Mobile Courant

U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) recognized two of Alabama’s fallen soldiers and their families for Memorial Day. On the U.S. Senate floor, Senator Tuberville shared the stories of Mess Attendant First Class Johnnie Laurie of Bessemer and Lance Corporal Thomas Rivers Jr. of Hoover.

Excerpts from the Senator’s remarks can be found below, and his full remarks can be viewed on YouTube or Rumble.

“Our freedom depends on men and women who are willing to defend it—no matter what the cost. This coming weekend, we will observe Memorial Day. Started as a Decoration Day [in] the 1860s, Congress made Memorial Day a national holiday in 1968. Many people will take this day as an opportunity to cook out, go to the lake, go to the pool, be around friends. But that’s not the purpose of this day. It’s a time to reflect on the sacrifices that have been made for all of our freedom: those who made the ultimate sacrifice and the honorable families they leave behind."

"I think we can all agree our fallen heroes deserve to be remembered for more than one day a year. That’s why I introduced a resolution to designate May as ‘Fallen Heroes Memorial Month.’ I appreciate my friend Congressman Dan Bishop of North Carolina for introducing this resolution in the House. I hope our colleagues will join us in passing this resolution because there is no cause more deserving for our time and effort. Setting aside a month to recognize our fallen service members and their families, instead of one day, is the least we all can do."

"But today, I would like to recognize some of Alabama’s fallen soldiers who have paid freedom’s high cost and the families who still grieve their absence.”

“It’s estimated that more than 81,000 American soldiers who gave their lives for our country remain unidentified since World War I. For nearly 80 years, this was the case for Alabama’s own Mess Attendant First Class Johnnie Laurie, of Bessemer, Alabama."

"Johnnie was very active at Red Mountain Baptist Church, teaching both Sunday School and Baptist Young People’s Union classes. He graduated from Dunbar High School where he competed in basketball and high jumping in track."

"In 1940, Johnnie joined the U.S. Navy and was later assigned to serve aboard the USS Oklahoma. He was aboard the ship on December 7, 1941 when our country was attacked by Japanese aircraft."

"Out of the 429 crewmen aboard the ship, only 35 were identified by The Central Identification Laboratory initially. This mystery seemed like it would never be solved."

"But in July 2019, Jonnie Laurie’s remains were identified, and he was finally able to return to his home state of Alabama to receive a proper hero’s welcome. He is now buried at the Alabama National Cemetery in Montevallo, Alabama."

"His brother Elmer continues to participate in memorial ceremonies to ensure that sacrifices like his brother's are never forgotten.”

“For many of our heroes, the desire to serve began at an early age," said Tuberville about Lance Corporal Thomas Rivers Jr.

"That is true for Lance Corporal Thomas Rivers Jr., whose parents said he knew as a child that he wanted to be a Marine—his lifelong dream."

"This desire only grew throughout his life – motivating everything he did with thoughts of becoming a Marine," Tuberville added.

"He struggled at first in high school until a military recruiter told him he’d need a high school diploma to enlist; low grades were never a problem after that conversation," Tuberville noted.

Thomas joined the Marines upon graduating from Briarwood Christian School in 2007. After training at Camp Lejeune, he deployed first to Iraq then Afghanistan.

"He and one friend began a Bible study while deployed," Tuberville shared about Rivers' faith during combat conditions.

Corporal Rivers died from an IED explosion at age 22.

"His mother Charon spoke about how she never really got to know her son as an adult due to his deployments," Tuberville stated.

Despite their loss, Charon and her husband Tom find comfort through faith and believe lives changed through Thomas’ story.

After Thomas’ passing Charon started sending care packages overseas through her nonprofit because "she remembered how much Thomas loved receiving things from home." Over eight years she sent over 5,000 packages abroad.

“Charon reminds us that Memorial Day isn’t just another holiday but a day remembering heroes like her son,” concluded Tuberville.

___