[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 7193]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




EXPRESSING CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILIES OF THE MARINES THAT DIED IN THE 
               HELICOPTER CRASH IN NEPAL ON MAY 12, 2015

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ANDER CRENSHAW

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, May 18, 2015

  Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, as the co-chair of the 
Congressional Nepal Caucus and as an ardent supporter of the U.S. 
Military, to express my deepest condolences to the families of the six 
U.S. Marines and two Nepali soldiers, who died in the helicopter crash 
last Tuesday, May 12, 2015 in Nepal.
  As we all know, Nepal suffered from the catastrophic 7.8 magnitude 
earthquake that hit Saturday, April 25, 2015, as well as many large 
aftershocks, including a 7.3 magnitude aftershock on May 12, 2015. 
Reports indicate that more than 8,000 people have been killed and 
17,000 people have been injured in this poor and fragile country.
  Among the first responders to this crisis were our dedicated men and 
women of the U.S. Marine Corps. America has a long and honorable 
history of humanitarian assistance during worldwide disasters and 
conflicts, and our men and women in uniform have consistently put 
themselves in harm's way to protect America and to protect our allies 
during times of need.
  On this occasion, the eight were aboard a UH-1Y Huey helicopter that 
disappeared over northern Nepal, during a trip to fly relief materials 
to stricken villages.
  Capt. Dustin R. Lukasiewicz of Nebraska; Capt. Christopher L. Norgren 
of Kansas; Sgt. Ward M. Johnson IV of Florida; Sgt. Eric M. Seaman of 
California; Cpl. Sara A. Medina of Illinois, and Lance Cpl. Jacob A. 
Hug of Arizona have paid the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of the 
Nepalis, and they make me proud, once again, to be an American.
  I am grateful for the leadership and dedication of Ambassador Bodde, 
the U.S. Embassy team in Nepal, the Department of Defense, and our 
service men and women for their efforts and their sacrifices to aid 
Nepal. To the people of Nepal, the United States stands with you during 
this difficult time. To the families of the six Marines, we thank you 
for paying the ultimate sacrifice, and our prayers are with you during 
this time of loss and immeasurable sadness.

                          ____________________