PRINTER'S NO. 2662
No. 423 Session of 2005
INTRODUCED BY EACHUS, SEPTEMBER 21, 2005
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
SEPTEMBER 21, 2005
A RESOLUTION
1 Honoring the life and extending condolences for the supreme
2 sacrifice of Sgt. 1st Class Paul D. Karpowich, 2d Battalion,
3 390th Infantry Regiment, United States Army Reserve unit
4 based at Webster, New York, who tragically lost his life
5 while in the service of his country when his assigned dining
6 facility was attacked in Mosul, Iraq, on December 21, 2004.
7 WHEREAS, Sgt. 1st Class Paul D. Karpowich was born in
8 Hazleton, Pennsylvania, and grew up in Freeland, a northeast
9 Pennsylvania community near Hazleton; and
10 WHEREAS, Sgt. Karpowich graduated in 1992 from Bishop Hafey
11 High School and enlisted in the United States Army, serving four
12 years on active duty in the 82nd Airborne Division based at Fort
13 Bragg, North Carolina; and
14 WHEREAS, Upon completing active duty, Sgt. Karpowich
15 continued to serve his country in the United States Army Reserve
16 and the New Jersey National Guard while fulfilling his
17 educational goals in architectural design and business at
18 Luzerne County Community College and Temple University and
19 embarking on his professional career as a store and office
1 designer and sales representative for Eye Designs, LLC in
2 Collegeville, near Philadelphia; and
3 WHEREAS, Sgt. Karpowich was promoted to regional sales
4 manager of Eye Designs, LLC; married his high school sweetheart,
5 Amanda Gadola, last year; moved to Bridgeport, near
6 Philadelphia; and bought land near Freeland with the intention
7 of returning to his hometown and making a home there eventually
8 with extended family nearby; and
9 WHEREAS, During his military service, Sgt. Karpowich was a
10 drill sergeant, master sniper and parachutist and was awarded
11 the Army Commendation Medal, the Joint Service Achievement
12 Medal, the Army Achievement Medal with Two Oak Leaf Clusters,
13 the Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, the NCO
14 Professional Development Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, the
15 Multinational Force Observer Ribbon, the parachutist Badge and
16 the Expert Infantryman's Badge; and
17 WHEREAS, Sgt. Karpowich's unit deployed to Iraq in November
18 2004 for the purpose of training Iraqi security forces, which
19 deployment was the first overseas assignment of the noncombat
20 98th Division Institutional Training Unit since World War II;
21 and
22 WHEREAS, Sgt. Karpowich died tragically from injuries
23 received in a suicide bomber's sneak attack on a crowded dining
24 tent in Mosul, Iraq, on December 21, 2004, shortly after he
25 returned from two weeks of field operations; he was one of 22
26 killed in the explosion and the only one from Pennsylvania; and
27 WHEREAS, Sgt. Karpowich, beloved husband of Amanda, son of
28 Jacquelyn Getz and Richard Karpowich, brother of Phil, Kristen
29 and Joanne and stepson of Barry Getz and Claire Karpowich, was
30 courageously serving his country and the campaign for Iraqi
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1 Enduring Feeedom at the time of his death; and
2 WHEREAS, News of his death came just days before Christmas
3 and took the joy out of the holidays for everyone in his
4 hometown of Freeland; and
5 WHEREAS, Family, friends, Freeland residents and Eye Designs,
6 LLC colleagues continue to have difficulty accepting the tragic
7 loss of this young man and his indomitable courage, good humor,
8 enduring spirit, capacity to love and exemplary record of
9 service; therefore be it
10 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives honor the life
11 and extend condolences for the supreme sacrifice of Sgt. 1st
12 Class Paul D. Karpowich, who died on December 21, 2004, while in
13 the courageous service of his country; and be it further
14 RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to
15 Mrs. Paul D. Karpowich, 21 Center St., Bridgeport PA 19405.
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