PRINTER'S NO. 2268
No. 239 Session of 1999
INTRODUCED BY ZUG, SEMMEL, DeWEESE, ADOLPH, ARGALL, ARMSTRONG,
BAKER, BARRAR, BASTIAN, BEBKO-JONES, BELARDI, BELFANTI,
BROWNE, CALTAGIRONE, CAWLEY, L. I. COHEN, CORRIGAN, DALEY,
EGOLF, FAIRCHILD, FICHTER, FLEAGLE, FORCIER, GEIST, GRUCELA,
HARHAI, HARHART, HENNESSEY, HERSHEY, HESS, HUTCHINSON,
KIRKLAND, LAUGHLIN, LEDERER, LEH, LUCYK, MAITLAND, MANDERINO,
MARKOSEK, MARSICO, MASLAND, McNAUGHTON, MELIO, MICHLOVIC,
R. MILLER, NAILOR, ORIE, PESCI, PHILLIPS, PIPPY, PISTELLA,
READSHAW, ROBERTS, ROSS, RUBLEY, SATHER, SAYLOR, SCHULER,
SHANER, B. SMITH, STABACK, E. Z. TAYLOR, TIGUE, TRAVAGLIO,
TRUE, WALKO, WATERS, WOJNAROSKI AND WRIGHT,
SEPTEMBER 27, 1999
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
SEPTEMBER 27, 1999
A RESOLUTION
1 Declaring October 8 through 14, 1999, as "Mighty Eighth Air
2 Force Week" in Pennsylvania.
3 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
4 hereby enacts as follows:
5 WHEREAS, The Eighth Air Force was formed and dispatched to
6 England in 1942 to become the largest military unit in World War
7 II and the largest bomber force of all time; and
8 WHEREAS, Over 350,000 personnel served in the Mighty Eighth
9 Air Force in Europe; and
10 WHEREAS, Not a single Mighty Eighth mission was ever turned
11 back due to enemy action, but the cost was 26,000 killed in
12 action and over 28,000 prisoners of war, and the number of those
1 missing in action and wounded is not known; and
2 WHEREAS, In the one-week period of October 8 through 14,
3 1943, the Eighth Air Force lost 148 heavy bombers to enemy
4 action over the skies of Europe; and
5 WHEREAS, Despite these heavy losses, this period marked the
6 turning point for continuation of the daytime strategic bombing;
7 and
8 WHEREAS, The Eighth Air Force has continued to the present as
9 an operational combat unit with over 1 million men and women
10 serving the country in war and in peace; and
11 WHEREAS, The Eighth Air Force Historical Society, the largest
12 single military unit veterans group in history, holds annual
13 reunions, usually in the month of October; and
14 WHEREAS, Today 20,000 Eighth Air Force Historical Society
15 members are seeking to inform later generations of the
16 contribution and sacrifice they made to perpetuate our freedom
17 and way of life; therefore be it
18 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives declare October 8
19 through 14, 1999, as "Mighty Eighth Air Force Week" in
20 Pennsylvania.
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