[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 10]
[Senate]
[Page 13915]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES


             Private First Class Michael Shane Pridham, Jr.

  Mr. BAYH. Madam President, I rise today to honor the life of PFC 
Michael Shane Pridham, Jr. of the U.S. Army.
  Private Pridham was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry 
Regiment. He was only 19 years old when he lost his life serving 
bravely in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Qalat, Afghanistan. 
He was 6 weeks from completing his tour of duty.
  Private Pridham--``Mikey'' as he was to known to his family and 
friends--was from Louisville, KY. He attended Southern High School 
before later earning his GED diploma through the U.S. Army.
  Today, I join Private Pridham's family and friends in mourning his 
death. He is survived by his wife Deidre, whom he married 2 days before 
deploying overseas and who is expecting the couple's first child, 
Aliyah, in October; his father and stepmother, Michael Shane and Andrea 
Pridham Sr. of New Albany, IN; his mother, Keri Allen of Louisville, 
KY; and his brothers, Jeffrey Pridham, Joey Pridham, Kaleb Nix and 
Kaden Eskridge.
  We take pride in the example of this American hero, even as we 
struggle to express our sorrow over this loss. We cherish the legacy of 
his service and his life.
  As I search for words to honor this fallen soldier, I recall 
President Lincoln's words to the families of the fallen at Gettysburg: 
``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.''
  It is my sad duty to enter the name of PFC Michael Shane Pridham, Jr. 
in the Record of the U.S. Senate for his service to our country and for 
his profound commitment to freedom, democracy and peace.
  I pray that Mikey's family finds 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.''

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