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                                                                  H.R. No. 185



R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, The 60th anniversary of the raising of the U.S. flag 
on Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima on February 23, 
1945, affords a fitting opportunity to recognize the important role 
of the Battleship Texas in our nation's history; and
	WHEREAS, The Battleship Texas lent gunfire support and 
antiaircraft fire to the landing on Iwo Jima, an essential base of 
U.S. operations toward the end of World War II; commissioned in 
1914, the ship participated in campaigns in the Atlantic Ocean, off 
the North African Coast and Cherbourg, and in the Pacific Ocean, at 
Iwo Jima and Okinawa, before becoming the flagship of the Texas Navy 
in 1948; and
	WHEREAS, A ship of many "firsts," the Battleship Texas was 
the first ship to launch an airplane, the first to mount 
antiaircraft guns, the first to control gunfire with directors and 
range-keepers, and the first to use commercial radar; furthermore, 
the ship was nicknamed the Lucky Ship for its low incidence of 
combat casualties; and
	WHEREAS, In 1983, the Battleship Texas was placed in the care 
of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and today the ship finds 
her permanent home on the Buffalo Bayou at the historic site of the 
San Jacinto Battleground, near downtown Houston; the Battleship 
Texas Foundation, a nonprofit corporation led by business, civic, 
and retired military leaders and community volunteers, raises funds 
to restore the ship to its original glory and promote its 
educational value and historical significance; and
	WHEREAS, Built as a vessel of war, the Battleship Texas now 
symbolizes our commitment to freedom, and it is a source of great 
pride for all Texans; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 79th Texas 
Legislature hereby recognize the 60th anniversary of the raising of 
the U.S. flag at Iwo Jima, and commend the Battleship Texas 
Foundation for its preservation of our nation's history and its 
care and restoration of the Battleship Texas; and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be prepared for the 
members of the Battleship Texas Foundation as an expression of high 
regard by the Texas House of Representatives.

                                                                          Talton

                                                  ______________________________
                                                       Speaker of the House     

	I certify that H.R. No. 185 was adopted by the House on 
February 17, 2005, by a non-record vote.

                                                  ______________________________
                                                     Chief Clerk of the House