[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 9]
[House]
[Pages 12048-12049]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            U.S. ARMY SPECIALIST MATTHEW CATLETT FROM TEXAS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, we honor a fallen American warrior 
today--a Texas soldier who gave his life serving this country, this 
country he loved.
  U.S. Army Specialist Matthew Catlett was an infantryman with the 
101st Airborne Screaming Eagles out of Fort Campbell, Kentucky--one of 
the most prestigious and decorated divisions in the entire United 
States Army.
  The Screaming Eagle warriors landed in Normandy on D-day, and fought 
the Battle of the Bulge--the crucial turning points of World War II. 
The Screaming Eagles fought in the rice paddies of Vietnam. They've 
stood vigil in the deserts and towns of Iraq, and they're leading in 
Afghanistan the fight against the cowards in the desert--the Taliban.
  I have been to Iraq and Afghanistan. Let me tell you something, Madam 
Speaker, that there is no better fighting machine in the world than the 
101st. They were the first conventional unit to deploy in support of 
the American war on terrorism.
  The 101st's ``Easy Company'' was portrayed in the series ``Band of 
Brothers,'' and like those in the 101st who have so nobly held that 
line in their storied history, Matthew gave his life with four other 
fellow soldiers that day. It was the bloodiest day of the war so far 
this year.
  Madam Speaker, this is a photograph of Matthew Catlett. He and his 
fellow soldiers were killed when their Humvee was hit by an improvised 
explosive device. That is called an IED. That is the cowards' way, the 
Taliban's way, of fighting our troops.
  Though, as Shakespeare said, ``They shall be remembered--we few, we 
happy

[[Page 12049]]

few, we band of brothers; for he today that sheds his blood with me 
shall be my brother.''

                              {time}  1650

  Matthew Catlett, this young American hero, was only 23 years of age 
when he gave his life for this country. There is nothing as noble as 
the character of a man who so willingly dedicates his life for others. 
The American warriors serving our military understand that better than 
anybody. They embody what is meant to be an American, and Matthew 
Catlett was such a man.
  He gave his life on June 7 on a battlefield in Afghanistan, fighting 
the terrorists who attacked America on September the 11th from that 
desolate, faraway land.
  Matthew grew up in Cypress, Texas. He joined the United States Army 
right out of Cyprus Ridge High School, always knowing he wanted to be a 
military man, a soldier in the United States Army. He served a tour of 
duty in Iraq 3 years ago and had just been redeployed to Afghanistan in 
April of this year.
  Our American warriors make great sacrifices in the heat and the dust 
and the deserts and the rough, rugged mountains of Afghanistan, where 
summer temperatures reach almost 120 degrees in the parched desert 
landscape. Our soldiers track down terrorists under the worst possible 
conditions, but no matter what hole these cowards try to hide in, our 
soldiers are able to hunt them down and to keep America safe.
  We grieve the loss of this American warrior, but we celebrate and 
honor his life and his service. We are fortunate that a man like 
Matthew ever lived. Matthew stood for the best of those American ideals 
and values exemplified in our fighting infantrymen.
  General Robert E. Lee once said, ``Duty, then, is the sublimest word 
in our language. Do your duty in all things. You cannot do more; you 
should never wish to do less.''
  Matthew Catlett did his duty. He served this Nation as the fine 
soldier he always wanted to be. All of his fellow soldiers gave some, 
but Matthew Catlett gave all in defense of this Nation. He fought for 
liberty for a people he did not know in a land that he had never been. 
He was the American breed. He was a rare breed. So we honor our 
American warrior, and we honor the families left behind who grieve the 
loss of their loved one.
  Specialist Matthew Catlett was buried with full military honors in 
Houston's Veterans Memorial Cemetery. His draped coffin was surrounded 
by flags carried by the old war horses of the Patriot Guard. Those are 
motorcycle riders, mainly Vietnam veterans, that surround fallen 
soldiers and their families during a time of grief.
  So today I extend my prayers and condolences to Matthew's wife, 
Brytnee; his two young daughters, Ryann and Stephanie; his parents; his 
relatives; and his friends. Their American warrior is home, his duty is 
done, and he is at peace.
  George Orwell said, ``We sleep safely in our beds because rough men 
stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us 
harm.''
  Our grateful Nation will always remember that Specialist Matthew 
Catlett stood always ready to do his duty for us.
  And that's just the way it is.

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