Orrin Hatch: “it is my solemn duty to rise before the Senate to pay tribute to one of the great sons of Utah, SSG Gregson Gourley.…”

“it is my solemn duty to rise before the Senate to pay tribute to one of the great sons of Utah, SSG Gregson Gourley. Sergeant Gourley, who grew up in Sandy and Midvale, UT was killed last week with three other members of the 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) near Hawijah, Iraq. As I sat down to learn more about Sergeant Gourley's life, I was struck by his dedication to service. He first served as a missionary in Pennsylvania for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, then spent 16 years as a member of our Armed Forces. His aspiration for the future was to begin a career in law enforcement. According to what his comrades have said, Sergeant Gourley's service surpassed the motto of his battalion: ``Above the Rest.'' Not surprisingly, he had previously been decorated for meritorious service. I believe that his grandmother, Adena Gourley, said it best, when reflecting on the sergeant's life: He was a very gentle person. He has a great desire to be an outstanding soldier and an outstanding man. Mrs. Gourley, I can say that, by all accounts, he achieved those goals. Sergeant Gourley's passing is a further tragedy because he leaves behind a wife, three sons under the age of 10, and a newborn daughter. To his boys, and especially little Alexa, over the years you will learn more about your father and that he was a remarkable man.…”