110 HCON 301 IH: Encouraging the United States Geological U.S. House of Representatives 2008-02-15 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

IV 110th CONGRESS 2d Session H. CON. RES. 301 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 15, 2008 Mr. Kirk (for himself, Mr. Tanner, and Mr. Lampson) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on Science and Technology and Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Encouraging the United States Geological Survey, the National Science Foundation, and the Department of Defense to support a recovery mission for the human remains of the crew killed in the George One crash in Antarctica, and for other purposes.

Whereas in 1946, the George One was a Navy patrol plane involved in Operation Highjump, an expedition in Antarctica led by Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd; Whereas on December 30, 1946, the George One and its nine-man crew embarked on a mission to photograph and explore Antarctica; Whereas during the December 30, 1946, mission, the George One experienced hazardous weather and crashed onto Thurston Island, Antarctica; Whereas three crewmen of the George One, Ensign Maxwell A. Lopez, Aviation Machinist’s Mate 1st Class Frederick W. Williams, and Aviation Radioman 1st Class Wendell K. Hendersin, were killed in the crash; Whereas the survivors of the George One, after being stranded on Thurston Island for 7 days, buried the dead men and painted Williams, Hendersin, Lopez Dead on the plane’s broken wing to act as a makeshift tombstone; Whereas the survivors of the George One intended for the grave to be temporary; Whereas Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd attempted to recover the human remains from Thurston Island but was precluded by hazardous weather; Whereas in 2004, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the United States Geological Survey determined the exact location of the George One wreckage; Whereas in 2005, the Navy canceled its intended recovery of the human remains and wreckage of the George One; and Whereas the Department of Defense declined to support a mission to recover the human remains and wreckage of the George One: Now, therefore, be it

That Congress— (1)recognizes that the families of the crew killed in the George One crash would benefit from the recovery of their loved ones’ remains from Thurston Island; (2)recognizes that the recovery of the makeshift tombstone would allow the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum to share an important part of naval history with the public; and (3)encourages the United States Geological Survey, the National Science Foundation, and the Department of Defense to support in all practical ways a mission to recover the human remains and makeshift tombstone from Thurston Island.