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HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, Retired Lieutenant Colonel Richard Cole of the |
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United States Air Force is an admired veteran of the famous |
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Doolittle Raid against Japan in World War II and the last surviving |
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member of General Jimmy Doolittle's crew on that mission; and |
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WHEREAS, One of the most daring and important American |
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actions of World War II, Doolittle's Raid was intended to |
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demonstrate the reach of American military power against the enemy |
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only four months after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor; and |
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WHEREAS, On April 18, 1942, under the command of Lieutenant |
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Colonel Jimmy Doolittle, 16 B-25 Mitchell bombers manned by |
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volunteers lifted off from the aircraft carrier the USS Hornet 600 |
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miles from Japan; taking off 200 miles further from Japan than they |
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had planned, these extraordinarily courageous young pilots |
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embarked on their mission knowing they could not land again on the |
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carrier and that they may not have had enough fuel to fly to |
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airfields in China; their surprise attack on targets in and around |
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Tokyo shattered the enemy's illusion of invulnerability and |
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enormously boosted American morale in the desperate early months of |
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World War II; and |
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WHEREAS, General Doolittle's co-pilot on the raid, Richard |
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Cole had answered his nation's call to duty by enlisting in 1940, |
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and he completed his pilot training at Kelly Air Force Base in San |
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Antonio as a second lieutenant in 1941; and |
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WHEREAS, After the raid, Lieutenant Cole remained in Asia |
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until 1944, piloting cargo planes; he then continued his tenure in |
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the Air Force after the war, serving in California, Texas, Ohio, and |
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North Carolina; from 1959 to 1962 he was an operations advisor to |
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the Venezuelan Air Force; since his retirement as a lieutenant |
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colonel in 1967, Richard Cole has lived in Texas, most recently in |
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the Hill Country near Comfort in Kendall County; and |
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WHEREAS, He has deservedly been honored for his military |
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career with a number of decorations, including the Distinguished |
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Flying Cross with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Air Medal with one Oak |
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Leaf Cluster, the Bronze Star, the Air Force Commendation Medal, |
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and the Chinese Army, Navy, Air Corps Medal, Class A, 1st Grade; and |
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WHEREAS, A valiant American who risked all to aid his country |
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at a crucial moment in its history, Lieutenant Colonel Richard Cole |
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exemplifies the highest ideals of military service, and his long |
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and illustrious career in the armed forces distinguishes him as an |
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inspiring figure of whom all Texans can be justifiably proud; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 80th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby commend Lieutenant Colonel Richard Cole for his exemplary |
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service to this nation and extend sincere appreciation to him for |
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his remarkable heroism; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Lieutenant Colonel Cole as an expression of high |
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regard by the Texas House of Representatives and Senate. |
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Hilderbran |
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______________________________ |
______________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.C.R. No. 207 was adopted by the House on May |
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11, 2007, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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I certify that H.C.R. No. 207 was adopted by the Senate on May |
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24, 2007, by a viva-voce vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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APPROVED: __________________ |
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Date |
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__________________ |
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Governor |