110 HRES 750 IH: Recognizing the noble service of the 147th U.S. House of Representatives 2007-10-16 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 1st Session H. RES. 750 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES October 16, 2007 Mr. Lampson (for himself, Mr. Al Green of Texas, Mr. Gene Green of Texas, Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas, Mr. Poe, Mr. Culberson, Mr. Brady of Texas, Mr. Reyes, Mr. Ortiz, and Mr. Rodriguez) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services RESOLUTION Recognizing the noble service of the 147th Fighter Wing on their 90th anniversary.

Whereas 2007 marks the 90th Anniversary of the 147th Fighter Wing located at Ellington Field in Houston, Texas; Whereas the first 111th Aero Squadron was formed on August 14, 1917, from the Provisional Headquarters Squadron at Kelly Field; known simply as the “Post Headquarters Squadron” and later designated the 632nd Aero Squadron; Whereas the unit was relocated to Ellington Field, in Houston, Texas, in September of 1923; Whereas, during World War II, the 111th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron served for 23 months of continuous combat flying, from June 1943 to May 1945, flew 3,840 combat missions, and received 8 Battle Stars, the Presidential Unit Citation, and was recognized by the French Government for the French Croix De Guerre with Palm for its accomplishments; Whereas, during the Korean War, the 111th was sent to Itazuke Airbase, Japan, where the squadron flew combat sorties into Korea, destroying 1,343 railroad cars, 1,943 buildings, 88 bridges, 126 gun emplacements, 89 boats, and 2 MIG–15 fighters; Whereas, on May 16, 1958, the 147th Fighter Interceptor Group (“FIG”) was formed, with 5 new squadrons to support the 111th squadron, and earned its first Air Force Outstanding Unit Award in 1966 when it was proclaimed “the most combat ready of all Air Guard units”; Whereas from 1968 through 1970, pilots from the 147th FIG participated in “Palace Alert,” which placed them in southeast Asia in support of the Vietnam conflict; Whereas, on January 1, 1970, the 147th FIG began an important new mission of training all F–102 pilots in the United States for the Air National Guard, graduating a total of 667 students who flew 50,486 jet hours and 2,266 support aircraft hours in 6 years of service in support of the Combat Crew Training Mission; Whereas, in 1989 and 1991, the 147th acquired C–26 Merlin aircrafts to conduct counter-drug, law enforcement, and Operational Support Airlift missions, continuing today as a valuable asset in homeland defense, counter-drug operations, law enforcement and forward deployed combat reconnaissance missions; Whereas following the terrorist attacks on the morning of September 11, 2001, 4 147th Fighter Wing aircraft were launched to escort President George W. Bush, a former 147th FIG pilot, onboard Air Force One from Florida to Louisiana, Nebraska, and Washington, DC; Whereas in August of 2005, the 147th Fighter Wing deployed to Balad Airbase, Iraq, to conduct combat operations in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and the Global War On Terrorism, where they once again distinguished themselves by flying 462 sorties and almost 1,900 hours in a 2-month span, while setting unbreakable accomplishments of 100 percent maintenance delivery, 100 percent mission effectiveness, and 100 percent weapons employment under the most challenging of combat conditions; and Whereas their success continued during their second rotation to Iraq in 2007, flying 358 sorties and over 1,500 hours, while again maintaining 100 percent maintenance delivery, 100 percent mission effectiveness, and 100 percent weapons employment: Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives— (1)commends the 147th Fighter Wing for, over their 90-year history, serving nobly and effectively at home and abroad in every major conflict our Nation has been engaged in since World War II. (2)directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to transmit a copy of this resolution to the Texas National Guard for appropriate display.