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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, The battleship Texas, built nearly a century ago,
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endures as one of this state's most recognized and revered |
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historical monuments; and |
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WHEREAS, Commissioned on March 12, 1914, the Texas served in
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World War I and World War II and saw action in the Atlantic and |
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Pacific; during the Second World War, it supported the allied |
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invasion of North Africa, the D-Day invasion at Normandy, and the |
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invasion of Southern France, as well as the assaults at Iwo Jima and |
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Okinawa; remarkably, the Texas suffered only one combat casualty
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during its many naval campaigns, earning it the nickname "the Lucky |
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Ship"; and |
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WHEREAS, Over the course of its long history, the USS Texas |
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experienced many notable firsts, including being the first U.S. |
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battleship to launch an airplane and the first ship in the U.S. Navy |
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to use radar; and |
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WHEREAS, The Texas was decommissioned on April 21, 1948, and
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retired to its present berth at the San Jacinto Battleground State |
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Historic Site; registered as a National Historic Landmark and as a |
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National Mechanical Engineering Landmark, the Texas has also been
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designated as the official State Ship of Texas, and it serves as the |
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flagship of the Texas Navy; the battleship is under the care and |
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direction of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and it |
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receives crucial support from the Battleship Texas Foundation; and |
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WHEREAS, Led by retired military leaders and by concerned |
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business and civic leaders and community volunteers, the foundation |
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is a nonprofit group that raises funds to assist in the ship's |
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preservation and restoration; in addition, the foundation supports |
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a number of outreach initiatives, including the Youth Education |
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Program, the Overnight Program, and hard hat tours of areas on the |
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ship that are normally closed to the public; and |
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WHEREAS, An icon of the Lone Star State, the battleship Texas
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is an imposing monument to freedom and a majestic memorial to all |
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those Americans who have served in its defense; now, therefore, be |
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it |
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RESOLVED, That the 82nd Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby recognize the historical and cultural importance of the |
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battleship Texas and commend the Battleship Texas Foundation for
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its ongoing efforts to preserve this unique asset of the Lone Star |
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State for future generations; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the Battleship Texas Foundation as an expression of |
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high regard by the Texas House of Representatives and Senate. |