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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The No. 1 British Flying Training School Museum in |
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Terrell is marking the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the |
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Lend-Lease Act and of the school's founding on April 7, 2011; and |
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WHEREAS, In the summer of 1940, Britain lost 11 destroyers to |
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the German navy in less than two weeks, and newly elected prime |
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minister Winston Churchill requested help from United States |
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president Franklin D. Roosevelt; the United States had not yet |
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entered the war, but under the Lend-Lease Act of 1941, it provided |
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arms and supplies to the nations already fighting the Axis powers, |
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and the British Royal Air Force sent crews to six civilian training |
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schools in the United States, where they could benefit from better |
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weather conditions and learn their craft while safe from enemy |
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bombers; and |
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WHEREAS, The No. 1 British Flying Training School in Terrell, |
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the first and largest of the six schools, opened three months before |
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the attack on Pearl Harbor; the RAF cadets received ground training |
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in England and then traveled by ship to Halifax, Nova Scotia, for |
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more training in navigation and meteorology; before arriving in |
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Texas, some had never been in an airplane before, or even driven a |
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car; in Terrell, they trained in the air on aerobatics, instrument |
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flight, and night flying, spent time on early flight simulators, |
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and also studied navigation, meteorology, engines, and armaments; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Between 1941 and 1945, residents of Terrell and |
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Kaufman County welcomed more than 2,000 RAF pilots, and lifelong |
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bonds of friendship were formed; in addition, some three dozen |
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trainees met their wives in the United States and returned to live |
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in Texas and other states; 200 American pilots eventually trained |
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at the school as well; and |
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WHEREAS, Aviation enthusiasts, history buffs, and veterans |
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alike are drawn to the museum's fascinating holdings, which include |
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log books, training materials, uniforms, and memorabilia; to |
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support further research and the recovery of artifacts, the |
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institution has partnered with Shearwater Aviation Museum in |
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Halifax; and |
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WHEREAS, The archives of the No. 1 British Flying Training |
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School Museum document an extraordinary time period and the |
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contributions of Terrell and Kaufman County residents to the war |
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effort; declaring "The seas divide but the skies unite," the |
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museum's emblem pays tribute to the enduring links forged among |
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Britain, Canada, and the United States through the Lend-Lease |
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program; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas |
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Legislature hereby commemorate the 70th anniversary of the adoption |
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of the Lend-Lease Act and of the founding of the No. 1 British |
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Flying Training School and extend to all those participating in the |
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celebration sincere best wishes for a memorable event; and, be it |
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further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the No. 1 British Flying Training School Museum as an |
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expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. |
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Gooden |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 1095 was adopted by the House on April |
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14, 2011, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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