SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 796
WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to
join the airmen, the United States Department of Defense
employees, and the families of Dyess Air Force Base, along with
the Abilene community, in celebrating the 50th anniversary of the
C-130 Hercules aircraft in the Big Country; and
WHEREAS, On February 8, 1961, the 64th Troop Carrier Wing
began a distinguished era of service with the arrival of the
first C-130 on the base; the early missions of the C-130s
included responding to the Cuban missile crisis of 1962 and
delivering support to the Distant Early Warning radar sites along
the Arctic Circle with ski-equipped transport models;
longer-range models were developed over the years, and the latest
version of the aircraft, the C-130J Super Hercules, began
arriving in 2010; and
WHEREAS, The 64th Troop Carrier Wing passed the leadership
torch to the 516th Tactical Airlift Wing in 1963, followed by the
463rd Airlift Wing in 1972 and the 7th Wing in 1993; the 317th
Airlift Group of today was activated in 1997; and
WHEREAS, Over the past 50 years, more than 17,000
maintenance workers and aircrew members have kept the C-130
Hercules ready to respond to the next crisis; the Dyess C-130s
have delivered critical cargo under enemy fire and have been used
to carry out numerous humanitarian missions, such as airlifting
refugees to safety, fighting forest fires, and responding to Gulf
Coast hurricanes; the steadfast support of the Abilene community
has been an intregal part of the outstanding success of the C-130
mission at Dyess Air Force Base; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 82nd
Legislature, hereby pay tribute to all who have participated in
the missions and the maintenance of the Dyess Air Force Base
C-130 Hercules aircraft over the last 50 years; and, be it
further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared in
honor of the 50th anniversary of the C-130 Hercules aircraft at
Dyess Air Force Base.
Fraser
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President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on April 18, 2011.
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Secretary of the Senate
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Member, Texas Senate