Elvis Bourdon

Company B 1st Battalion 22nd Infantry

4th Infantry Division (Mechanized)

KIA 09/06/2004

Elvis Bourdon served with Company B 1-22 Infantry at Fort Hood, Texas for many years.
He was killed in action while serving with Company C 1st Battalion, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division
in Baghdad, Iraq when his military vehicle came under attack by small-arms fire and grenades on September 6, 2004.

Staff Sgt. Elvis Bourdon of Youngstown, Ohio was born in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico and raised in Youngstown, Ohio and served
as a SSG in the U.S. Army and was a 16-year Veteran Master Gunner of Company C 1st Bn 9th Cav, 3rd Bde, 1st Cav Div.
SSG Bourdon served at Fort Benning, Fort Ord, Camp Hovey, Fort Carson, Fort Hood, Camp Casey and then back at Fort Hood
again. His military education consisted of Bradley Fight Vehicle Training, PLDC, BNOC and Alcohol and Drug Coordinator Certificate.
His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, four Army Commendation Medals, Korean Defense Service Medal,
Armed Forces Expeditionary Service, Globel War on Terrorism Service Medal, Expert Rifle Badge and the driver and mechanic badges.
He was killed when his military vehicle came under attack by small-arms fire and grenades in Baghdad at age 36. ¹

The above portrait of Elvis Bourdon was done by Joann Musser
for the Portraits of Heroes, Project Compassion Soldier Fund website.
Note the 22nd Infantry DUI on the green Leadership Tab on his shoulder strap.

SSG Elvis Bourdon while serving with the 2nd Infantry Division

Congressional Record

December 6, 2006

109th Congress, 2nd Session
Issue: Vol. 152, No. 133 — Daily Edition

HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES
(Senate - December 06, 2006)

STAFF SERGEANT ELVIS BOURDON

Mr. President, I rise this evening to pay tribute to a fallen
soldier--Army SSG Elvis Bourdon, originally from Youngstown, OH. Staff
Sergeant Bourdon was killed in Baghdad on September 6, 2004, when his
military vehicle came under attack by enemy small-arms fire. He was 36
years old, and was serving with the 1st Battalion, 9th Cavalry
Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division based out of Fort Hood, TX. Left to
cherish his memory are his wife Mary, and their two children Corey and
Allyssa, his father Juan, his mother Dalila, his brothers Ray and Juan,
Jr., and his sisters Elizabeth, Jenny, Thannia, and Barbara.
Although Elvis and his family resided in Texas, he will always be a
proud son of Ohio. His home community of Youngstown mourns the loss of
a true hero. Family, friends, and neighbors will never forget Elvis.
His death was a loss for his entire community. Every day, he is
remembered as a wonderful husband, father, and patriot.
A friend of Elvis' named Teresa Schaub from Killeen, TX, left him a
message on an Internet tribute Web site. In it, she reflects upon the
love shared by Elvis and his wife, and the pride with which his life is
remembered. This is what she wrote:

Elvis, I come to your grave side often. . . . You [and
Mary] were both always laughing and so happy. Nothing can
ever take that away. You both were always an inspiration to
everyone and continue to be. . . . Everyone is so proud of
you, Elvis. . . . Leaving us is like going through a stormy
season here on Earth, but then we think of you as the rainbow
that comes out after the storm and the clouds begin to fade.
You are our rainbow, our hope, and you will always be our
HERO.

