Floor Statement Tribute to Fallen Ohio Servicemen

FLOOR STATEMENT TRIBUTE TO FALLEN OHIO SERVICEMEN

Mr. President, shortly before Congress adjourned for the Easter recess, I came here to the Senate Floor and had a chance to speak briefly about the magnificent service that our armed forces are performing in Iraq. The hard-working men and women in all branches of our military -- those who are serving in Iraq and those who are helping to support them -- they are all doing an absolutely tremendous job. We are so proud of our service men and women and so grateful for their service and dedication to our country.

Since Operation Iraqi Freedom began forty days ago, we have watched on television and read in the newspapers about our troops' countless acts of bravery, strength, and leadership. We have seen our service men and women take control of Baghdad, driving out Saddam Hussein and freeing the Iraqi people from his oppressive regime. And, we have rejoiced as the many statues of Saddam -- and all that they represent -- have toppled

But, at the same time, Mr. President, while there certainly are many reasons to rejoice and there is clearly much to be thankful for, I also am reminded of something Dwight D. Eisenhower said nearly 60 years ago in a speech following the defeat of Nazi Germany in June 1945. General Eisenhower said that there are certain things that military honors and battlefield victories cannot hide. As he so eloquently said, Mr. President:

"[Military] honors cannot hide . . . the crosses marking the resting places of the dead. They cannot soothe the anguish of the widow, or the orphan, whose husband or father will not return."

Sadly, Mr. President, there are many sons, husbands, and fathers who will not be returning home from Iraq. Our hearts go out to the families of those who have lost their lives. We pray for them. We pray for those who have been injured. We pray for those who are recovering. And, we think about them -- we think about them every day. President John F. Kennedy once said that "a nation reveals itself not only by the men it produces, but also by the men it honors [and] remembers." And so today, Mr. President, I would like to honor and remember three valiant men from my home state of Ohio-- three brave men who gave the ultimate sacrifice to protect us and to protect our children and our grandchildren and the Iraqi people -- three brave men who serve as true examples of what defines patriotism and love of country.

Today, Mr. President, I would like to honor and remember the lives and sacrifices of Army Private Brandon Sloan, Army First Sergeant Robert Dowdy, and Marine Private First Class Christian Gurtner -- all of whom upheld with strength and conviction what General Douglas MacArthur called the soldier's code -- a code of "Duty, Honor, Country."

Mr. President, I did not have the privilege of knowing these men. I did, however, have the honor of attending their funerals and meeting their families and friends and hearing from them about the lives of these men and about their dreams and their hopes and their aspirations. I am grateful. I am grateful to have had that opportunity and thank their families for allowing me to attend those services. I learned a great deal about these three Ohioans.

And though, Mr. President, I am here on the Senate Floor today to pay tribute to these men, I know that my words will fall short. My words will fall short because really, it is their families and friends and the men and women with whom they served -- many still in Iraq right now -- who knew them best. They are the people who could give the most adequate tribute.

But, at the same time, Mr. President, I do feel it is very important for my colleagues here in the Senate and for the American people to know what I have learned about these three fine men, because each of them -- in his own way -- has revealed the strength and greatness of our Nation.

ARMY PVT BRANDON SLOAN

PVT Brandon Sloan was born in Cleveland, OH, on October 7, 1983, to the Rev. Tandy Sloan and Kimberly Sloan. Brandon was special. Rev. Walter Thornhill, the pastor at Brandon's church in Cleveland, remembered him as "a gentle person with a goodness of spirit."

He was a loving and caring person, with a strong faith in God. He radiated joy because of that faith, and his joy spread to everyone around him, especially to his younger sister, Brittney, and to his friends and to the community. His friends described Brandon as "a big guy -- happy-go-lucky and loyal to a fault." His friend, Tony Tucker, said that Brandon was a "kind, sweet person . . . a cool person to be around." That was his faith shining through.

It wasn't surprising that Brandon was a popular and friendly student at Bedford High School in Bedford Heights, Ohio. He was a gifted athlete, who proved to be a talented football player, working hard on the field to earn a position as defensive lineman for the Bedford High Bearcats. Storeowners recalled how pleasant and personable Brandon was when he would stop by their stores after football practice in high school. He was a nice young man, who was respectful and considerate of others. Again, that was his faith shining through.

