U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-IL) announced today that his legislation to honor fallen SPC Jeremy Ridlen, H.R. 3579, was signed into law this week. Davis’ legislation, now law, designates the United States Post Office at 200 E. Main Street in Maroa, IL. as the “Jeremy L. Ridlen Post Office.”
SPC Ridlen was born and raised in Maroa, IL, where he attended Maroa-Forsyth High School. He and his twin brother Jason attended Illinois State University where they signed up for the Illinois National Guard and were assigned to the 1544th Transportation Company based in Paris, IL. Their unit was activated in 2003 and deployed to Fallujah, Iraq, where Ridlen served as a gunner. On May 23, 2004, a truck rigged with explosives detonated next to his convoy. An ambush followed the explosion and small arms fire resulted in Jeremy being killed in action.
“As a member of the Army National Guard, Specialist Jeremy Ridlen gave the ultimate sacrifice in service of his country and we remain eternally grateful,” said Davis. “Designating this post office in honor of Jeremy will serve as a testament to his bravery and a reminder of all those who laid down their life for the United States of America.”
Davis’ remarks:
Mr. Speaker, thank you to my colleagues for giving us the opportunity to honor a hero, Jeremy Ridlen.
I rise in support of this bill today to designate the USPS facility in Maroa, Illinois, as the “Jeremy L. Ridlen Post Office.”
Army Specialist Ridlen was born and raised in Maroa, IL where he attended Maroa-Forsyth High School with his twin brother Jason. Jeremy and Jason, like my twin boys, they were inseparable. They were active in their church, played on its softball team, and were included in its weekly prayer list after they both deployed.
Jeremy and Jason attended Illinois State University and joined the National Guard shortly thereafter. Their unit, the 1544th Transportation Company, was deployed to Iraq in 2003.
On May 23, 2004, after a truck rigged with an IED detonated next to his convoy, small arms fire killed Jeremy in the ambush.
Designating this post office in honor of Jeremy will serve as a testament to his bravery and a reminder of all those who laid down their life for the United States of America.
Jeremy Ridlen died serving his country and for that, he is a hero to all of us. He put his country above all else and we thank him for his service and are thinking of his entire family back in Illinois today. With that, I urge my colleagues to vote for this legislation, and I yield back.
Original source can be found here.