2009-J6287
LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION mourning the untimely death of Private First
Class David Taylor Miller of Wilton, New York, and paying tribute to his
courageous actions as a member of the United States Army
WHEREAS, The courage and bravery of our military personnel since the
United States Armed Forces commenced Operation Iraqi Freedom will ensure
our continued role as a Nation which embodies the ideals of democracy,
and as a defender of liberty for people throughout the world; and
WHEREAS, Members of the Armed Services from the State of New York, who
have served so valiantly and honorably during Operation Enduring Free-
dom, deserve a special salute from this Legislative Body; and
WHEREAS, It is with feelings of deepest regret that this Legislative
Body mourns the untimely death of Private First Class David Taylor Mill-
er of Wilton, New York, and pays tribute to his courageous actions as a
member of the United States Army; and
WHEREAS, PFC David Taylor Miller was killed by a suicide bombing on
Monday, June 21, 2010, when he and another soldier were on security
check points in the province of Kunar in Afghanistan; always thinking of
others, he asked to switch his two week leave to a later date so a
fellow soldier could go home and meet his newborn son; and
WHEREAS, This brave soldier, known as "Taylor" to his friends and
family, graduated from Saratoga Springs High School in 2009; he had
moved to Wilton from his hometown of Amherst, Virginia, during his
sophomore year; and
WHEREAS, He was a lineman for the Saratoga Springs Blue Streaks Varsi-
ty Football Team for two years; and
WHEREAS, The son of a Marine, PFC David Taylor Miller joined the
United States Army right out of high school in July of 2009; he was
deployed to Afghanistan in April 2010; and
WHEREAS, PFC David Taylor Miller was deployed to Afghanistan in April
of 2010, serving as a designated marksman with the 101st Airborne Divi-
sion; and
WHEREAS, He is survived by his parents, Leslie and Jesse Miller, and
his sister, Victoria Ferguson; and
WHEREAS, The banner of freedom will always wave over our beloved New
York and all of America, the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave;
and
WHEREAS, Residents of this great State must never forget the courage
with which these men and women served their country, and must recognize
that no greater debt is owed than that owed to those who gave their
lives for their beloved Nation and to those who continue to be missing
in action; and
WHEREAS, The freedoms and security we cherish as Americans come at a
very high price for those serving in the military in times of conflict;
it is fitting and proper that we who are the beneficiaries of those who
risk their lives, leaving their families behind, express our appreci-
ation and eternal gratitude for their sacrifices and courageous acts;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
mourn the untimely death of PFC David Taylor Miller of Wilton, New York,
and to pay tribute to his courageous actions as a member of the United
States Army; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the family of PFC David Taylor Miller.