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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Army Sergeant First Class Richard Henkes, who died on September 3, 2006, fighting for our country in Mosul, Iraq, supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Richard Henkes, 32 years old, was killed during combat when a roadside bomb struck his military vehicle. Richard Henkes was assigned to the U.S. Army's C Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division in Fort Lewis, Washington.
Following a family tradition of service in U.S. Armed Forces, Richard Henkes enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1992 and had been serving in Mosul for the past two months. His father served in the Air Force, both grandfathers were in the Army and fought in World War II and a great grandfather fought in World War I. While not serving our country, Richard Henkes enjoyed spending time with his five year-old daughter and had a passion for snowboarding.
I am deeply saddened by the tragic loss of soldiers who have died while supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. These brave Americans lost their lives while making the ultimate sacrifice to serve our country, and I will be forever grateful to them for their courageous spirit.
Richard Henkes gave his life to serve our country and will forever be remembered as a hero, a son, and a father. My deepest condolences go out to his daughter Isabel; his parents Chris and Jim Stanton and Richard and Karen Henkes; his sisters Tamara Henkes Bass, Dana Harmel and Karen Henkes; and his brothers, Mark Holmgren and Paul Stanton. I know Army Sergeant First Class Henkes was proud of his service to the U.S. Army and to our country. He will be missed by his family, fellow soldiers, and all those who knew him and counted him as a friend. I will continue to keep Richard Henkes and his family in my thoughts and prayers.
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PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 107th CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION 
