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H.C.R. 5 Enrolled

             1     

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION DESIGNATING FEBRUARY

             2     
18, 2012 CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL DAY FOR

             3     
CERTAIN VETERANS

             4     
2012 GENERAL SESSION

             5     
STATE OF UTAH

             6     
Chief Sponsor: Curtis Oda

             7     
Senate Sponsor: Ross I. Romero

             8      Cosponsors:
             9      Johnny Anderson
             10      Patrice M. Arent
             11      Stewart Barlow
             12      Roger E. Barrus
             13      Jim Bird
             14      Joel K. Briscoe
             15      Derek E. Brown
             16      Melvin R. Brown
             17      David G. Butterfield
             18      Rebecca Chavez-Houck
             19      LaVar Christensen
             20      Tim M. Cosgrove
             21      Fred C. Cox
             22      Bradley M. Daw
             23      Brad L. Dee
             24      John Dougall
             25      Brian Doughty
             26      Jack R. Draxler
             27      Susan Duckworth
             28      James A. Dunnigan
             29      Rebecca P. Edwards
Steve EliasonJanice M. Fisher
Craig A. Frank
Gage Froerer
Brad J. Galvez
Francis D. Gibson
Richard A. Greenwood
Keith Grover
Stephen G. Handy
Wayne A. Harper
Lynn N. Hemingway
Neal B. Hendrickson
Christopher N. Herrod
Gregory H. Hughes
Eric K. Hutchings
Don L. Ipson
Ken Ivory
Brian S. King
Todd E. Kiser
Bradley G. Last
David Litvack
Rebecca D. Lockhart
John G. MathisDaniel McCay
Kay L. McIff
Ronda Rudd Menlove
Michael T. Morley
Carol Spackman Moss
Merlynn T. Newbold
Jim Nielson
Michael E. Noel
Patrick Painter
Lee B. Perry
Jeremy A. Peterson
Val L. Peterson
Dixon M. Pitcher
Marie H. Poulson
Kraig Powell
Paul Ray
Douglas Sagers
Stephen E. Sandstrom
Dean Sanpei
Jennifer M. Seelig
V. Lowry Snow
             30      Kenneth W. Sumsion
             31      Evan J. Vickers
             32      Christine F. Watkins
R. Curt WebbMark A. Wheatley
Ryan D. Wilcox
Larry B. WileyBrad R. Wilson
Bill Wright              33     
             34      LONG TITLE
             35      General Description:
             36          This concurrent resolution of the Legislature and the Governor designates February 18,
             37      2012, as Utah's Congressional Gold Medal Day.
             38      Highlighted Provisions:
             39          This resolution:
             40          .    designates February 18, 2012, as Utah's Congressional Gold Medal Day for the
             41      Veterans of the 100th Infantry Battalion, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and
             42      the Nisei Military Intelligence Service, including those from Utah.
             43      Special Clauses:
             44          None
             45     
             46      Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
             47          WHEREAS, at the inception of World War II, pursuant to Executive Order 9066,
             48      120,000 people of Japanese ancestry, including American citizens, were forcibly removed from
             49      the West Coast of the United States and incarcerated in one of the United States of America's
             50      infamous concentration camps;
             51          WHEREAS, the Nisei, second generation American-born citizens, were classified 4C,
             52      meaning enemy alien, unfit for military service because of nationality or ancestry;
             53          WHEREAS, these individuals were discriminated against and prevented from actively
             54      serving in the United States military;
             55          WHEREAS, in 1944, the legendary Mike M. Masaoka, a Utah Nisei and Executive


