Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill, H.R. 5943, as amended, which will appropriately honor the memory of Lance Corporal Dana C. Darnell as one of the more than 58,000 names etched on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial just down the street on The National Mall. Like so many of those who served our great Nation, Lance Corporal Darnell's life was tragically cut short. In April 1967, his Marine platoon was ambushed by enemy forces in the Quang Tri Province in north-central Vietnam. Lance Corporal Darnell, at just 19 years old, displayed remarkable bravery and selflessness in the face of adversity. When his platoon's mortar gunner was knocked unconscious, Lance Corporal Darnell quickly retrieved the weapon and began firing it into the enemy's position. After exhausting his ammunition, he moved from man to man, collecting additional mortar rounds to help silence the attack. In doing so, Lance Corporal Darnell undoubtedly saved the lives of others in his platoon. Even after being temporarily blinded by enemy fire, Lance Corporal Darnell refused to be evacuated. Instead, he quickly began caring for his wounded comrades. Two days later, Lance Corporal Darnell was killed in action. For his extraordinary heroism, Lance Corporal Darnell was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross by President Johnson.…”