[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 10]
[House]
[Pages 13405-13406]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               HONORING AMERICA'S FIRST RESPONDERS ABROAD

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Poe) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, this weekend, we honored those killed 
by the attack on America on 9/11--10 years ago. Many of those that were 
killed and gave their lives were first responders. And after the smoke 
cleared that day from Ground Zero, from the Pentagon down the street, 
and that special field in Pennsylvania, America went after Islamic 
terrorists who would murder in the name of religion.
  The wars against our enemies have taken us to the desert of the gun 
and the valley of the sun in Afghanistan and then off to Iraq. I've 
been to Afghanistan and to Iraq, as many Members have. And I can tell 
you, Mr. Speaker, that our military that is there representing us is 
the finest military that has ever existed in the history of this 
country.
  Afghanistan is a land that seems to be cursed by God. It is a hard 
land. And in Afghanistan, on August 6, 2011, specially trained United 
States military were headed to root out the Taliban and help our Army 
Rangers who needed their support. The CH-47 Chinook helicopter they 
were in was shot down in the Wardak province of Afghanistan. Thirty 
Americans gave their lives that day, as well as eight loyal Afghans. 
They were our first responders abroad who go where the timid are not 
found and the weak of soul are never seen. Here are their names, Mr. 
Speaker, and their photographs.
  The first one here, David Carter, Chief Warrant Officer of the United 
States Army National Guard, Colorado.
  Next is Heath Robinson, Chief Petty Officer, United States Navy SEAL, 
Michigan.
  Next to him, Mr. Speaker, is Alexander Bennett, Sergeant, United 
States Army Reserve, Washington.
  Next to him is Kraig Vickers, Senior Chief Petty Officer, United 
States Navy SEAL, Hawaii.
  Number five on this top line here is Jared Day, Petty Officer 1st 
Class, United States Navy SEAL, Utah.
  And the last one on the first row is Jonas Kelsall, Lieutenant 
Commander, United States Navy SEAL, Louisiana.
  I continue with the second row:
  Jon Tumilson, Petty Officer 1st Class, United States Navy SEAL, Iowa.
  Next to him is Michael Strange, Petty Officer 1st Class, United 
States Navy SEAL, Pennsylvania.
  Aaron Vaughn, Petty Officer 1st Class, United States Navy SEAL, 
Florida.
  Patrick Hamburger, Staff Sergeant, United States Army National Guard, 
Nebraska.
  Next to him is John Faas, Chief Petty Officer, United States Navy 
SEAL, Minnesota.
  And the last one on the second row is Matthew Mason, Chief Petty 
Officer, United States Navy SEAL, Missouri.
  I continue with the third row of our warriors:
  Robert Reeves, a person known by members of my staff, Chief Petty 
Officer, United States Navy SEAL, Louisiana.
  Next to him is Stephen Mills, Chief Petty Officer, United States Navy 
SEAL, from the great State of Texas.
  Next to him is Louis Langlais, Master Chief Petty Officer, United 
States Navy SEAL, California.
  Next, Christopher Campbell, Petty Officer 1st Class, United States 
Navy SEAL, North Carolina.
  The next warrior is Darrik Benson, Petty Officer 1st Class, United 
States Navy SEAL, California.
  And the last one on this row is Jason Workman, Petty Officer 1st 
Class, United States Navy SEAL, Utah.
  I continue, Mr. Speaker, and I hope you can see these photographs:
  Jesse Pittman, Petty Officer 1st Class, United States Navy SEAL, 
California.
  Next is Nicholas Spehar, Petty Officer 2nd Class, United States Navy 
SEAL, Minnesota.
  Andrew Harvell, Staff Sergeant, United States Air Force, California.
  Daniel Zerbe, Tech Sergeant, United States Air Force, Pennsylvania.
  John Brown, Tech Sergeant, United States Air Force, Florida.
  Kevin Houston, Chief Petty Officer, United States Navy SEAL, 
Massachusetts.
  And the last row, Mr. Speaker:
  Bryan Nichols, Chief Warrant Officer, United States Army National 
Guard, Kansas.
  Spencer Duncan, Specialist, United States Army Reserve, Kansas.
  Nicholas Null, Chief Petty Officer, United States Navy SEAL, West 
Virginia.
  Thomas Ratzlaff, Senior Chief Petty Officer, United States Navy SEAL, 
Arkansas.
  Brian Bill, Chief Petty Officer, United States Navy SEAL, 
Connecticut.

[[Page 13406]]

  And John Douangdara, Petty Officer 1st Class, United States Navy 
SEAL, Nebraska.
  Mr. Speaker, these are the men who gave their lives so that others 
could live. And while we mourn the lives they gave for the rest of us, 
we should thank the good Lord that such men as these lived--the 
Americans, the American breed, the rare breed, the finest we have.
  And that's just the way it is.

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