[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 13]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 19479]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


                       HONORING JAMES A. RAFFETTO

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JIM GERLACH

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, December 9, 2010

  Mr. GERLACH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor an extraordinary 
young man from Devon, Pennsylvania, Navy Corpsman James A. Raffetto. 
James went off to war for his country and came back home missing three 
limbs and part of his fingers. He not only rushed in to save lives on 
the battlefield, but shines even brighter with his inspirational life 
and his remarkable recovery. With the help of his lovely wife Emily, 
his recovery is beyond words.
  I ask that this poem, penned in honor of him by Albert Caswell, be 
placed in the Record.

     Rescue me!
     On battlefields of honor bright!
     Are but all of those fine souls, who but bring their light!
     Who rush in, where Angels so fear to 
           tread . . .
     As all around them so lies, the face of hell . . . the face 
           of death so said!
     For all in these most precious moments, which now so lie!
     As all in, as when who will live . . . and who will die?
     But, comes all of those most courageous souls who bring such 
           tears to eyes!
     As but from where does courage come, so rise?
     For only this, our Lord God knows up on high!
     As when on battlefields of honor bright, all in that this the 
           darkest fight . . .
     As a Corpsman so brings his most, his most Angelic light!
     As have you Raffey! As have You James, all on battlefields of 
           honor bright!
     All because of you, families remain whole on this night!
     Little boys and little girls,
     Who will not have to grow up without their best friends, in 
           the world!
     Rescue Me, before I die!
     As upon these scene's of death and gore, James you gave the 
           gift of life so high!
     All in those most precious moments, which lie!
     Rescue me, before I die!
     As somewhere across a world a Mother 
           cries . . .
     As some how, she knows . . . her son or daughters life, upon 
           you relies!
     Rescue Me, for James you are but a hero in our Lords eyes!
     As it was on that fateful day, as when you too almost died . 
           . .
     As you lie there, waiting for an Angel just like you . . . to 
           save your life . . .
     As on that morning after and you awoke, and saw what this war 
           had invoked . . .
     And you so began to cry . . .
     As you asked, the Lord, I have a wife . . . Rescue me? . . . 
           Don't let me die!
     And what's when Corpsman, it all kicked in!
     And you began your most courageous climb!
     As all in just, a few short months James . . . you have come 
           so far . . . so fast . . . So high!
     Rescue me before I die!
     With but your most magnificent heart, on the rise!
     Almost all in a blink of an eye, as your recovery has so 
           climbed!
     As we stand here, all in disbelief . . . All in what before 
           us now so lies!
     Oh yes James, you and your beautiful wife . . . You both 
           bring such tears to our eyes!
     With your faith, as now you Rescue Us . . . All in your 
           lives!
     As James you so Teach Us . . . So Beseech . . . And to us, 
           such hopes give rise!
     For you are the kind of Son, The Signers knew, upon all of 
           our hopes were won!
     With that smile, with your light . . . Making me wish, for a 
           son so bright!
     As you Rescuer Me, James . . . with all of your magnificent 
           light!
     As ever in my heart, I will carry you throughout my life . . 
           .
     James, Rescue Us . . . Before We Die!

                          ____________________