Brandon's faith in God -- and the warmth that radiated from him because of it -- extended to his love of country. When he turned 18 years-old, he enlisted in the United States Army. His service in the Army began with great promise. He became a logistics specialist and was assigned to Fort Bliss, Texas. In January 2003, he was sent to Kuwait with the 507th Maintenance Company. But, after just one year of service -- at the age of 19 -- Brandon was killed in action when the 507th was ambushed by Iraqi troops near Al Nasiriyah. He was killed while defending the Nation he was so proud to serve and protect.

Mr. President, Brandon Sloan wanted to be a soldier. He was proud to be a soldier. His father, Reverend Sloan, recalled how Brandon just exuded pride at his boot camp graduation. He wanted to protect his country -- to protect us and our children and our grandchildren. His faith in God and his commitment to serving America is what made Brandon Sloan a very special person. He is a role model for us all. I know that he will be greatly missed by his friends and his family. He leaves behind to cherish his memory his father, his mother, his sister, and his grandmothers, Dr. Rementa Pippen and Luberta Sloan. My prayers are with all of them.

ARMY 1SG ROBERT DOWDY

1SG Robert Dowdy also was from Cleveland and also served and died with the 507th Maintenance Company, where he was the highest-ranking enlisted soldier.

Robert was born on August 21, 1964. He attended Cleveland South High School and before graduating in 1982, he lettered in five sports. After high school, Robert followed his older brother Jack, a former Marine, into the military, and his service carried him to bases in South Korea and across the United States.

Even when far away from home, however, he always kept close to Cleveland, and followed his beloved Cleveland Indians whenever and wherever he could -- and, I might add, when they were having good seasons or bad seasons. One of Robert's other passions was distance running. He was an avid runner with a level of perseverance and commitment that permeated everything he did. His friends said that in a race he always would cross the finish line in high spirits.

Robert also liked to take time to enjoy all things in life, including the little things. He was a devoted son, husband, and father. And, he loved doing small things for his family, like teaching his mother how to drive. His family was everything to him. His family was his life, his passion, his whole world.

Robert married his high school sweetheart, Kathy, and they were blessed by the birth of their daughter, Kristy. Their marriage was one of balance. Robert never made a decision without consulting Kathy.

They were equals.

They were partners.

They were best friends.

Robert had great respect for his wife and loved her and Kristy with all of his heart.

Robert's bravery as a soldier was something he passed on to his daughter, Kristy. At the young age of 14, she had the courage and the strength to design the program cover for her father's funeral. She created an enduring and heart-felt tribute not only for her father, but also for other Americans who have dedicated their lives to protecting us. For the program cover, she took a picture of her father and placed in the background additional pictures of policemen and firefighters saving lives on September 11th. I think we can be sure that Robert would have been so proud of his daughter, Kristy, as we know he always was.

Mr. President, 1SG Robert Dowdy not only was an inspiration to his family, but also to his fellow troops. He led by example. He led by his actions -- not just by his words. As a First Sergeant, he was a leader. He was strong, yet compassionate. He truly loved those under his command, and they knew it. He touched their hearts. He loved them, and they loved him back.

MSG John Hite, who eulogized Robert at his funeral, relayed a story of a young soldier who was clearly touched by Robert's life and leadership. Master Sergeant Hite spoke of a big, strapping 6 foot, 4 inch, 250 lb. soldier, who came up to him the day before First Sergeant Dowdy's burial and told him about the love and admiration he had for Robert. As they talked, they were standing by a bouquet of flowers adorned with a tiny replica of Robert's machine gun, helmet, and combat boots. Before long, as this big, strong, tough Army soldier spoke of his First Sergeant Dowdy, his eyes swelled with tears. He looked at those combat boots and simply said: "No one will ever fill them…."

Robert Dowdy loyally served his country for 18 years and was only 18 months from retirement when he deployed for Iraq -- a deployment he volunteered for so that another soldier could stay at home with his family. This act defines who Robert Dowdy was, and no one who knew him was surprised that he would offer to help a fellow soldier in this selfless way.

As his brother, Jack, said: "[Robert] was a very patriotic and very loyal man who loved his country. . . . He just wanted to serve his country to the best of his ability before he retired." First Sergeant Robert Dowdy did serve his country and he served it loyally, heroically, and honorably.

