Bill Text: TX HR863 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Commemorating the 2014 reunion of the USS Platte AO-24 Association.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: (Passed) 2013-03-28 - Reported enrolled [HR863 Detail]
Download: Texas-2013-HR863-Enrolled.html
| H.R. No. 863 | ||
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| WHEREAS, Every two years, the USS Platte AO-24 Association | ||
| brings together former crew members of that navy ship to renew | ||
| friendships and to reflect on their service to the nation, and it is | ||
| a pleasure to welcome the group to San Antonio for its 2014 reunion; | ||
| and | ||
| WHEREAS, The USS Platte AO-24 was built in Baltimore and | ||
| commissioned by the United States Navy in 1939; in World War II, the | ||
| ship supported American combat vessels involved in the Battle of | ||
| Midway and in operations in the Solomon Islands, including the | ||
| crucial fighting at Guadalcanal; the Platte later fueled and | ||
| assisted other navy ships in the Pacific theater until the | ||
| surrender of Japanese forces in 1945, and then it served as a | ||
| station tanker at Japanese ports while the country was occupied by | ||
| U.S. forces; and | ||
| WHEREAS, During the Korean War, the ship carried out missions | ||
| in 1951 and 1952 in which it played a vital role in combat | ||
| operations; based out of its home port of Long Beach, California, | ||
| the Platte went on to complete numerous deployments over the next | ||
| two decades that took it to ports throughout East and Southeast | ||
| Asia; when the U.S. became involved in the conflict in Vietnam, the | ||
| ship took part in its third war, and it continued to be a valuable | ||
| part of the 7th Fleet until it was decommissioned in the early | ||
| 1970s; all told, the Platte earned a total of 22 battle stars; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Lynn Todd, a crew member at the time of the Korean | ||
| War, organized the USS Platte AO-24 Association in 1999 and devoted | ||
| himself to seeking out others who had been stationed on the vessel; | ||
| today, the association's membership includes individuals who | ||
| served on the ship throughout its history; to help rekindle the | ||
| esprit de corps of these former crew members, the association began | ||
| holding reunions on a biennial basis, with the first gathering | ||
| taking place in 2002 in Platte City, Missouri; the following year, | ||
| members of the association took part in the dedication ceremony, in | ||
| which the ship's bell was delivered to the county courthouse in | ||
| Platte City to be permanently displayed; and | ||
| WHEREAS, The brave men of the USS Platte rendered invaluable | ||
| service to the United States armed forces over a period of more than | ||
| three decades, and their valor and dedication to duty are truly | ||
| deserving of profound appreciation; now, therefore, be it | ||
| RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas | ||
| Legislature hereby commemorate the 2014 reunion of the USS Platte | ||
| AO-24 Association and extend to the event's organizers and | ||
| participants sincere best wishes for an enjoyable and memorable | ||
| visit to San Antonio; and, be it further | ||
| RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be | ||
| prepared for the association as an expression of high regard by the | ||
| Texas House of Representatives. | ||
| Farias | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Speaker of the House | ||
| I certify that H.R. No. 863 was adopted by the House on March | ||
| 27, 2013, by a non-record vote. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Chief Clerk of the House | ||
