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Regular Session, 2013 ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 70
BY SENATORS ADLEY, ALARIO, ALLAIN, AMEDEE, APPEL, BROOME, BROWN,
BUFFINGTON, CHABERT, CLAI TOR, CORTEZ, CROWE,
DONAHUE, DORSEY-COLOMB, ERDEY, GALLOT, GUILLORY,
HEITMEIER, JOHNS, KOSTELKA, LAFLEUR, LONG, MARTINY,
MILLS, MORRELL, MORRISH , MURRAY, NEVERS, PEACOCK,
PERRY, PETERSON, RISER, GARY SMITH, JOHN SMITH,
TARVER, THOMPSON, WALSWORTH, WARD AND WHI TE
A RESOLUTION
To express the sincere condolences of the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana to the
family of United States Marine Corps Lance Corporal Esrom "Izzy" Joseph upon his
death while serving in his country's armed forces.
WHEREAS, Lance Corporal Esrom Joseph, affectionately known to his family and
friends as "Izzy", was a native of Opelousas, attending Lawtell Elementary School before
he and his family moved to Scott, Louisiana, where he continued his studies at Ossun
Elementary and Scott Middle School before graduating from Carencro High on May 21,
2011; and
WHEREAS, ten days after graduation, Lance Corporal Joseph left for basic training
with the United States Marine Corps at Paris Island, where he successfully completed the
Corp's tough training program; and
WHEREAS, Lance Corporal Joseph had worried throughout his basic training that
he might not successfully complete the course because the last portion of the program dealt
with a challenging swimming test and he had never mastered swimming; and
WHEREAS, Lance Corporal Joseph passed the Marine Corps swim test, graduated
from basic training and was assigned to Camp Lejeune as a mortar-man with the 3
rd
Battalion, 9
th
Marine Regiment, 2
nd
Marine Division; and
WHEREAS, Lance Corporal Joseph was very proud to be a Marine and he wrote to
his mother, Brenda Joseph, that by becoming a Marine, he had achieved one of his greatest
goals in life, and now all he wanted to do was to serve and fight for his country; and
WHEREAS, over the next year, Lance Corporal Joseph was awarded the National
Defense Service Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; and
WHEREAS, in August of 2012, Lance Corporal Joseph and some his fellow Marines
planned to spend a weekend on the North Carolina coast at Emerald Isle Beach, relaxing and SR NO. 70 ENROLLED
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taking a break from the unrelenting Marine Corps pace; and
WHEREAS, Lance Corporal Joseph told his mother of his plans and she told him that
he should wear a life jacket in the ocean, to which he responded that he was no longer fearful
of the water because he was a Marine; and
WHEREAS, Lance Corporal Joseph did go swimming with two friends and during
that swim, he and the two friends were caught in a vicious rip tide and all began to struggle
against being swept out to sea; and
WHEREAS, Lance Corporal Joseph and his friends held on to each other as they
struggled but the rip tide proved too strong and caused them to separate; and
WHEREAS, Lance Corporal Joseph was overcome by the dark and powerful currents
of the ocean on Saturday, August 11, 2012.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
does hereby extend its deepest and most profound condolences to the family of United States
Marine Corps Lance Corporal Esrom "Izzy" Joseph for their immeasurable loss and for the
service and sacrifice their Marine made for his country.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
family of Lance Corporal Esrom "Izzy" Joseph.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE