Ted Poe: “Memorial Day will soon be upon us. Eighteen soldiers from southeast Texas and troops have given their lives in Iraq.…”

“Memorial Day will soon be upon us. Eighteen soldiers from southeast Texas and troops have given their lives in Iraq. These are their photographs over here to my left, all 18 of them. These are the names of those warriors, the roll call of the fallen: Staff Sergeant Russell Slay, United States Marine Corps, age 34. He was killed on November 9, 2004. He is from Humble, Texas. When Russell told his mother he was joining the Marine Corps after high school, he told her that he knew she would not like it, but he joined anyway to serve his country. Lance Corporal Wesley Canning, United States Marine Corps, age 21, killed November 10, 2004. He is from Friendswood, Texas. He always wanted to be a marine and had the ambition to serve for 20 years. He was a proud Texan, and when he was home on leave, he bought a new pickup truck so he could show his marine buddies his 'Don't Mess with Texas' bumper sticker. Lance Corporal Fred Lee Maciel, United States Marine Corps, age 20, killed January 26, 2005. He was from Spring, Texas. He was killed in a helicopter crash in al-Anbar province on his way to begin security preparations for the historic Iraqi elections. Four days later I was in Iraq to witness those successful elections. Lance Corporal Maciel made them possible. Private First Class Wesley Riggs, United States Army, age 19, killed May 17, 2005, from Baytown/Beach City, Texas. He graduated in just 3 years from high school, and he loved agriculture.”