Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and distinguish one of America’s finest – United States Marine Lance Corporal Joshua Butler of Altoona, Pennsylvania.  Butler, who dreamed of being a U.S. Marine since he was four years old, protected hundreds of his fellow comrades from suicide bombers mounting an attack with trucks, explosives and no regard for human life.

Butler was stationed in Iraq along the Syrian border, and while guarding the base’s perimeter from a lookout tower his post was attacked.  Butler sprayed the first suicide bomber with twenty or thirty rounds causing him to veer off at the last moment to miss his target.  The truck, filled with explosives and manned by a suicide-mission insurgent, crashed through the improvised barrier the Marines had built up along the edge of the base.  After being knocked down by the blast, Lance Corporal Butler remained focused, alert and ready.  Through the smoke of the blast, he saw a red, suicide-driven fire engine coming toward the base.  Butler fired one-hundred rounds onto the vehicle.  After the truck was hit by a grenade, launched by Pfc. Charles Young, its explosives were detonated outside of the base but within fifty yards of Butler.  Debris from this blast sprayed the length of four football fields and knocked down soldiers as far as two-hundred yards away.  But no Marines were seriously hurt, including Butler.

Lance Corporal Butler’s actions saved the lives of hundreds of his fellow Marines and marked a significant victory against the insurgents in Iraq.  The suicide bombers mission was thwarted by Butler’s courageous and timely reaction.  An estimated twenty-one insurgents were killed that day while fifteen were reported wounded.

Lance Corporal Butler – You are a U.S. Marine and a hero, and across the country Americans are proud of your leadership.  Thank you for serving when your nation called.