Congressional Record—Senate S11470
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S11470 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE November 18, 2004 vehicle, and although he sometimes rine from the day that he was born . and peace. When I think about this just complained that he joined the Marines His grandfather was in the Army dur- cause in which we are engaged, and the to fight and not to drive, he got his ing Korea. He latched onto that and unfortunate pain that comes with the chance in Iraq. loved it.’’ It was clear that from a loss of our heroes, I hope that families Private Washlanta was a member of young age, Morgan felt compelled to like Morgan’s can find comfort in the the 1st Light-Armored Reconnaissance serve his country in the Armed Forces, words of the prophet Isaiah who said, Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Ma- just as his grandfather had done. ‘‘He will swallow up death in victory; rine Expeditionary Force from Camp Morgan was the thirty-seventh Hoo- and the Lord God will wipe away tears Pendleton, CA. He paid the ultimate sier soldier to be killed while serving from off all faces.’’ price. When you think about these five his country in Operation Iraqi Free- May God grant strength and peace to great Oklahomans, as well as others dom. He was assigned to the Kilo Com- those who mourn, and may God be with around the country, and some 1,100 who pany, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, Regi- all of you, as I know He is with Mor- have lost their lives, it is a shame that mental Combat Team-1, 1st Marine Di- gan. so many people in America do not un- vision, Camp Pendleton, CA. This brave f derstand what these soldiers under- young soldier leaves behind his father FAREWELL stand. and stepmother, Gary and Janet; his Mr. President, I have the honor of mother and stepfather, Linda and Tim- Mr. BREAUX. Mr. President and col- being, I guess, the second or third othy; his grandparents, Onza and Es- leagues, the last time anyone does any- ranking member of the Senate Armed telle Morgan; his grandfather, William thing in their career or in their life, I Services Committee. Consequently, I Strader; his sisters, Amber, Jessica and think it is a time for a certain degree may have made more trips over to Iraq Rachel; and his brothers, Brian, Chris of sadness and a certain degree of nos- and Afghanistan than anyone else. I and Matthew. talgic remembrance of the times past. am always approached by these young Today, I join Morgan’s family, his This evening will probably be my last people. They say: Why is it, Senator, friends and the entire Hoosier commu- opportunity to address this body as a that the people back home don’t appre- nity in mourning his death. While we Member, as a Member of the Senate, ciate what we are doing? These people struggle to bear our sorrow over this representing my great and wonderful are dedicated, and they know exactly loss, we can also take pride in the ex- State of Louisiana. While some would say, well, it has to what they are doing. Unfortunately, we ample he set, bravely fighting to make be a very difficult time to speak for the have a media that tries to demean ev- the world a safer place. It is his cour- last time on the floor of the Senate, erything they are doing. And I give the age and strength of character that peo- looking back at all the great memo- assurance to these young people that ple will remember when they think of ries, I look back with nothing but even though it might be that the net- Morgan, a memory that will burn great pleasure over the many years I works, CNN, and the New York Times brightly during these continuing days have spent in the Senate as well as in and the Washington Post do not know of conflict and grief. the House of Representatives. and appreciate what they are doing, we Morgan was known for his dedication I have been very honored to serve and do, the real people of America. And to family and his love of country. When be elected seven times to the other they are heroes. looking back on Morgan’s life, his fa- body, serving 14 years as a Member of I think most of our young people re- ther, Gary, recalled to the Indianapolis alize our country is facing the greatest the House, representing southwest Star a conversation that he had with Louisiana—it was a great and wonder- risk it has ever faced. This is not con- his son shortly before his departure for ful time—and then moving on to the ventional warfare. This is not some- a second tour in Iraq. Gary was trying Senate 18 years ago, representing the thing that is predictable. Sometimes I to convince his son that he had done entire State of Louisiana. say I look back wistfully at the days of his part and his service was complete. So when you look back over those the Cold War where we had two super- Morgan told his father upon deciding years, I think a lot of people would say: powers, and they were predictable. We to reenlist, ‘‘ Dad, the guys in my unit Well, it is your last speech, and it must were predictable, they were predict- aren’t experienced in this . I need to be a very nostalgic time, and you real- able. This is totally unpredictable, but help them.’’ Morgan died in the same ly are sad. I am not. I am pleased. I am it is a war that has to be won. I pay fashion in which he had lived by put- happy. I am overwhelmed with the op- homage not just to those Oklahomans I ting the well-being of others before his portunity that was presented to me for mentioned today, but all who are there own. Today and always, Morgan will be those 32 years in the Congress to serve and many who have paid the ultimate remembered by family members, the people of Louisiana in one capacity price for our freedom right here in this friends and fellow Hoosiers as a true or another, both in the House, as well country. American hero and we honor the sac- as in this Chamber. SGT MORGAN W. STRADER rifice he made while dutifully serving Thirty-five years ago, I, with my Mr. BAYH. Mr. President, I rise his country. wife, came to Washington for the very today with a heavy heart and deep As I search for words to do justice in first time as a young staff person, leg- sense of gratitude to honor the life of a honoring Morgan’s sacrifice, I am re- islative assistant, having just gotten brave young man from Brownsburg, IN. minded of President Lincoln’s remarks out of law school. I worked in the Sev- Sgt Morgan W. Strader, 23 years old, as he addressed the families of the fall- enth Congressional District office for died on November 12. After completing en soldiers in Gettysburg: ‘‘We cannot then-Congressman Edwin Edwards. It his enlistment, Morgan voluntarily ex- dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we was a great learning period for me. tended his service, choosing to accom- cannot hallow this ground. The brave Shortly after serving as a staff per- pany his unit back to Iraq—a selfless men, living and dead, who struggled son, there was a vacancy that was cre- choice that would cost him his life. here, have consecrated it, far above our ated, and I ran for that vacancy as a Morgan was shot while conducting poor power to add or detract. The young 28-year-old member of the Bar combat operations in the Al Anbar world will little note nor long remem- Association in my State. I ran for Con- Province of Iraq. With his entire life ber what we say here, but it can never gress and had a slogan I remember before him, Morgan risked everything forget what they did here.’’ This state- back then, when I was 28, when I was to fight for the values Americans hold ment is just as true today as it was running for Congress for the first time. close to our hearts, in a land halfway nearly 150 years ago, as I am certain My slogan was: ‘‘Experience makes the around the world. that the impact of Morgan’s actions difference.’’ Before moving to Crossville, TN, will live on far longer than any record Most of the people I was running Morgan attended school in of these words. against were old enough to be my Brownsburg. Morgan graduated from It is my sad duty to enter the name grandfather or grandparent, certainly high school and followed in his grand- of Morgan W. Strader in the official old enough to be my parent. Yet I had father’s footsteps by joining the mili- record of the U.S. Senate for his serv- the audacity to print the slogan on a tary. Morgan’s father, Gary, told the ice to this country and for his profound bumper sticker that ‘‘Experience Indianapolis Star that ‘‘He was a Ma- commitment to freedom, democracy makes the difference.’’ VerDate Aug 04 2004 02:47 Nov 19, 2004 Jkt 039060 PO 00000 Frm 00030 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G18NO6.069 S18PT1 November 18, 2004 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S11471 Of course, it aggravated the heck out House, and Bob Michel was the Repub- Russell Long.’’ He said, ‘‘You’re not a of all the people I was running against lican leader.