[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 477 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 477

Expressing the sense of the Congress that a commemorative postage stamp 
   should be issued in honor of the USS New Jersey and all those who 
                           served aboard her.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 22, 2004

 Mr. Ferguson submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
             referred to the Committee on Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of the Congress that a commemorative postage stamp 
   should be issued in honor of the USS New Jersey and all those who 
                           served aboard her.

Whereas the Iowa-class battleship, the USS New Jersey, is the most decorated 
        warship in United States naval history, with 16 battle stars and 20 
        citations, medals, and ribbons during her 56 years of service;
Whereas the USS New Jersey was launched on December 7, 1942, by the Philadelphia 
        Naval Shipyard; sponsored by Mrs. Charles Edison, wife of then-Governor 
        Edison of New Jersey, former Secretary of the Navy; and commissioned at 
        Philadelphia on May 23, 1943, Captain Carl F. Holden in command;
Whereas her first action as a flagship for Admiral William ``Bull'' Halsey's 
        Third Fleet was a bold 2-day surface and air strike by her task force 
        against the supposedly impregnable Japanese fleet base on Truk in the 
        Caroline Islands, which successfully interdicted Japanese naval 
        retaliation in response to the conquest of the Marshall Islands;
Whereas the USS New Jersey provided crucial firepower for the assault on Iwo 
        Jima;
Whereas the USS New Jersey rendered the same crucial service for the first major 
        aircraft carrier raid on Tokyo;
Whereas the USS New Jersey fired the opening salvos of the first shore 
        bombardment in Korea at Wonsan and served with distinction throughout 
        the remainder of the Korean conflict;
Whereas the USS New Jersey participated in bombardment and fire support missions 
        along the Vietnamese coast during the Vietnam era;
Whereas the USS New Jersey earned the Navy Unit Commendation for Vietnam service 
        and received 9 battle stars for World War II, 4 for the Korean conflict, 
        and 3 for the Vietnam era;
Whereas the USS New Jersey supported the Marine operation with the Multinational 
        Peacekeeping Force in Beirut, Lebanon; and
Whereas in 1991, the USS New Jersey became the first United States battleship to 
        enter and operate in the Persian Gulf: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of the Congress that--
            (1) a commemorative postage stamp should be issued by the 
        United States Postal Service in honor of the USS New Jersey and 
        all those who served aboard her; and
            (2) the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee should recommend 
        to the Postmaster General that such a postage stamp be issued.
                                 <all>