Charles Norwood: “Mr. Speaker, yesterday over the northern Iraq city of Bashur, in the deepest, darkest time of the night, the…”

“Mr. Speaker, yesterday over the northern Iraq city of Bashur, in the deepest, darkest time of the night, the unmistakable and ominous rumblings of C-17 transport planes could be heard overhead. They came in low, delivering roughly 1,000 paratroopers from the U.S. Army's 173rd Airborne Brigade, known affectionately as Sky Soldiers. They were there to support the U.S.-led coalition of nations to liberate the Iraqi people and end Saddam Hussein's reign of terror. Their immediate mission was to secure a snow-covered airfield near Bashur that could be used to bring in additional support and supplies. Within hours of their successful landing in the still of the night, by the way, one of the largest of its kind since World War II, the 173rd Airborne Brigade, the Sky Soldiers, under the command of Colonel William Mayfield, had accomplished their mission. Mr. Speaker, I am proud of all of our men and women fighting for freedom around the clock today in Iraq, but there is no question I do feel a special kinship and bond with the Sky Soldiers and a keen sense of pride in their contributions during this ongoing military campaign.”