[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.J. Res. 112 Introduced in House (IH)]

103d CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. J. RES. 112

      To designate May 13, 1994, as ``Irish Brigade--Marine Day''.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 17, 1993

Mr. Fish introduced the following joint resolution; which was referred 
           to the Committee on Post Office and Civil Service

_______________________________________________________________________

                            JOINT RESOLUTION


 
      To designate May 13, 1994, as ``Irish Brigade--Marine Day''.

Whereas the United States of America is a Nation of immigrants and the 
        contributions of Irish immigrants, and their descendants to the defense 
        of the public liberty has been a hallmark of Irish Americans;
Whereas officers and men of the Irish Brigade in the service of France 
        volunteered to fight for American liberty as early as 1776, over two 
        years before the entry of France into our War for Independence; many 
        were later recruited by Benjamin Franklin;
Whereas the Irish Brigade fought for American liberty in our War for 
        Independence at Savannah, Georgia; and Irish troops of the Regiments of 
        Dillon and Walsh of the Irish Brigade at Gloucester Point, Virginia, 
        under Count Arthur Dillon of the Legion of Lauzun in the Army of 
        Rochambeau, closed the ring around Cornwallis at Yorktown, thus assuring 
        victory for Washington and independence for the United States;
Whereas the predominantly Irish Thompson Battalion of Pennsylvania become the 
        keystone of Washington's Continental Army and under Anthony Wayne, the 
        Infantry Line of Pennsylvania was known as `the Line of Ireland' and, a 
        significant portion of the Continental/Revolutionary forces were Irish 
        including Richard Montgomery, Jeremiah O'Brien, Timothy Murphy, John 
        Barry, Stephen Moylan and John Sullivan;
Whereas the honor roll of Irish-American Marines extends throughout the entire 
        history of the United States Marine Corps, from 10 November 1775 to the 
        present, including such names as Thomas Murphy, Maurice O'Connell, 
        Daniel Carmick, Presley Neville O'Bannon, Charles G. McCawley, John 
        Rannahan, Dan Daly, Edward R. Murphy, Raymond Davis, Robert Emmett 
        O'Malley, Martin Brandtner, P.X. Kelly, Michael Ryan, Paddy Collins and 
        Al Gray;
Whereas 137 men of the Regiment of Walsh of the Irish Brigade, with their 
        officers, Eugene MacCarthy, Edward Stack and James O'Kelly, who 
        volunteered to serve as American Continental Marines with John Paul 
        Jones on the BONHOMME RICHARD, were inducted into the Marines on 13 May 
        1779 at L'Orient, France, and were reviewed by John Adams, American 
        Commissioner to France, on that date;
Whereas the induction of these members of the Irish Brigade into the American 
        Continental Marines is shown in the painting, ``JOHN ADAMS REVIEWS 
        JONES' MARINES, 13 MAY 1779'' by Colonel Charles Waterhouse, USMCR, 
        Artist in Residence of the United States Marine Corps, and is recorded 
        in the Diary of John Adams and in Marines in the Revolution by Charles 
        Richard Smith;
Whereas the Marines on the BONHOMME RICHARD carried the war to the enemy's 
        shores and, in action against the HMS SERAPIS and HMS COUNTESS OF 
        SCARBOROUGH off Flamborough Head on 23 September 1779, so distinguished 
        themselves in battle as to have made possible the action which rendered 
        the HMS SERAPIS unable to continue the contest, one of the most 
        desperate and bloody battles in American naval history;
Whereas indeed did the Irish Brigade volunteers on the BONHOMME RICHARD proved 
        themselves worthy of the tribute to the Irish brigade as ``Semper et 
        ubique Fidelis'' -- Always and everywhere Faithful, while, at the same 
        time, earning their right to the motto ``SEMPER FIDELIS'' as American 
        Marines;
Whereas the Leatherneck Scholarship Fund has chosen the print by Colonel Charles 
        Warehouse, ``JOHN ADAMS REVIEWS JONES' MARINES, 13 MAY 1779'' to 
        illustrate the tradition of service and sacrifice which inspired the 
        scholarships dedicated to the memory of Captain Manuel Rivera, United 
        States Marine Corps and Major Eugene McCarthy, United States Marine 
        Corps Reserve, two naval aviators killed in action during OPERATION 
        DESERT STORM; and
Whereas Irish Americans continue the tradition of honorable military service in 
        defense of the United States: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 
States of America in Congress assembled, That, May 13, 1994, is 
designated as ``Irish Brigade Marines Day'' and the President of the 
United States is authorized and requested to issue a proclamation 
calling upon the people of the United States to observe such day with 
appropriate ceremonies and activities.

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