PRINTER'S NO. 4174
No. 784 Session of 2006
INTRODUCED BY PISTELLA, DeWEESE, FLAHERTY, RAMALEY, WALKO,
BAKER, BALDWIN, BEBKO-JONES, BEYER, BISHOP, BUNT, BUXTON,
CALTAGIRONE, CAPPELLI, CAUSER, COHEN, CORRIGAN, CRAHALLA,
CRUZ, DERMODY, DONATUCCI, EACHUS, J. EVANS, FAIRCHILD,
FICHTER, FLEAGLE, FORCIER, GEIST, GEORGE, GINGRICH, GODSHALL,
GRELL, GRUCELA, HARHAI, HARHART, HENNESSEY, HERSHEY, JAMES,
KAUFFMAN, LEDERER, LEH, MAITLAND, MAJOR, MANN, MARKOSEK,
McGILL, MILLARD, R. MILLER, O'NEILL, PALLONE, PARKER, PETRI,
PETRONE, PHILLIPS, PICKETT, QUIGLEY, RAPP, READSHAW, REED,
ROEBUCK, ROHRER, RUBLEY, SAINATO, SANTONI, SATHER, SAYLOR,
SONNEY, STEIL, STERN, SURRA, J. TAYLOR, TIGUE, WILT,
WOJNAROSKI, YOUNGBLOOD, YUDICHAK, METCALFE, SOLOBAY,
R. STEVENSON, SHAPIRO AND NAILOR, JUNE 12, 2006
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
JUNE 12, 2006
A RESOLUTION
1 Expressing profound sorrow and condolences for the death of Army
2 Specialist Mark W. Melcher, who died of wounds suffered on
3 April 15, 2006, in Iraq while courageously serving our nation
4 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
5 WHEREAS, Army Specialist Mark W. Melcher, a native of the
6 Pittsburgh area, graduated from North Catholic High School in
7 1989; and
8 WHEREAS, Following graduation, Spec. Melcher served in the
9 United States Army in Fort Benning, Georgia, and in Germany,
10 Southwest Asia and Kuwait for four years as an armor tank crew
11 member; and
12 WHEREAS, In 1993 Spec. Melcher returned to civilian life,
13 living in Mt. Lebanon while working for Mellon Bank; and
1 WHEREAS, The events of September 11, 2001, reignited Spec.
2 Melcher's desire to return to the military to serve his country;
3 and
4 WHEREAS, In late 2005 Spec. Melcher was assigned to the
5 National Guard's First Battalion, 103rd Armor Division, based in
6 Friedens, Somerset County; and
7 WHEREAS, Beginning January 2006, Spec. Melcher took a
8 military leave from Mellon Bank and, after five weeks of
9 supplemental training in Mississippi, went with his unit to
10 Iraq; and
11 WHEREAS, On April 15, 2006, which in the courageous service
12 of his country in the Al Anbar province of Iraq, Spec. Melcher
13 died from wounds inflicted by small-arms fire directed toward
14 the tank in which he was riding, an M1A1 Abrams tank, while
15 patrolling for improvised explosive devices; and
16 WHEREAS, Spec. Melcher is survived by his loving parents,
17 Kathy and John Melcher, and his brother, John Jr., all of Ross;
18 and
19 WHEREAS, Spec. Melcher's death is a tragic loss to this
20 Commonwealth; therefore be it
21 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives express its
22 profound sorrow and extend its condolences for the death of Army
23 Specialist Mark W. Melcher, who died of wounds suffered on April
24 15, 2006, while courageously serving our nation in Operation
25 Iraqi Freedom.
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