81R12809 MMS-D
By: Gattis H.R. No. 918
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The dedicated service and immeasurable sacrifice of
our nation's military personnel are being recognized on May 16,
2009, as Americans observe this country's 59th annual Armed Forces
Day; and
WHEREAS, Before 1950, separate days had been set aside to
honor the branches of the armed forces individually; the
establishment of a single observance followed the combining in 1947
of the Departments of War and Navy into one entity, the National
Military Establishment, which two years later became known as the
Department of Defense; and
WHEREAS, Members of the army, navy, marines, air force, and
coast guard are justly proud of the heroic records forged by those
branches and by their continuing contributions to the security of
American citizens at home and abroad; and
WHEREAS, The U.S. Army was established on June 14, 1775, when
the Second Continental Congress authorized the formation of 10
companies of riflemen; from the American Revolution to the present
operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, the army has furnished the
majority of American ground troops when the country has taken up
arms; today this service is composed of a number of basic branches,
including Infantry, Military Intelligence, Aviation, the Corps of
Engineers, and Special Forces, and such special branches as the
Army Medical Department, Chaplains, and Judge Advocate General's
Corps; and
WHEREAS, On October 13, 1775, the Second Continental Congress
called for the fitting out of two warships, thereby founding the
Continental Navy; although disbanded following the conclusion of
the Revolutionary War, this service was reestablished with the
creation of the Department of the Navy on April 30, 1798, and today,
naval personnel ensure the defense of the nation by sea and give
seaborne support to the other military forces; and
WHEREAS, A month after the Continental Congress authorized
the procurement and dispatching of the navy's first ships, it
passed a resolution, on November 10, 1775, calling for the raising
of two marine battalions; the Marine Corps disbanded, like the
navy, following the War of Independence, but it was reestablished
on July 11, 1798; a separate service within the Department of the
Navy, the Marine Corps prepares for counterinsurgency, guerilla,
and amphibious warfare and commando operations; and
WHEREAS, The U.S. Air Force, which became a separate branch
within the Department of Defense on September 18, 1947, had its
genesis in the 1907 creation of an aeronautical division within the
U.S. Army Signal Corps; military aviation subsequently achieved
widespread recognition during World War I, when planes proved their
effectiveness in reconnaissance and bombing missions, and air power
became a crucial factor in World War II, during which time the U.S.
Army Air Forces emerged as the most powerful air force in the world;
today's air force defends the country in the realms of air, space,
and cyberspace; and
WHEREAS, Now part of the Department of Homeland Security, the
U.S. Coast Guard has assumed many duties throughout its history,
from protecting against pirates to intercepting contraband,
conducting search and rescue operations, responding to oil spills,
and licensing and certifying all U.S. maritime personnel; its
wide-ranging wartime service has included escort and patrol duty
and assisting amphibious landings; and
WHEREAS, Together with members of the reserve forces, the
Army National Guard, and the Air National Guard, America's active
duty servicemen and servicewomen are committed to maintaining the
nation's security and are prepared to do their utmost in defense of
their country and the cause of freedom; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas
Legislature hereby recognize May 16, 2009, as Armed Forces Day and
extend to all the members of the nation's military profound
appreciation for their steadfast and courageous efforts in our
country's behalf.