             56      Director of the National Japanese American Citizen League, and others, petitioned to have the
             57      442nd Regimental Combat Team activated;
             58          WHEREAS, during World War II, the 100th Infantry Battalion (100th) and the 442nd
             59      Regimental Combat Team (442nd), Nisei soldiers from Hawaii and mainland United States,
             60      including Utah, entered combat in the European Theater of War;
             61          WHEREAS, many of these soldiers, eventually totaling 13,000, entered military service
             62      after being released from concentration camps where they and their families were incarcerated;
             63          WHEREAS, after 10 days of bitter combat to liberate the towns of Bruyeres, Belmont,
             64      and Biffontaine, the 442nd was ordered to effect the rescue of the Texas First Battalion, the
             65      141st Regiment, 36th Division -- known as the Lost Battalion -- who were trapped in the
             66      French Vosges Forest occupied by elite German SS soldiers;
             67          WHEREAS, after five days of one of the toughest battles of the war, the 100th and the
             68      442nd, suffering a combined 814 casualties, including 140 dead, rescued 211 Texans in
             69      October 1944;
             70          WHEREAS, about 3,000 riflemen of the 100th and the 442nd accomplished what two
             71      divisions, consisting of 40,000 men, could not do in six months, by climbing unrelentingly for
             72      12 hours up a 3,000 foot vertical cliff at night on a side the Germans would not expect, and in
             73      32 minutes breached the impregnable fortress, the Gothic Line, in Italy;
             74          WHEREAS, the men of the 100th and 442nd fought in seven major campaigns in Italy
             75      and France;
             76          WHEREAS, often referred to as the "Go For Broke Regiment," the soldiers of the
             77      100th and the 442nd suffered extremely heavy casualties, including over 600 killed in action,
             78      an extraordinarily high rate of its original infantry strength;
             79          WHEREAS, on October 21, 1963, Texas Governor John Connolly issued a
             80      proclamation which conferred on the members of the 442nd the state's honorary citizenship;
             81          WHEREAS, the 100th and 442nd became two of the most decorated units in United
             82      States military history in slightly less than two years, with over 18,000 individual and unit
             83      decorations, including the Good Conduct Medal;


             84          WHEREAS, among the awards were eight Presidential Unit Citations, 43 Division
             85      Commendations, 13 Army Commendations, two Meritorious Service Unit Plaques, 21
             86      Congressional Medals of Honor, 29 Distinguished Service Crosses, one Distinguished Service
             87      Medal, 560 Silver Stars with 28 Oak Leaf Clusters in lieu of second medals, 22 Legion of
             88      Merits, 15 Soldier Medals, more than 4000 Bronze Stars and 1,300 Oak Leaf Clusters, over
             89      4,500 Purple Hearts including Oak Leaf Clusters, 12 French Croix de Guerre and two Palms to
             90      the Croix de Guerre, and two Italian Medals for Military Valor;
             91          WHEREAS, the Nisei Military Intelligence Service (MIS), consisting of over 3,000
             92      Japanese Americans, including those from Utah, served in all campaigns in the Pacific Theater
             93      of War;
             94          WHEREAS, the Nisei MIS conducted highly classified operations and produced
             95      tactical intelligence information vital to the United States military's successes, serving as
             96      interpreters, translators, interrogators, and communication interceptors in the entire Pacific
             97      War, including the Aleutians, China-Burma, East Asia, Guadalcanal, the Phillippines, and
             98      Okinawa, and even operated behind enemy lines in Burma and the Phillippines;
             99          WHEREAS, after Japan surrendered, the Nisei MIS soldiers, including some from
             100      Utah, used their understanding of the culture and ability to build trust to render service that was
             101      critical in accomplishing the peaceful transition to a new, democratic government and
             102      becoming an important ally to the United States;
             103          WHEREAS, the MIS was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation, one Distinguished
             104      Service Cross, two Legion of Merits, five Silver Stars, one Soldier's Medal, over 50 Bronze
             105      Stars, and 25 Purple Hearts;
             106          WHEREAS, Major General Charles A. Willoughby, Chief, Military Intelligence under
             107      General Douglas MacArthur, Supreme Military Commander of the Pacific Theater of War,
             108      credited the MIS with shortening the Pacific War by two years and saving a million American
             109      lives;
             110          WHEREAS, on August 4, 2010, the United States Senate voted unanimously to
             111      approve S. 1055, a bill awarding the Congressional Gold Medal collectively to veterans of the


             112      100th, the 442nd, and the MIS;
             113          WHEREAS, on September 23, 2010, the United States House of Representatives voted
             114      unanimously to approve S. 1055, and on October 5, 2010, President Obama signed the bill;
             115          WHEREAS, on November 2, 2011, the Congressional Gold Medal was officially
             116      presented to the 100th, the 442nd, and the MIS, including the Utah Nisei veterans, and their
             117      representatives by the congressional leaders; and
             118          WHEREAS, on November 11, 2011, Veterans Day, Governor Herbert honored these
             119      veterans in a ceremony at the Utah State Capitol:
             120          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the
             121      Governor concurring therein, designates February 18, 2012, as Utah's Congressional Gold
             122      Medal Day for the Veterans of the 100th Infantry Battalion, the 442nd Regimental Combat
             123      Team, and the Nisei Military Intelligence Service, including those from Utah.
             124          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be presented to the
             125      representatives of the 100th Infantry Battalion, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and the
             126      Nisei Military Intelligence Service.


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