, IL; MSG David 
L. Hurt, of Tucson, AZ; PFC Cwislyn K. Walter, of Honolulu, HA; SSgt 
Timothy P. Davis, of Aberdeen, WA; SFC Raymond J. Munden, of Mesquite, 
TX; SSG Daniel L. Hansen, of Tracy, CA; CPL Stephen S. Thompson, of 
Tulsa, OK; SSG Sean D. Diamond, of Dublin, CA; SSG Marc J. Small, of 
Collegeville, PA; LTC Garnet R. Derby, of Missoula, MT; SGT Joshua A. 
Ward, of Scottsville, KY; SPC Albert R. Jex, of Phoenix, AZ; PFC 
Jonathan R. Roberge, of Leominster, MA; LCpl Kevin T. Preach, of 
Bridgewater, MA; SSG Jason E. Burkholder, of Elda, OH; 1LT Jared W. 
Southworth, of Oakland, IL; SPC Christopher P. Sweet, of Kahului, HI; 
SGT James M. Dorsey, of Beardstown, IL; SGT Darrell L. Fernandez, of 
Truth or Consequences, NM; CW4 Milton E. Suggs, of Lockport, LA; CWO 
Phillip Windorski Jr, of Bovey, MN; CWO Matthew G. Kelley, of Cameron, 
MO; CWO Joshua M. Tillery, of Beaverton, OR; CWO Benjamin H. Todd, of 
Colville, WA; Sgt David W. Wallace III, of Sharpsville, PA; Sgt Trevor 
J. Johnson, of Forsyth, MT; PVT Grant A. Cotting, of Corona, CA; LCpl 
Julian T. Brennan, of Brooklyn, NY; SGT Kyle J. Harrington, of Swansea, 
MA; SPC Matthew M. Pollini, of Rockland, MA; SGT Ezra Dawson, of Las 
Vegas, NV; SSG Carlo M. Robinson, of Lawton, OK; PFC Ricky L. Turner, 
of Athens, AL; SSG Roberto Andrade Jr., of Chicago, IL; SSG Joshua R. 
Townsend, of Solvang, CA; SrA Omar J. McKnight, of Marrero, LA; Sgt 
Marquis R. Porter, of Brighton, MA; LCpl Daniel R. Bennett, of Clifton, 
VA; PVT Sean P. McCune, of Euless, TX; SGT Joshua L. Rath, of Decatur, 
AL; SPC Keith E. Essary, of Dyersburg, TN; SSG Justin L. Bauer, of 
Loveland, CO; MAJ Brian M. Mescall, of Hopkinton, MA; SPC Joseph M. 
Hernandez, of Hammond, IN; SGT Jason R. Parsons, of Lenoir, NC; LCpl 
Jessie A. Cassada, of Hendersonville, NC; SSG Anthony D. Davis, of 
Daytona Beach, FL; LCpl Chadwick A. Gilliam, of Mayking, KY; LCpl 
Alberto Francesconi, of Bronx, NY; PFC Christopher W. Lotter, of 
Chester Heights, PA; PFC Benjamin B. Tollefson, of Concord, CA; SPC 
Tony J. Gonzales, of Newman, CA; LCpl Robert L. Johnson, of Central 
Point, OR; CPL Charles P. Gaffney Jr., of Phoenix, AZ; MASA Joshua D. 
Seitz, of Sinking Springs, PA; MAJ John P. Pryor, of Moorestown, NJ; 
SSG Christopher G. Smith, of Grand Rapids, MI; SPC Stephen M. Okray, of 
St. Clair Shores, MI; SPC Stephen G. Zapasnik, of Broken Arrow, OK; 
LCpl Thomas Reilly Jr., of London, KY; PFC Coleman W. Hinkefent, of 
Coweta, OK; SSG Jonathan W. Dean, of Henagar, AL; PVT Colman J. Meadows 
III, of Senoia, GA; SSG Solomon T. Sam, of Majuro, Marshall Islands; 
SGT John J. Savage, of Weatherford, TX; CPT Robert J. Yllescas, of 
Lincoln, NE; MSG Anthony Davis, of Deerfield, FL; Capt Warren A. Frank, 
of Cincinnati, OH; 1LT William K. Jernigan, of Doraville, GA; SFC 
Miguel A. Wilson, of Bonham, TX; PVT Charles Yi Barnett, of Bel Air, 
MD; GySgt Marcelo R. Velasco, of Miami, FL;
  We cannot forget these men and women and their sacrifice. These brave 
souls left behind parents, spouses, children, siblings, and friends. We 
want them to know the country pledges to preserve the memory of our 
lost soldiers who gave their lives for our country.


                   Staff Sergeant Gary Lee Woods, Jr.

  Mr. BAYH. Mr. President, I rise today with a heavy heart to honor the 
life of SSG Gary Lee Woods, Jr., from Shepherdsville, KY. Gary was 24 
years old when he lost his life on April 10, 2009, from injuries 
sustained from a truck bomb that detonated near his vehicle in Mosul, 
Iraq. He was a member of the 1st Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment, 4th 
Infantry Division of Fort Carson, CO.
  Today, I join Gary's family and friends in mourning his death. Gary, 
who was known to family and friends by his middle name, Lee, will 
forever be remembered as a loving husband, son, and friend to many. He 
is survived by his devoted wife, Christie; his father and stepmother 
Gary and Debbie Woods; his mother and stepfather Becky and Pat Johnson; 
sisters Britteny and Heather Woods and Mandy Maraman; brothers Courtney 
and Troy Woods and Newman and Corey Johnson; grandparents Marilyn 
Waters and Nancy and Charlie Ratliff; in-laws Rick and Elaine Houston; 
and a host of other friends and relatives.
  Gary, a member of the JROTC at Bullitt Central High School, joined 
the Army following his graduation from high school. A gifted musician, 
Gary sang and played the trombone, drums, piano and guitar. He was also 
an accomplished athlete and a member of Bullitt's football team.
  While we struggle to express our sorrow over this loss, we can take 
pride in the example Gary set as a soldier. Today and always, he will 
be remembered by family and friends as a true American hero, and we 
cherish the legacy of his service and his life.
  As I search for words to do justice to this valiant fallen soldier, I 
recall President Abraham Lincoln's words as he addressed the families 
of soldiers who died at Gettysburg:


[[Page 10562]]

       We cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow 
     this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled 
     here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or 
     detract. The world will little note nor long remember what we 
     say here, but it can never forget what they did here.

  This statement is just as true today as it was nearly 150 years ago, 
as we can take some measure of solace in knowing that Gary's heroism 
and memory will outlive the record of the words here spoken.
  It is my sad duty to enter the name of Gary Lee Woods, Jr. in the 
Record of the Senate for his service to this country and for his 
profound commitment to freedom, democracy and peace. I pray that Gary's 
family can find comfort in the words of the prophet Isaiah who said, 
``He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away 
tears from off all faces.''
  May God grant strength and peace to those who mourn, and may God be 
with all of you, as I know He is with Gary.

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