Honoring Our Armed Forces

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, it is with great sorrow that I rise today to honor a fallen soldier. SGT LeRoy Webster, a 28-year-old soldier from Hartley, Iowa, was fatally shot while on patrol on April 25, 2009 in Kirkuk, Iraq. LeRoy was serving with the B Battery, 3rd Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, out of Fort Hood, TX. My prayers and condolences go out to his wife Jessica, daughters Natasha, Kaydence, and Jadyn, and his parents Donald and Crystal Webster.

LeRoy was deployed to Iraq in January. He had previously served in Afghanistan in 2004 and 2005 and in Baghdad, Iraq from October 2006 to January 2008.

An Iowa native, LeRoy was born in Spencer, IA, and graduated from Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn High School in 1999. His family has deep roots in Hartley, the community where LeRoy grew up and met his wife, who was his high school sweetheart.

LeRoy Webster was a decorated soldier, having earned numerous military awards, and he is remembered by friends as dedicated, good-natured, and an excellent father. His family said he was ``proud to serve in the United States Army.'' LeRoy's sacrifice deserves the gratitude of the entire nation and is a reminder of the high cost of freedom. I express my deepest respect and admiration for this American hero.

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