ENROLLED SENATE
RESOLUTION NO. 6	By:	Ballenger, Aldridge, Allen, Anderson, Barrington, Bass, Bingman, Boggs, Branan, Brecheen, Brinkley, Brooks, Brown, Burrage, Coates, Crain, Dahm, David, Ellis, Fields, Ford, Garrison, Griffin, Halligan, Holt, Ivester, Johnson (Constance), Johnson (Rob), Jolley, Justice, Loveless, Marlatt, Mazzei, McAffrey, Newberry, Paddack, Schulz, Sharp, Shaw, Shortey, Shumate, Simpson, Sparks, Standridge, Stanislawski, Sykes, Treat and Wyrick

A Resolution honoring Paul Henry Carr and recognizing his selfless contributions to the State of Oklahoma and his country.

WHEREAS, Paul Henry Carr, a native Oklahoman from Checotah, died at the age of twenty in the Battle of Samar on October 25, 1944, onboard the USS SAMUEL B ROBERTS (DE-413); and

WHEREAS, he was a Gunner's Mate Third Class and was the Gun Captain for the 5" Gun Mount, and was mortally wounded and died as his ship was sunk from enemy fire; and

WHEREAS, Paul Henry Carr was awarded the Silver Star posthumously, and decades later, his surviving shipmates campaigned the Navy and were successful in having a ship named after him, the USS CARR (FFG-52), which was commissioned July 27, 1985.  Paul Henry Carr is the only native Oklahoman to have a U.S. Navy man of war named after him; and

WHEREAS, Paul Henry Carr's story has been featured in books including James E. Hornfischer's "Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors:  The Extraordinary World War II Story of the U.S. Navy's Finest Hour", published in 2004; "It Wasn't Much: Ten True Tales of Oklahoma Heroes" written by Jana Hausburgin 2008; and "For Crew and Country: The Inspirational True Story of Bravery and Sacrifice Aboard the USS SAMUEL B ROBERTS" by John Wukovits, published in 2013; and

WHEREAS, Paul Henry Carr has long been recognized and honored by the citizens of Checotah, Oklahoma and others, with a monument in front of the Katy Depot, and artifacts on display inside; and

WHEREAS, a nonprofit, the Paul Henry Carr Memorial Foundation, was formed by his nieces and nephews to continue his legacy of courage, will and determination, and its first order of business is the construction of a museum-class exhibit to be housed in the Katy Depot; and

WHEREAS, the USS CARR served with distinction and honor in multiple roles, serving as guardian of the shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz and as ambassador to other countries, at one point being the first U.S. Navy ship to visit a port in Russia that was formerly restricted in the U.S.S.R., to its final mission in assisting in interdicting drug smuggling efforts in the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean; and

WHEREAS, the USS CARR (FFG-52) is currently being decommissioned; and

WHEREAS, Governor George Nigh previously declared the date the USS CARR was launched, Saturday, February 26, 1983, as Paul Henry Carr Day in the State of Oklahoma; and

WHEREAS, Governor David Walters previously declared September 6, 1994, as Paul Henry Carr Day in the State of Oklahoma; and

WHEREAS, Oklahoma has had many able sons and daughters go forth and stay home and proudly represent the finest that Oklahoma has to offer; and

WHEREAS, Paul Henry Carr stands proudly in that pantheon.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE 1ST SESSION OF THE 54TH OKLAHOMA LEGISLATURE:

THAT the Oklahoma State Senate honors and remembers Paul Henry Carr's courageous sacrifice for his country.

THAT the Oklahoma State Senate joins with his deceased widow, Goldie Carr Bensihle; and his deceased sisters, Katie Peterson, of Checotah, Tressye Woodard, of Locust Grove, Irene Schulze, of Muskogee, and Edith Wilson, of Muskogee; and his surviving sisters, Ruth Cox, of Muskogee, Lucille Seifert, of Corpus Christi, Peggy Dodd, of Owasso, and Juanita Rush, of Muskogee; and his many nieces and nephews, in memory of Gunner's Mate Third Class Paul Henry Carr, only son of Thomas Henry and Minnie Mae Carr.

Adopted by the Senate the 26th day of March, 2013.

	
	Presiding Officer of the Senate

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE
Received by the Office of the Secretary of State this __________ day of __________________, 20 _______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
By: _________________________________