[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 6972-6973]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   PAYING TRIBUTE TO LT MATTHEW LOWE AND LT NATHAN WILLIAMS OF NAVAL 
                            STATION, LEMOORE

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JIM COSTA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 10, 2011

  Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to two 
heroic officers from Naval Air Station (NAS), Lemoore who tragically 
lost their lives on Apr. 6, 2011. LT Matthew Ira Lowe, 33, and LT 
Nathan Hollingsworth Williams, 28, were killed last Wednesday during a 
training mission when the F/A-18F Super Hornet they were flying crashed 
into an agricultural field near NAS Lemoore.
  California's 20th Congressional District is home to many individuals 
who serve and have

[[Page 6973]]

served in our Armed Forces. NAS Lemoore is a proud and honored naval 
community. The crash that took the lives of Lieutenant Lowe and 
Lieutenant Williams is a tragic reminder that the men and women of our 
Armed Forces put their lives at risk every single day in defense of our 
beloved country.
  LT Matthew Ira Lowe was from Plantation, Florida. He received his 
commission through Officer Candidate School on Feb. 21, 2003, and 
reported to Strike Fighter Squadron, VFA, 122 on July 9, 2009. He was 
designated a pilot following naval aviation training from Nov. 2002 
until July 2006. Following his training, Lieutenant Lowe was assigned 
to VFA-94 based at NAS Lemoore. During his career, Lieutenant Lowe 
earned the Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal and the National Defense 
Service Medal. Lieutenant Lowe was most recently training to become a 
pilot for the elite Blue Angels exhibition team. LT Matthew Lowe is 
survived by his parents Ira and Pamela Lowe of Fort Lauderdale, Florida 
and two siblings.
  LT Nathan Hollingsworth Williams, of Oswego, New York, received his 
commission through the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps at the 
University of Rochester in New York on May 28, 2004. He reported to 
VFA-122 on Jan. 25, 2010, and was designated a Naval Flight Officer 
following training from Aug. 2004 through Feb. 2007. Lieutenant 
William's first squadron assignment was with VFA-213 based in Norfolk, 
Virginia. In Afghanistan, Lieutenant Williams served aboard the USS 
Theodore Roosevelt, providing air support for U.S. ground troops. After 
returning from Afghanistan, Lieutenant Williams was chosen to be a 
flight instructor at Lemoore Naval Air Station, training other flight 
officers on the Super Hornet, and was also selected for the West Coast 
Super Hornet Demonstration Team. During his career, Lieutenant Williams 
earned the Air Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on 
Terrorism Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon and Pistol 
Marksmanship Medal.
  LT Nathan Williams is survived by his wife, Meredith; his parents, 
Alan and Gay Williams, of Oswego; and his brothers, Jeffrey and Seth, 
of New York City.
  Mr. Speaker, I respectfully ask you and my colleagues to join me 
today for a moment of silence to remember both of these heroic men. May 
the families and friends of LT Matthew Ira Lowe and LT Nathan 
Hollingsworth Williams know our thoughts and prayers are with them 
during this most trying time, and may they know we are extremely proud 
of their distinguished service to our country.

                          ____________________