THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY KESSLER, BEAR, BELFANTI, BEYER, BISHOP, BROOKS, CALTAGIRONE, CLYMER, COHEN, DiGIROLAMO, DONATUCCI, EVERETT, FABRIZIO, FAIRCHILD, FLECK, FREEMAN, GEORGE, GOODMAN, GRELL, GROVE, GRUCELA, HANNA, HARHAI, HARHART, HARKINS, HARPER, HENNESSEY, HORNAMAN, HOUGHTON, W. KELLER, KORTZ, KOTIK, LENTZ, MAHER, MAJOR, MARKOSEK, MARSHALL, MATZIE, McCALL, McGEEHAN, MELIO, MILLARD, MIRABITO, MUSTIO, M. O'BRIEN, O'NEILL, PALLONE, PASHINSKI, PAYNE, PICKETT, QUIGLEY, READSHAW, REICHLEY, SAYLOR, SCAVELLO, SEIP, SIPTROTH, SOLOBAY, SWANGER, TALLMAN, VULAKOVICH, YUDICHAK, DENLINGER, HESS, GEIST, MOUL, PHILLIPS, MANN, BOYD, MILLER, SANTONI AND MICOZZIE, JANUARY 26, 2010

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, JANUARY 26, 2010  

A RESOLUTION

Memorializing Congress to pass House Resolution 4197, the Gold

Star Mothers National Monument Act of 2009.

WHEREAS, Gold Star Mothers is a term that arose during World

War I to honor and recognize those mothers whose sons or

daughters died from injury or illness while serving in the armed

forces of the United States during World War I; World War II;

the Korean Conflict; the Vietnam War; the war in the Balkans;

the peacetime attack on the U.S.S. Cole by terrorists; and the

conflicts in the Middle East, including Operation Desert Storm,

Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom; and

WHEREAS, American Gold Star Mothers, Inc., is the official

national service organization of Gold Star Mothers that was

begun in 1928 and continues because of the bond of mutual love,

sympathy and support of the many loyal, capable and patriotic

mothers who, while sharing their grief and their pride, have

channeled their time, efforts and gifts to lessening the pain of

others by honoring our deceased servicemen and servicewomen,

assisting our veterans, supporting our nation and helping each

other to heal; and

WHEREAS, In 1936, President Franklin Roosevelt recognized

Gold Star Mothers for their strength and inspiration to this

country; and

WHEREAS, A Gold Star Mother from Pennsylvania, Mollie Snyder,

was selected as a model for a relief that is part of the

monument honoring Gold Star Mothers from all armed services in

all wars in which the United States has engaged since World War

I; and

WHEREAS, Mrs. Snyder, of Berks County, was the mother of Pfc.

Walter H. Snyder, Jr., who served in the Korean Conflict and

died from wounds suffered during action; and

WHEREAS, Mrs. Snyder served as president of the Berks County

Chapter of Gold Star Mothers from the late 1950s until May 2008

and, upon her retirement, was made Honorary President of the

chapter at that time; and

WHEREAS, Sculptor Andrew L. Chernak, a Pennsylvanian, chose

Walter and her as models for a bronze relief to be mounted along

the pathway to the centerpiece statue at the proposed Gold Star

Mothers Monument in Washington, D.C.; and

WHEREAS, The artist, who met Mrs. Snyder in 2004 at a Gold

Star Mothers function, selected her for her dignity and inner

strength; and

WHEREAS, The monument is expected to be completed in 2011;

and

WHEREAS, Congress is presently considering House Resolution

4197, the Gold Star Mothers National Monument Act of 2009;

therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives memorialize

Congress to pass House Resolution 4197, the Gold Star Mothers

National Monument Act of 2009; and be it further

RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to

the Congressional Delegation from Pennsylvania.