THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY MICCARELLI, JOSEPHS, BAKER, BOBACK, BRENNAN, V. BROWN, CALTAGIRONE, CLYMER, COHEN, D. COSTA, CUTLER, DALEY, DeLUCA, DeWEESE, DiGIROLAMO, FABRIZIO, FLECK, GABLER, GEORGE, GINGRICH, GODSHALL, HAHN, HARHART, HARRIS, HENNESSEY, KAUFFMAN, KILLION, KORTZ, LONGIETTI, MAJOR, MANN, MARSHALL, MARSICO, McGEEHAN, METCALFE, MILLARD, MIRABITO, MURT, MUSTIO, O'NEILL, PAYTON, QUIGLEY, READSHAW, ROCK, ROSS, SAINATO, SANTONI, SAYLOR, SCAVELLO, STEVENSON, SWANGER, VEREB, WATSON, DAVIS, EVERETT, M. K. KELLER AND TALLMAN, SEPTEMBER 28, 2011

INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, SEPTEMBER 28, 2011  

A RESOLUTION

Commemorating the 237th anniversary of the founding of the First

Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry, also known as the "First

City Troop."

WHEREAS, The First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry, also

known as the "First City Troop," founded in 1774, is a purely

volunteer cavalry troop and is a unit of the Pennsylvania Army

National Guard; and

WHEREAS, The First City Troop was organized as the Light

Horse of the City of Philadelphia, often referred to as the

Philadelphia Light Horse, and, as one of the first patriotic

military organizations established in the American Revolution,

it is the oldest continuously serving unit in the United States

military; and

WHEREAS, Early members came from a number of local social

organizations, including the Schuylkill Fishing Company, the

Schuylkill Company of Fort Saint Davids, the Saint Andrew's

Society of Philadelphia, the Society of the Friendly Sons of

Saint Patrick, the Society of the Sons of Saint George and

especially the Gloucester Fox Hunting Club; and

WHEREAS, The First City Troop draws its membership from Troop

A, 1st Squadron, 104th Cavalry, 28th Division, Pennsylvania Army

National Guard, a division which maintains a high state of

readiness to survive the pace and lethality that characterize

medium- and large-scale conflicts, and during peacetime,

division soldiers may be called by the Governor for emergency

situations; and

WHEREAS, During the American Revolution, the First City Troop

fought in the battles of Trenton, Princeton, Brandywine and

Germantown and often served as George Washington's personal

bodyguard; and

WHEREAS, The unit also saved James Wilson at the "Battle of

Fort Wilson" riot; and

WHEREAS, During the Civil War, the First City Troop was

called into active duty several times, beginning with the 1861

campaign that led to the First Battle of Bull Run, and the

impact of its involvement was deep and far-reaching; and

WHEREAS, During the Gettysburg Campaign, the company, under

the command of future United States Speaker of the House Samuel

J. Randall, performed scouting duties around Gettysburg in late

June before fleeing to neighboring York County following a brief

skirmish on June 26, 1863, and it later helped defend the

Columbia-Wrightsville Bridge against the Confederate forces of

John Brown Gordon; and

WHEREAS, The men of First City Troop acquitted themselves

with honor, skill and courage throughout the Civil War and

provided the country a shining example of the role of the

citizen-soldier during one of the darkest periods in United

States history; and

WHEREAS, In 1902, the First City Troop answered the call of

the Governor and served in Luzerne County during the coal

strikes, and in 1936 it was called to active State duty to aid

in the recovery efforts following the Johnstown Flood; and

WHEREAS, In 1916, the First City Troop voted to expand the

size of the active roll and, along with the rest of the National

Guard, was nationalized and posted to Fort Bliss on the Mexico-

Texas border; and

WHEREAS, The First City Troop deployed to Europe and saw

action in the Argonne Forest as well as other locations during

World War I; and

WHEREAS, The First City Troop served two major missions

stateside during World War II, patrolling the Delaware River and

afterwards patrolling on the Pacific Coast, and in February

1945, the unit was dispatched to Europe, where it served in

Belgium and Germany; and

WHEREAS, During the Korean War the First City Troop was

posted to serve near Munich, the capital of Bavaria, Germany,

from 1951 to 1952; and

WHEREAS, Throughout the Vietnam conflict the First City Troop

reorganized and trained in several states outside of

Pennsylvania, and operations on the ceremonial and traditional

fronts continued at full pace; and

WHEREAS, September 11, 2001, changed the First City Troop as

it did the entire nation, and, finding itself in more demand to

serve the county, it quickened training and issued new equipment

so that by the spring of 2002 when orders were issued, the troop

was ready for mobilization along with other elements of the 28th

Infantry Division; and

WHEREAS, Today, the First City Troop continues to serve the

nation, deploying overseas with the Pennsylvania National Guard

in support of Army operations, and recent deployments have been

to Bosnia, Iraq and Egypt; and

WHEREAS, The First City Troop has assisted the citizens of

Pennsylvania during numerous natural disasters and State

emergencies; and

WHEREAS, Most members of the First City Troop would qualify

to be officers in other units but choose to serve as enlisted

men in the troop, and soldiers on the active roll continue to

donate their drill pay back to the unit in order to maintain a

tradition of voluntary service; and

WHEREAS, The First City Troop is the only military unit in

the United States that owns its own Armory building, built with

private funds in the Rittenhouse section of Philadelphia; and

WHEREAS, The citizen soldiers of the First City Troop have

served with courage and selflessness and have earned the respect

and gratitude of Pennsylvanians and all Americans; and

WHEREAS, The First City Troop continues to build on its

heritage as a reliable and relevant community-based force that

is always ready and always there, whether to protect our

homeland against attack, to observe traditional customs and

ceremonial duties, to support civil authorities or to defend

freedom overseas; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives:

(1)  Proudly recognize the 237th anniversary of the

founding of the First City Troop and its exemplary service to

the Commonwealth and the nation.

(2)  Thank the members of the First City Troop and their

families for their service and their sacrifice on behalf of

the Commonwealth and the nation.

(3)  Pledge its continued support to the First City Troop

and offer best wishes for continued growth and exceptional

service in the years to come.

(4)  Honor the dedication of the members of the First

City Troop who play a central role in protecting this

Commonwealth and the United States and the freedoms and

liberties of all citizens;

and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to

the Governor, the Adjutant General of Pennsylvania and the

Captain of the First City Troop, Tyler Hathaway, First Troop

Philadelphia City Cavalry, The Armory, 22 South 23rd Street,

Philadelphia, PA 19103.