 We are here to pay tribute to a soldier whose service illustrates the highest ideals of leadership and love of our country. Sergeant First Class Paul Ray Smith of Florida gave his life for these ideals in a deadly battle outside Baghdad. It is my great privilege to recognize his extraordinary sacrifice by awarding Sergeant Smith the Medal of Honor. Sergeant Smith was leading about three dozen men who were using a courtyard next to a watch tower to build a temporary jail for captured enemy prisoners. As they were cleaning the courtyard, they were surprised by about a hundred of Saddam Hussein's Republican Guard. With complete disregard for his own life and under constant enemy fire, Sergeant Smith rallied his men and led a counterattack. Seeing that his wounded men were in danger of being overrun and that enemy fire from the watch tower had pinned them down, Sergeant Smith manned a 50 caliber machine gun atop a damaged armored vehicle. From a completely exposed position, he killed as many as 50 enemy soldiers as he protected his men. Sergeant Smith's leadership saved the men in the courtyard and he prevented an enemy attack on the age station just up the road. Sergeant Smith continued to fire until he took a fatal round to the head. His actions in that courtyard saved the lives of more than 100 American soldiers.