[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 397 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 397

 Commending the submarine force of the United States Navy on the 100th 
                       anniversary of the force.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 18, 1999

 Mr. Gejdenson (for himself, Mr. Bateman, Ms. DeLauro, Mr. Goode, Mr. 
  Goodlatte, Mrs. Johnson of Connecticut, Mr. Larson, Mr. Maloney of 
 Connecticut, and Mr. Shays) submitted the following resolution; which 
            was referred to the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Commending the submarine force of the United States Navy on the 100th 
                       anniversary of the force.

Whereas the submarine force of the United States was founded with the purchase 
        of the U.S.S. HOLLAND on April 11, 1900;
Whereas in overcoming destruction resulting from the attack of United States 
        forces at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941, and difficulties 
        with defective torpedoes, the submarine force destroyed 1,314 enemy 
        ships in World War II (weighing a cumulative 5,300,000 tons), which 
        accounts for 55 percent of all enemy ships lost in World War II;
Whereas 16,000 United States submariners served with courage during World War 
        II, and 7 United States submariners were awarded Congressional Medals of 
        Honor for their distinguished gallantry in combat above and beyond the 
        call of duty;
Whereas in achieving an impressive World War II record, the submarine force 
        suffered the highest casualty rate of any combatant submarine service of 
        the warring alliances, losing 375 officers and 3,131 enlisted men in 52 
        submarines;
Whereas from 1948 to 1955, the submarine force, with leadership provided by 
        Admiral Hyman Rickover and others, developed an industrial base in a new 
        technology, pioneered new materials, designed and built a prototype 
        reactor, established a training program, and took to sea the world's 
        first nuclear-powered submarine, the U.S.S. NAUTILUS, thus providing 
        America undersea superiority;
Whereas subsequent to the design of the U.S.S. NAUTILUS, the submarine force 
        continued to develop and put to sea the world's most advanced and 
        capable submarines, which were vital to maintaining our national 
        security during the Cold War;
Whereas the United States Navy, with leadership provided by Admiral Red Raborn, 
        developed the world's first operational ballistic missile submarine, 
        which provided an invaluable asset to our Nation's strategic nuclear 
        deterrent capability, and contributed directly to the eventual 
        conclusion of the Cold War; and
Whereas in 1999, the submarine force provides the United States Navy with the 
        ability to operate around the world, independent of outside support, 
        from the open ocean to the littorals, carrying out multimission taskings 
        on tactical, operational, and strategic levels: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That--
            (1) the House of Representatives--
                    (A) commends the past and present personnel of the 
                submarine force of the United States Navy for their 
                technical excellence, accomplishments, professionalism, 
                and sacrifices; and
                    (B) congratulates those personnel for the 100 years 
                of exemplary service that they have provided the United 
                States; and
            (2) in the next millennium, the submarine force of the 
        United States Navy should continue to comprise an integral part 
        of the Navy, and to carry out missions that are key to 
        maintaining our great Nation's freedom and security as the most 
        superior submarine force in the world.
                                 <all>