In the end, Mr. President, he ran a good race. And, as St. Paul wrote in his second Epistle to Timothy (4:1-8): He finished the course; he kept the faith.

Robert Dowdy is survived by his wife, Kathy; his daughter, Kristy; his brothers, Jack Jr. and Jim; his sisters, Roxanne and Anita; and his parents, Jack and Irene Dowdy. My heart goes out to them all.

MARINE PFC CHRISTIAN GURTNER

PFC Christian Daniel Gurtner was born on June 23, 1983. He grew up in Ohio City, OH, and graduated from Van Wert High School in Van Wert, OH. He joined the Marines last year after graduating and was assigned to the 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, based out of Twentynine Palms, CA. He was deployed to Kuwait in February.

Christian's friends described him as respectful, motivated, and hard-charging. He was proud of what he was doing and was committed to the Marines. As his friends described, he was so excited about being in the Marines and was so honored to serve.

He frequently signed letters back home with the Marine Corps motto "Semper Fidelis." In February, one of the last times Christian spoke to his family, he told his mother that he was ready to do whatever was needed to protect our Nation. He told her that he was "good to go."

And, in a letter he wrote home -- a letter that his mother received just days ago and portions of which were printed in yesterday's Washington Post -- Christian wrote of how he missed and loved his family, but that he was fighting so we all "can sleep better at night because there is less terrorism in the world." In typical fashion, he closed this letter with "Semper Fi."

Christian was a faithful, hard-working, and well-loved member of the Ohio City community. He loved to laugh, and, as his friend, Alicia Sterling, said, "He had this smile, and you knew when you saw that smile [that] you were going to get into trouble!"

Christian loved to have fun, and he loved to watch sports. He followed both the Atlanta Braves and the Ohio State University football team. He also enjoyed bowling and spent many evenings at the bowling alley with friends. To celebrate this, his friends brought to his funeral a bowling pin signed by his teammates. It was a touching gesture -- and one of love and admiration for their friend and fellow teammate.

When he joined the Marines, Christian found a cause in which he believed deeply and a vehicle through which he could pursue his beliefs. He served our country well and fought valiantly to preserve the security of this Nation and fight for the freedom of the Iraqi people. Christian Gurtner passed away on April 2, 2003. As CWO Suzanne Handshoe so fittingly said upon his death, "We lost a brother. As Marines, we honor our own."

Mr. President, Christian Gurtner was good-natured. He was loyal. He was true to his family and friends. And, he was just a decent, loving, kind-hearted young man who died fighting for a cause he strongly believed in.

At his funeral, Christian's mother picked a very special song to be played in her much-loved son's honor -- a song called "Forever Young." When I heard that song, I was reminded of a poem that was sent to me shortly after my wife and I lost our daughter ten years ago. Our daughter was about Christian's age. It was sent to me by a dear friend of mine, Jock McKernan, who had lost his son, who was also about Christian's age. It was a poem that was written during World War I, by a man named Laurence Binyon. And, here is a stanza from that poem:

"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them."

And we, too, will remember you, Christian.

PFCChristian Gurtner is survived by an infant daughter; his mother, Eldonna, and his stepfather, Gary Wagonrod; and his grandmothers, Sally Mae Gurtner and Dorothy Wagonrod. They have been and will remain in my thoughts and prayers.

Mr. President, Brandon Sloan, Robert Dowdy, and Christian Gurtner demonstrated great nobility both in their lives and in their deaths. They revealed all that is good and strong about our Nation -- a nation they gave their lives for to defend and protect. Each of these men was an amazing individual, whose families and friends loved them dearly. My heart aches at their loss, but after learning more about these three remarkable men, I am even more proud to say that I am an American -- that I come from a country and a state that could produce such admirable individuals -- men who, indeed, upheld the code of Duty, Honor, Country.

Though, they were but three of the several hundred thousand women and men who serve this country in the military, they represented the courage and the selflessness of them all. My wife, Fran, and I extend our most heartfelt sympathy and prayers to the families of Brandon Sloan, Robert Dowdy, and Christian Gurtner. To their parents, I must say that you raised incredible sons. We will never forget them.

As President Ronald Reagan said of the troops who perished at Normandy in World War II, "We will always remember. We will always be proud."