[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 17680-17681]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   HONORING TECHNICAL SERGEANT LUIGGE ROMANILLO UPON RECEIPT OF THE 
                 DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS WITH VALOR

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. ZOE LOFGREN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 16, 2011

  Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise to acknowledge and 
honor Technical Sergeant Luigge Romanillo upon his award of the 
Distinguished Flying Cross with Valor.
  The Distinguished Flying Cross is America's oldest military aviation 
award. In 1926, the 69th Congress established the Distinguished Flying 
Cross to honor any person serving in the Armed Forces who distinguishes 
him or herself ``by heroism or extraordinary achievement while 
participating in an aerial flight.''
  On May 4, 2010, Sergeant Romanillo flew a high-risk Medical 
Evacuation mission to extract wounded coalition forces engaged by over 
one-hundred insurgents near Baghram Airfield in Afghanistan. The 
confined landing

[[Page 17681]]

area left the cargo door nearly five feet off the ground as hostile 
insurgents fired from less than 200 meters away. The aircraft received 
small arms damage to several control surfaces as Sergeant Romanillo and 
his teammate stepped off the aircraft toward the patients amid the 
firefight.
  Under a storm of enemy bullets, Sergeant Romanillo led his team in 
recovering the patients. Once in the aircraft, he administered life 
saving treatment to his patient who had suffered a gunshot wound. The 
actions of Sergeant Romanillo and his team led to the successful 
evacuation of two wounded coalition soldiers and repatriation of two 
killed in action.
  It was my honor and privilege to recognize Sergeant Romanillo at a 
ceremony while I was home in my district. The outstanding heroism 
displayed deserves great recognition by the entire United States, the 
nation he has so selflessly served. Sergeant Romanillo has the respect 
and gratitude of all Americans.

                          ____________________