PRINTER'S NO. 3383
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
896
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY KIM, QUIGLEY, HENNESSEY, HICKERNELL, BAKER, HAHN,
COX, NEILSON, M. K. KELLER, VEREB, SONNEY, DUSH, KINSEY,
KIRKLAND, COHEN, ROZZI, V. BROWN, PASHINSKI, D. COSTA, WARD,
MURT, LONGIETTI, THOMAS, YOUNGBLOOD, JAMES, HARHART, REGAN,
DAVIDSON, DAVIS, ROSS, DiGIROLAMO, MILLARD, READSHAW, GROVE,
McNEILL, MILNE, WHEELAND, O'NEILL, ELLIS, MAHONEY, PAYNE,
FARINA, HELM, BENNINGHOFF, LEWIS, PETRI, HARHAI, MARSHALL,
SAINATO, PHILLIPS-HILL, GOODMAN, DONATUCCI, GILLEN,
CALTAGIRONE, MCCLINTON AND WATSON, MAY 19, 2016
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
MAY 19, 2016
A RESOLUTION
Honoring the service and sacrifice of Captain Arthur E. Halfpapp
as he is returned home to this Commonwealth.
WHEREAS, A native of Steelton, Pennsylvania, Captain Arthur
E. Halfpapp was assigned to the 87th Fighter Squadron, 79th
Fighter Group, during World War II; and
WHEREAS, During his 103rd mission, on April 24, 1945, Captain
Halfpapp departed Cesenatico, Italy, on an armed reconnaissance
mission, intending to bomb and strafe motor transport targets
southeast of Alberone, Italy; and
WHEREAS, Flying in a P-47 Thunderbolt, Captain Halfpapp led
his section of the flight parallel to the Po River; and
WHEREAS, Moving from west to east, the flight dove toward the
target of 8 to 10 vehicles; and
WHEREAS, At approximately 2,000 feet, Captain Halfpapp's P-47
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started into a roll and continued directly into the ground,
crashing in an inverted position and immediately bursting into
flames; and
WHEREAS, Shortly after the crash, the flight leader circled
the burning wreckage for 10 minutes and failed to see any signs
of human life; and
WHEREAS, In 1947, the American Graves Registration Service
units searched the entire length of the Po River, including the
north and south banks, and were unable to locate Captain
Halfpapp's crash site or recover his identifiable remains; and
WHEREAS, On October 5, 2014, founding members of the Italian
association, Archeologi dell'Aria, contacted the Defense
Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office to report the group's
excavation of a crash site possibly associated with Captain
Halfpapp's incident and the recovery of possible human remains
and identification material; and
WHEREAS, Further investigation of the crash site confirmed
that belongings and remains were that of Captain Halfpapp; and
WHEREAS, Captain Halfpapp is a highly decorated combat pilot
who gave his life for his country during World War II,
completing more than 100 combat missions, and was part of the
June 6, 1944, D-Day invasion; and
WHEREAS, Captain Halfpapp was also one of the first fighter
bomber pilots of the initial attack on German-occupied France
and also one of the first to raid enemy bases in Germany and
Austria; and
WHEREAS, Captain Halfpapp's medals include the Distinguished
Flying Cross, Purple Heart, European-African-Middle Eastern
Campaign Medal, Bronze Star and World War II Victory Medal; and
WHEREAS, The repatriated remains of a war hero, Captain
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Arthur E. Halfpapp, will be returned to the United States and
placed to rest at the Indiantown Gap National Cemetery on April
14, 2016; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives honor the service
and sacrifice of Captain Arthur E. Halfpapp; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives welcome Captain
Arthur E. Halfpapp as he returns home, for the final time, to
this Commonwealth.
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