[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 15488]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   FIRST TO FIGHT, A POEM TO HONOR TYLER SOUTHERN, U.S. MARINE CORPS

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                          HON. ANDER CRENSHAW

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, August 10, 2010

  Mr. CRENSHAW. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor an American hero, 
United States Marine Corps (USMC) Corporal Tyler Southern of 
Jacksonville, Florida. CPL Southern was born in Anderson, South 
Carolina and moved to Jacksonville in 1991. After graduating from 
Mandarin High School in 2007, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps. CPL 
Southern chose the Marines because they are ``First to Fight.'' He 
turned 18 in USMC basic training and celebrated his next birthday 
deployed in Iraq. He was awarded the Navy Achievement Medal for his 
outstanding performance. For his 20th birthday, he was training for his 
next combat deployment at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center 
Twenty-nine Palms. Before CPL Southern could celebrate his 21st 
birthday, he made a sacrifice for our nation that we will never be able 
to repay. While on patrol in Afghanistan on May 5, 2010, he stepped on 
an IED. He lost both his legs, his right arm and severely damaged part 
of his left arm and hand. However even with these catastrophic 
injuries, he clung to life! He has been awarded the Purple Heart for 
his valor and combat injuries by the Commandant of the United States 
Marine Corps. He comes from a long line of family members who have 
served our nation. His father was in the Navy, and his brothers are 
currently serving. With the help of his family and the men and women of 
Bethesda Naval Hospital and Walter Reed Army Medical Center, he 
continues to make incredible progress. Each day, he teaches us with his 
courage, faith and can do attitude! On August 22, 2010, he turns 21 and 
in celebration of his birthday I ask that this poem penned in honor of 
Corporal Tyler Southern, his family, his incredible courage and the 
United States Marine Corps by Albert Caswell be placed in the 
Congressional Record.

                             First To Fight

     First . . .
     First To Fight!
     Brilliant men who bring their light!
     Who go out on point, who evil must fight!
     All with hearts of courage full, oh so very bright!
     To win that day, to win that night! All out there in the 
           night!
     Magnificent Men in green, who upon battlefields of honor . . 
           .
     all of those wrongs so right!
     As all throughout our Country Tis of Thee,
     have but come such fine sons indeed . . . so bright!
     Who for all of us, so die and bleed . . .
     to give to this our nation, all of what she so needs! To Be 
           Free . . .
     Yes, you Tyler our fine Southern Son . . . all in your short 
           life, so much you have done! One of Florida's
     Brightest Son!
     As on that morning when you awoke,
     and saw all of the heartache that which this war had invoked 
           . . .
     You had a choice, give up . . . or listen to your fine soul . 
           . . your most inner voice!
     And as the tears rolled down your fine face, you did not so 
           hesitate . . . all in what your heart, would create!
     Watching your courage, The Angels began to cry and sing!
     For you Marine, are but the most splendid of all things!
     While, all in such a short time . . .
     somehow your great heart has found the strength to find!
     To find your way back home, To Teach Us . . . all in what 
           your strong soul now so owns!
     To Beseech Us All, showing us what courage can now so conquer 
           . . . can so own!
     Because, Marine's Do! Marine's Lead! HOORAH JAR HEAD in what 
           your life's said!
     Are First To Fight!
     Whether, on battlefields of honor . . . or against all odds 
           to death so cheat!
     For some men are but put upon this earth . . . to inspire us 
           all, in their fine worth!
     Who live by a code, of Strength in Honor 
           So . . .
     Who go out into that night, all in their most brilliant 
           shades green to fight!
     So our children may awake, all in a world of freedom that 
           they for us so make!
     For as long as we have such Strong Sons . . .
     Southern Men as you Tyler, who for us so do what must be 
           done!
     Then, this our Nation's Flag of Freedom . . . shall forever 
           wave against the sun!
     And if I ever had a Son, I but hope and pray that he could 
           but be as fine as you the one!
     Who against all odds, all in the darkest of sun's!
     Will Always Be First To Fight! As Thy Will Be Done!
     For you see in Heaven, you need not arms or legs . . .
     And where, I pray to join you one day!
     Amen!

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