[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 155 (Thursday, October 30, 2003)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E2176] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] TRIBUTE TO LT. COL. STEPHEN TWITTY ______ HON. JAMES E. CLYBURN of south carolina in the house of representatives Thursday, October 30, 2003 Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Lt. Col. Stephen Twitty, who led the only infantry battalion--1,000 soldiers strong--in the initial attack on Baghdad, Iraq, this past April. His 15th Infantry Regiment of the 3rd Battalion was fearless in the face of the heaviest fighting of the campaign and successfully completed their mission. Lt. Col. Twitty witnessed casualties among his troops, and continued to lead his soldiers through the perils of suicide bombers, snipers, rocket-propelled grenades and a variety of other dangerous assaults. Later he had to keep his troops focused on their mission after the death of NBC reporter David Bloom, who was embedded with his regiment. He faced many potentially fatal situations by being on the frontline of American servicemen. As a result of his gallantry, he received the U.S. Army's third highest medal, the Silver Star, and is most likely on his way to becoming a colonel. Lt. Col. Twitty is a native of Chesnee, SC, and graduated with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, my alma mater, where he will serve as a grand marshal of this year's Homecoming Parade. He is in good company among the military ranks of SCSU graduates. The University currently has four alumni who are generals on active duty, one of whom was just named Commanding Officer of Fort Jackson. Lt. Col. Twitty later received a master's in public administration from Central Michigan University. He has been stationed in both Belgium and Germany but now resides in Fort Stewart, GA. This tour of duty isn't Lt. Col. Twitty's first time in combat. He is a veteran of Operation Desert Storm, in which he was a member of the first infantry division to cross the Kuwait-Iraq border into enemy territory. He has also received decorations like the Legion of Merit and Bronze Star for his service to his nation in the most trying of situations. His interests in the military date back to his experiences in South Carolina State's Reserve Officer Training Corps. He now has aspirations to attend the Army War College next year. Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in commending Lt. Col. Stephen Twitty for his extraordinary dedication and his exemplary military service. He is an inspiration to the soldiers he commands and the next generation of soldiers to follow. ____________________