Elvis was deeply respected and loved by those with whom he served in
the Army. They remember him as a man with whom new recruits could
always sit down and talk--whether it was about personal problems or any
other questions that needed to be answered. Whatever it was, Elvis was
always willing to listen.
Elvis is also remembered for his humor. Those who served with him
recall that he was always joking, always smiling. He was a spirited and
humorous man--someone who shared great laughs with everyone around him.
SPC Christopher Beck served with Elvis and remembers how much Elvis
taught him during that time. In his honor, Specialist Beck wears a
black ``killed in action'' bracelet, on which is written Elvis' name,
rank, hometown, military branch, and date of death. Specialist Beck
does this so that he may never forget the sacrifice that Elvis made for
our country and for those he loved.
Soldiers who served with Elvis at Fort Hood remember the respect with
which the Staff Sergeant was regarded. ``He was always a great NCO,''
Joshua Roughton wrote. ``I respected him greatly, as I know all of us
in 1-22 Infantry, B-Company did. He will be missed.''
And another of Elvis' comrades, Eric Kneffler, wrote the following in
his memory on an Internet tribute Web site:

Staff Sergeant Bourdon will be dearly missed by his family
and Fellow Soldiers. I had the opportunity to serve with him
at Fort Hood and considered him a good buddy and someone to
count on.

Aaron DeShay also served with Elvis. He wrote this on Elvis's tribute
Web page:

To the family and friends of Elvis Bourdon, may God bless
you and bring you comfort in this most painful of times. I,
like many others, served with Elvis in B-Company 1-22 and
found a good friend in him. I share your pain as he has left
his mark in my heart as he has with those who got to know
him. We had a lot of laughs together, and I know he will be
greatly missed as he truly was a great man.

Jeremy Cheney was another of Elvis' comrades who will never forget
him. This is what he wrote about Elvis:

Staff Sergeant Bourdon taught me many things as a soldier
and as a person. He was an excellent team member and was easy
to get along with, regardless of differences in rank. He will
be missed.

In these numerous messages left for Elvis, I think one thing is
beautifully clear--Elvis was a man who could be depended upon and was
someone that so many looked up to. He was someone who could be trusted
and who had a huge impact on everyone he met. Indeed, Elvis was a
dedicated and respected soldier.
More importantly, though, he was a devoted family man, who deeply
loved his wife, children, and siblings. Elvis' brother, who also serves
in the military, remembers how they would laugh and talk over a cup of
coffee.
They would talk so that they could help each other cope through
difficult times. And, in the military, they fought side-by-side. They
were truly brothers-in-arms.
Elvis' sister remembers her brother as a true hero and a peacemaker.
It is for these traits that she remembers and honors him. She wrote the
following in honor of Elvis:

I would like to thank everyone for the blessing of my
brother and any fallen heroes. Our family sends love and
appreciation to those all over the United States. I loved my
brother dearly and he is a true hero in my book. He was a
good person, who loved his family and siblings. He was a
peacemaker, and I love him for that. Your family misses you,
little brother, and you will always be in our prayers. We
love you and miss you very much.

Elvis was dearly loved and respected by all who knew him. His tribute
pages continue to be filled with messages from family and friends.
These messages serve as living testaments to his legacy. Elvis had many
people who loved him. On the tribute page, his wife recognized the
outpouring of support. She wrote the following, 2 years after Elvis's
death:

It makes me feel good inside to know my husband had touched
so many soldiers' lives. He loved his job . . . and would be
proud and humbled by your words. The children and I are
strong, faithful people. God knew he was a good guy and
wanted to be with him, too. Continue to keep my husband's
advice going, and keep his family in your prayers. Thank you.

When I think of men like Elvis Bourdon, I am reminded of words once
spoken by Sir Winston Churchill. He said that ``courage is rightly
esteemed the first of human qualities, because it is the quality that
guarantees all others.''
Without question, Elvis served his country with courage--and that
guaranteed the rest. He will always be remembered. My wife Fran and I
continue to keep his family and friends in our thoughts and prayers. ²

Decorations of SSG Elvis Bourdon

Burial:
Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery
Killeen
Bell County
Texas
Plot: Sec 1 Row A Site 5

Grave marker for Elvis Bourdon

Photo by Keith from the Find A Grave website

SSG Elvis Bourdon is memorialized on the Central Texas Fallen Heroes Memorial Association Monument
in the Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery in Killeen, Texas.