María Elvira Salazar: “I wish to take a moment of the Senate's time to remember a Coloradan who was lost to us last week in defense of this…”

“I wish to take a moment of the Senate's time to remember a Coloradan who was lost to us last week in defense of this Nation. Shaw Vaughan was a loving and supportive son and older brother, an avid hunter and fly fisherman. One of his most prized possessions was his 1969 Jeepster Commando, an off-roading vehicle he had personally rebuilt, affectionately named Hercules. Hercules sits quiet today, its red finish gleaming undimmed in the mountain sun. U.S. Army LT John Shaw Vaughan, of Edwards, in Eagle County in my State of Colorado, was killed on June 7 in Mosul, Iraq. Lieutenant Vaughan was a young man with his entire life before him: He was a mere 23 years old, and had been in Iraq only a month. As a middle school student, Shaw Vaughan caught the eye of our military leaders for his regional science fair project: comparing the accuracy of store-bought ammunition with that assembled by him. He graduated Battle Mountain High School in 2001 and attended the prestigious Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, FL. Upon graduation, Lieutenant Vaughan was 1 of only 70 cadets, out of 5,000, to receive a much-sought-after assignment in military intelligence in the infantry. It was a high honor, reflecting his intellect, work ethic, and commitment to our Nation. Lieutenant Vaughan was stationed in Alaska, a part of our country he had visited with his family years earlier.…”