SECONDREGULARSESSION
HOUSECONCURRENT
RESOLUTION NO.58
101STGENERALASSEMBLY
INTRODUCEDBYREPRESENTATIVECOPELAND.
4856H.01I DANARADEMANMILLER,ChiefClerk
WHEREAS,WorldWarII,themostwidespreadwarinhistory,lastedfrom1939
2until1945;and
3
4 WHEREAS,theUnitedStatesenteredthewarin1941,followinganattackonPearl
5HarborbyJapanesefighterplanes;and
6
7 WHEREAS,oversixteenmillionAmericansservedtheircountryandtheAllied
8powersoverthecourseofthewar;and
9
10 WHEREAS,thegenerationofmenandwomenwhoservedourcountryinWorldWar
11IIhasbeencalledthe"greatestgeneration"fortheirselflesssacrifice;and
12
13 WHEREAS,theMedalofHonoristhehighestmilitarydecorationthatisawardedby
14theUnitedStatesgovernment;and
15
16 WHEREAS,theMedalofHonorispresentedbythePresidentoftheUnitedStates,in
17thenameofCongress;and
18
19 WHEREAS,theMedalofHonorisonlyconferreduponmembersoftheUnited
20StatesArmedForceswhodistinguishthemselvesthroughconspicuousgallantryand
21intrepidityattheriskoflifeaboveandbeyondthecallofdutywhileengagedinaction
22againstanenemyoftheUnitedStates,whileengagedinmilitaryoperationsinvolvingconflict
23withanopposingforeignforce,orwhileservingwithfriendlyforcesengagedinanarmed
24conflictagainstanopposingarmedforceinwhichtheUnitedStatesisnotabelligerentparty;
25and
26
27 WHEREAS,morethan3,400MedalsofHonorhavebeenawardedtoournation's
28bravestsoldiers,sailors,airmen,marines,andcoastguardsmensincethecreationoftheaward
29in1861;and 30
31 WHEREAS,theMedalofHonorwasawardedto353AmericansduringWorldWar
32II;and
33
34 WHEREAS,onlyoneofthose353Americansarealivetoday;and
35
36 WHEREAS,HershelWoodrowWilliamsofWestVirginiaservedhiscountrywith
37conspicuousgallantryandintrepidityattheriskoflifeandthereforedeservethegratitudeof
38theAmericanpeople;and
39
40 WHEREAS,thePresidentoftheUnitedStateshasthesoleauthoritytodesignatea
41statefuneral;and
42
43 WHEREAS,historically,thePresidentoftheUnitedStateshasdesignatedstate
44funeralsforformerpresidents,generals,andotherextraordinaryAmericans;and
45
46 WHEREAS,ournationiscurrentlydividedandyearnsforaunifyingnationalevent;
47and
48
49 WHEREAS,designatingastatefuneralwhenthelastsurvivingWorldWarIIMedal
50ofHonorrecipientdieswouldbeawonderfulwayfortheAmericanpeopletouniteandhonor
51allsixteenmillionsoldiers,sailors,andairmenwhoservedinourArmedForcesfrom1941to
521945:
53
54 NOWTHEREFORE BEITRESOLVEDthatthemembersoftheHouseof
55RepresentativesoftheOneHundredFirstGeneralAssembly,SecondRegularSession,the
56Senateconcurringtherein,herebyurgethePresidentoftheUnitedStatestodesignateastate
57funeralforthelastsurvivingMedalofHonorrecipientfromWorldWarII;and
58
59 BEITFURTHERRESOLVEDthattheChiefClerkoftheMissouriHouseof
60Representativesbeinstructedtoprepareaproperlyinscribedcopyofthisresolutionforthe
61PresidentoftheUnitedStates,theVicePresidentoftheUnitedStates,theSpeakerofthe
62UnitedStatesHouseofRepresentatives,thePresidentProTemporeoftheUnitedStates
63Senate,andallmembersoftheMissouricongressionaldelegation.
✔
HCR58 2