Florida 2023 Regular Session

Florida House Bill H8015 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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9	9	Page 1 of 4
10	10	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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12	12	House Resolution 1
13	13	A resolution recognizing the service and sacrifice of 2
14	14	the Tuskegee Airmen and designating March 23, 2023, as 3
15	15	"Tuskegee Airmen Commemoration Day" in Florida. 4
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17	17	WHEREAS, before World War II, African Americans had very 6
18	18	limited roles in the defense of the United States and none in 7
19	19	military aviation, and when the nation was drawn into the war, 8
20	20	African Americans were aspiring to more meaningful jobs in the 9
21	21	military, including flying and maintaining aircraft, and 10
22	22	WHEREAS, as the rapid expansion of aircraft production 11
23	23	during the war created a greater need for military pilots, 12
24	24	public outcry from civil rights groups and black professional 13
25	25	organizations exhorted the United States War Department to begin 14
26	26	training black pilots in the Army Air Corps, and 15
27	27	WHEREAS, the United States War Department's Civilian Pilot 16
28	28	Training Program (CPTP) authorized colleges and universities to 17
29	29	train students in order to increase the number of c ivilian 18
30	30	pilots and thereby increase the nation's military preparedness, 19
31	31	and 20
32	32	WHEREAS, Alabama's Tuskegee Institute was one of six black 21
33	33	colleges and universities chosen to participate in the CPTP, was 22
34	34	later selected to offer advanced training, and was the primary 23
35	35	flight training facility for the student pilots who would become 24
36	36	the Tuskegee Airmen, and 25 
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45	45	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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47	47	WHEREAS, the 99th Fighter Pursuit Squadron, the first black 26
48	48	flying squadron, trained at Dale Mabry Field near Tallahassee to 27
49	49	prepare for combat overseas, and the Eglin Field ranges in 28
50	50	Okaloosa County were used by advanced training cadets for 29
51	51	gunnery practice, and 30
52	52	WHEREAS, the outstanding performance of the Tuskegee Airmen 31
53	53	was unprecedented in military aviation history, and 32
54	54	WHEREAS, the month of March is sign ificant to the Tuskegee 33
55	55	Airmen, as it is the month in which the first cadets received 34
56	56	their wings; the first maintenance crew began training at 35
57	57	Chanute Field, Illinois; the first Pursuit Squadron, the 99th, 36
58	58	was activated; Eleanor Roosevelt visited Kennedy Field and flew 37
59	59	with Chief Alfred Anderson, an African American Instructor 38
60	60	Pilot; and President George W. Bush presented the Tuskegee 39
61	61	Airmen with the Congressional Gold Medal, and 40
62	62	WHEREAS, General Daniel "Chappie" James, Jr., born in 41
63	63	Pensacola, became the first African American to achieve the rank 42
64	64	of four-star general in the Armed Forces; Second Lieutenant 43
65	65	Charles P. Bailey, Sr., born in Punta Gorda, was the first 44
66	66	aviator from Florida to become a Tuskegee Airman pilot of the 45
67	67	99th Fighter Pursuit Squadron; L ieutenant Alvin J. Downing, born 46
68	68	in Jacksonville, was a Special Service Officer and renowned 47
69	69	musician and educator in the Army Air Forces Band and in the St. 48
70	70	Petersburg and Clearwater areas, and 49 
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79	79	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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81	81	WHEREAS, Second Lieutenant Alphonso Simmons from 50
82	82	Jacksonville became a casualty of war on March 3, 1945, and 51
83	83	First Lieutenant James Polkinghorne, Jr., of Pensacola was lost 52
84	84	on a combat mission over Italy on May 5, 1944, and 53
85	85	WHEREAS, Lieutenant Colonel George Hardy, residing in 54
86	86	Sarasota County, is a famed "Red Tail " P-51 pilot of the 332nd 55
87	87	Fighter Group; Daniel Keel, residing in Lake County, is one of 56
88	88	only five Tuskegee Airmen to receive a triple airman rating, 57
89	89	serving as pilot, bombardier, and navigator; Raymond Cassagnol, 58
90	90	residing in Seminole County, is one of fiv e Haitian Tuskegee 59
91	91	Airmen pilots; and Callie Odem Gentry, residing in Pasco County, 60
92	92	is a former stenographer and one of the women who served as 61
93	93	support personnel alongside the Tuskegee Airmen, and 62
94	94	WHEREAS, Tuskegee Airman Chief Master Sergeant Richard R. 63
95	95	Hall, Jr., of Winter Park was an aircraft mechanic in the 99th 64
96	96	Fighter Pursuit Squadron, served 30 years in the military, and 65
97	97	was one of the first African American Chief Master Sergeants; 66
98	98	and Lieutenant Colonel Robert C. Hughes of Brevard County was a 67
99	99	Caucasian flight instructor, NOW, THEREFORE, 68
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101	101	Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of 70
102	102	Florida: 71
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114	114	That the House of Representatives recognizes the service 73
115	115	and sacrifice of the Tuskegee Airmen and designates March 23, 74
116	116	2023, as "Tuskegee Airmen Commemoration Day" in Florida. 75