[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 4844-4845]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          THE PASSING OF CAPTAIN WILLIAM ``IRON BILL'' DOWLING

                                  _____
                                 

                             HON. AL GREEN

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, March 24, 2017

  Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I would like to honor the legacy 
of Captain William Ross Dowling. A former fire fighter, Captain William 
``Iron Bill'' Dowling earned his nickname by courageously fighting back 
from the catastrophic injuries he endured in the 2013 Southwest Inn 
fire. He equally and relentlessly fought for his family, his country, 
and his faith.
  Captain Dowling died on Tuesday, March 7th, 2017, surrounded by his 
loving wife of 23 years, Jacki, and their three children--Forrest, 
Faith and Foster.
  He graduated from Klein Oak High School in Spring, Texas, and became 
a Marine after convincing a recruiting officer that he would succeed in 
military service. Fulfilling that promise, William Dowling earned the 
rank of Corporal and provided security for United Nations troops in 
Somalia, also serving in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, among other 
locations.
  He earned a Combat Action Ribbon, a Good Conduct Medal, a Marine 
Corps Expeditionary Medal, a National Defense Medal, a Southwest Asia 
Service Medal, and a Sea Service Deployment Medal.

[[Page 4845]]

  After serving his country, Bill joined the fire service to serve his 
community. He was a member of the Houston Fire Department and the 
Champions Fire Department where he served for 13 years.
  He rose through the HFD ranks, and just as he preferred, worked in 
some of the busiest stations in the city--Stations 12, 19, 25, 48, and 
finally 68.
  Captain Dowling was among the brave firefighters who raced into the 
blaze that consumed an Indian restaurant and the Southwest Inn motel on 
May 31, 2013. The roof, weakened by a smoldering pocket of fire, 
collapsed on the men with Dowling's legs being pinned beneath the 
rubble. His legs had to be amputated, and he suffered brain injuries 
that left him unable to speak.
  He passed away on March 7th in Colorado after a bout of pneumonia and 
cellulitis. Captain William ``Iron Bill'' Dowling is survived by his 
loving wife Jacki, and their children, Forrest, Faith and Foster; 
parents, Mary and Rick Dowling; sister, Mary Harrison and husband 
Rodney; nephew, Garrett; niece, Hannah; brother, Joseph and wife Toni; 
niece, Georgia Thormer and husband Michael; niece, Elizabeth Dowling; 
nephew, River Dowling; brother, John and wife Sarah; nieces, Abigail 
and Madeline; and nephew, Jonathan.

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