Bill Text: HI HR52 | 2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Pearl Harbor Historic Sites

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2010-02-18 - (H) Resolution adopted in final form. [HR52 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2010-HR52-Introduced.html

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	52
TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2010
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE RESOLUTION

 

 

commemorating the 65^th Anniversary of the end of world war II and acknowledging the pearl harbor historic sites partners for their contributions in preserving the nation’s military legacy.

 

 

 

     WHEREAS, our way of life, and the freedoms and opportunities that we as a democracy enjoy, have been forged with the blood of patriots willing to make the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our country; and

 

     WHEREAS, the courage and dedication of the servicemen in our armed forces were instrumental in defending our country and our allies during World War II and ultimately defeating the Axis Powers in 1945; and

 

     WHEREAS, throughout the war, our soldiers fought with distinction in countless battlefields across the world, from the shores of Pearl Harbor during the Japanese attack on December 7, 1941, to the invasion of Normandy on D-Day in June 1944, and on through the hard-fought campaigns in Europe and Asia in 1944 and 1945; and

 

     WHEREAS, the year 2010 marks the 65^th Anniversary of the end of World War II; and

 

     WHEREAS, the historical legacy of our armed forces is preserved through various monuments and historical sites throughout the world that are dedicated to carrying out this work; and

 

     WHEREAS, Hawaii is blessed to house one such network of sites, the Pearl Harbor Historic Sites, which is comprised of the USS Arizona Memorial, Battleship Missouri Memorial, USS Bowfin Submarine Museum and Park, Pacific Aviation Museum, and Pearl Harbor Historic Trail; and

     WHEREAS, the USS Arizona Memorial, built over the actual wreck of the battleship, is the final resting place for many of the ship’s 1,177 crewmen who lost their lives during the Pearl Harbor attack; and

 

     WHEREAS, the USS Arizona Memorial has for many decades served as both a poignant reminder of the heroism and valor demonstrated by our soldiers in their efforts to respond to and repel the Pearl Harbor attack, as well as the critically important historical event which catapulted the U.S. into World War II; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Battleship Missouri Memorial is home to the USS Missouri, a battleship with a rich and unusual history, highlighted by its distinction as the site for the formal surrender of Japan on September 2, 1945, the event that ended the war; and

 

     WHEREAS, the USS Missouri continued on for over five decades after World War II, engaging enemy forces in the Korean War as well as Operation Desert Storm while also participating in training cruises during peacetime, until the ship was decommissioned for the last time and made its final voyage to Pearl Harbor where it now rests, serving as a testament to the valor and might of our armed forces; and

 

     WHEREAS, the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum and Park is home to the historic USS Bowfin, a World War II-era submarine launched a year after the Pearl Harbor attack and nicknamed the "Pearl Harbor Avenger"; and

 

     WHEREAS, the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum and Park serves a dual function, providing visitors with a wealth of information on the inner workings of a submarine as well as the history of the submarine, while also serving as a tribute to the 52 U.S. submarines and approximately 3,500 crewmen lost during World War II; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Pacific Aviation Museum is located in World War II-era hangars on historic Ford Island, providing visitors with the opportunity to learn about aviation particularly during the World War II- and Korean War-eras, with plans to expand the museum to include more modern exhibits; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Pearl Harbor Historic Trail was the site of the OR&L railroad, which was established in 1889 by Benjamin F. Dillingham to serve the transportation needs of developing sugar plantations on Oahu, with the Hawaiian Pineapple Company (now known as Dole) increasing the train's freight traffic by more than 30 percent after the turn of the 20^th Century; and

 

     WHEREAS, during the railroad's development, the United States Navy began converting Pearl Harbor Lagoon into a major naval base, and the United States Army established the largest army base in the Pacific at Schofield Barracks, both of which were eventually linked to Honolulu Harbor and each other by OR&L, which transported troops and munitions to these locations during World War II; and

 

     WHEREAS, in 1971, the Hawaiian Railway Society was formed to restore portions of the old railroad system as an educational and historic community resource and in 1975, tracks in the OR&L right-of-way from 'Ewa to Nanakuli were placed on both the Hawaii Register of Historic places and the National Register of Historic Places; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fifth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2010, that this body hereby commemorates the 65^th Anniversary of the end of World War II and acknowledges and commends the Pearl Harbor Historic Sites Partners for their contributions to preserving our nation’s military legacy.

 

 

 

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________
		_____________________________

Report Title: 

Pearl Harbor Historic Sites