PRINTER'S NO. 2666
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
564
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY DAY, BERNSTINE, BIZZARRO, BURNS, CALTAGIRONE,
DiGIROLAMO, FREEMAN, HENNESSEY, HILL-EVANS, KNOWLES, KORTZ,
MILLARD, MURT, RYAN, SAINATO, SCHMITT, SONNEY AND YOUNGBLOOD,
OCTOBER 15, 2019
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS, OCTOBER 15, 2019
A RESOLUTION
Designating October 22, 2019, as "Vincent Neil DiRenzo Day" in
Pennsylvania in memory of a native son who identified Cuban-
based Soviet nuclear missiles in October 1962.
WHEREAS, Vincent Neil DiRenzo, born August 24, 1928, in
Shenandoah, Schuylkill County, worked for the United States
intelligence community from 1956 through 1984; and
WHEREAS, A graduate of J.W. Cooper High School in Shenandoah
and East Stroudsburg State Teachers College, Mr. DiRenzo trained
and served four years with the United States Marines; and
WHEREAS, The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) recruited Mr.
DiRenzo while he was a graduate student at Clark University; and
WHEREAS, Mr. DiRenzo joined the CIA as a photo interpreter
with the National Photographic Interpretation Center (NPIC) in
Washington, DC; and
WHEREAS, As part of the Directorate of Science and
Technology, NPIC acted on verification requests for photographic
evidence used in intelligence reporting; and
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WHEREAS, In October 1962, NPIC analyzed up to 70% of
actionable intelligence; and
WHEREAS, On October 15, 1962, reviewing more than 900 recent
aerial images from a top secret CIA-modified U-2 flight, Mr.
DiRenzo's team found significant canvas-covered objects
indicating ballistic missile installations near Los Palacios,
Cuba; and
WHEREAS, Mr. DiRenzo's initial conclusions, confirmed by
NPIC's founding director Arthur Lundahl, were reported to
President John F. Kennedy; and
WHEREAS, United States defense operations around the globe
shifted to higher states of alert; and
WHEREAS, Within days, all regions of the United States except
the Pacific Northwest were believed to be within reach of Soviet
intermediate-range missiles; and
WHEREAS, On October 22, 1962, President Kennedy addressed the
nation, revealing the evidence of Soviet missiles in Cuba and
calling for their removal; and
WHEREAS, During the televised address, President Kennedy
announced the establishment of a naval quarantine around the
island of Cuba until the Soviet Union would agree to dismantle
the missile sites and to make certain that no additional
missiles would be shipped to Cuba; and
WHEREAS, Resolution of the unprecedented international crisis
came on October 28, 1962, when the Soviet Union pledged to
dismantle more than 40 installations; and
WHEREAS, The CIA presented Mr. DiRenzo with an Intelligence
Medal of Merit; and
WHEREAS, President Kennedy extended a Presidential
Commendation; and
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WHEREAS, Mr. DiRenzo was named a CIA division chief in 1968;
and
WHEREAS, Mr. DiRenzo's family lived in Emmaus, Lehigh County,
after his retirement; and
WHEREAS, In 2002, the National Imagery and Mapping Agency
inducted Mr. DiRenzo's team of photo interpreters into its Hall
of Fame; and
WHEREAS, Shenandoah Valley High School posthumously
recognized Mr. DiRenzo as a 2018 Wall of Fame honoree; and
WHEREAS, Mr. DiRenzo died July 17, 2017, in Ashburn,
Virginia, at 88 years of age; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate October
22, 2019, as "Vincent Neil DiRenzo Day" in Pennsylvania in
memory of a native son who identified Cuban-based Soviet nuclear
missiles in October 1962.
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