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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Members of the Coast Guard helicopter crew of CGNR |
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6512 have been awarded the prestigious Air Medal commendation in |
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recognition of their heroic actions in rescuing victims of |
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Hurricane Ike on September 12 and September 13, 2008; and |
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WHEREAS, This courageous and skilled crew included |
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Lieutenant John T. Moran, who served as the aircraft commander, |
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Lieutenant Junior Grade Dakata B. Brodie, the co-pilot, Aviation |
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Electronics Technician Second Class James M. Russell, the flight |
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mechanic, and Petty Officer Third Class Shane Moore, the rescue |
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swimmer; and |
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WHEREAS, On September 12, with Ike closing in on the Texas |
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coast and winds gusting between 30 and 40 knots, CGNR 6512 was |
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dispatched to the Bolivar Peninsula; there, the crew hoisted seven |
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people to safety from the bed of a submerged pickup truck, working |
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quickly to complete the work before their aircraft ran out of fuel; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Later that day, the helicopter maneuvered into a |
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precarious position between trees, power lines, and towers to hoist |
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an injured woman to safety and then completed a confined-area |
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landing nearby to pick up five more people; after transporting |
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those individuals to a secure location, CGNR 6512 proceeded once |
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more to the Bolivar Peninsula to rescue seven additional victims |
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stranded by the rising waters; and |
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WHEREAS, These courageous rescuers returned to action the |
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next day, after the hurricane had made landfall; they used their |
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hoist equipment to remove three people stranded on the deck of a |
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house and then completed the medical evacuation of an elderly woman |
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by once again setting down in a tight landing zone; in total, CGNR |
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6512 rescued 24 people over the course of two days while grappling |
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with extremely perilous conditions; and |
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WHEREAS, Valiantly flying into harm's way to help those in |
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need and performing their duties as a perfectly coordinated team, |
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the crew members of CGNR 6512 embodied the highest ideals of the |
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United States Coast Guard, and they are indeed deserving of this |
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illustrious military commendation; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate the crew of CGNR 6512 on its |
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receipt of the Air Medal and commend Lieutenant Moran, Lieutenant |
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Brodie, Technician Russell, and Petty Officer Moore for their |
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exceptional heroism during Hurricane Ike; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the crew as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |