IV 111th CONGRESS 2d Session H. CON. RES. 230 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 26, 2010 Mr. Coffman of Colorado (for himself, Ms. DeGette, Mr. Conaway, and Mr. Snyder) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Recognizing the 150th anniversary of the Colorado National Guard.

Whereas the Colorado National Guard has over 5,500 men and women across the State in more than 40 units; Whereas the history of the Colorado National Guard begins on January 23, 1860, when the 1st General Assembly of the Jefferson Territory authorized the formation of two military companies, the Jefferson Rangers and the Denver Guards; Whereas these units were later disbanded and the Colorado Volunteers stood up as the official Territorial Militia; Whereas, on February 26, 1861, Colorado became a territory of the Union; Whereas William Gilpin, the first Governor, organized the Colorado Volunteers for the defense of the territory and to oppose the invasion of Confederate forces during the Civil War; Whereas Colorado became a State in 1876; Whereas the Colorado National Guard mobilized for the Spanish-American War and on June 14, 1898, sailed for the Philippines; Whereas Colorado units participated in numerous battles and were the first to enter and eventually capture the city of Manila; Whereas during this campaign, the Colorado National Guard's only Medal of Honor recipient, Lt. Col. William R. Grove earned the military's highest honor for valiant action against the enemy; Whereas in June 1916, the Colorado National Guard mobilized for service on the Mexican border; Whereas they were stationed on the border of Arizona, protecting the area from Pancho Villa and his army until returning home in February 1917; Whereas war was declared against Germany on April 6, 1917, and by the beginning of August nearly all units of the Colorado National Guard were mobilized for service in France; Whereas Colorado's combat arms units provided replacements on the front lines as well as crucial artillery support in most of the major campaigns near the end of the war, including the Meuse Argonne campaign; Whereas during World War II, Colorado National Guard units served with pride in both European and Pacific theatres; Whereas Colorado provided a significant contribution to the invasion of Italy and southern France, eventually liberating the notorious Dachau labor camp on April 29, 1945, after 511 days in a combat zone and 4 beach landings as part of the 45th Infantry Division; Whereas the majority of Colorado’s artillery units served in the Philippine Islands for two years during World War II; Whereas following the war in June 1946, the Colorado Air National Guard was formed as a separate arm of the State’s National Guard one year prior to the establishment of the U.S. Air Force in late 1947; Whereas in 1956, the 120th Tactical Fighter Squadron organized an aerial demonstration team called the Minutemen making it the first and only Air National Guard precision aerial demonstration team; Whereas at the height of its popularity, the Minutemen performed in more than 100 air shows for more than 3,000,000 people in 47 States and 5 foreign countries before being replaced by the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds; Whereas elements of the Colorado National Guard were recalled for Federal service in 1950 for the Korean Conflict, in 1961 during the Berlin Crisis, the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, and in 1968 in support of forces serving in Vietnam; Whereas after the Cold War, the Colorado National Guard mobilized for Operation Desert Shield/Storm in 1990–1991, as well as Operations Northern and Southern Watch, and Operation Noble Eagle; Whereas Colorado National Guard Special Forces units were sent to Haiti to help stabilize the country in 1994–1995; Whereas when the Balkans became a hot zone in 1999, Colorado’s air ambulance and military police units responded as part of Operation Joint Forge; Whereas over the years, the Colorado National Guard has supported thousands of counterdrug and search-and-rescue missions as well as dozens of call-ups for natural disasters, including floods, wildfires, blizzards, and tornadoes; Whereas the Colorado National Guard also provided vital support during Hurricane Katrina and follow-on relief efforts; Whereas the Colorado National Guard soldiers and airmen have been needed in support of massive State missions, such as World Youth Day in 1993, the G8 Summit in 1997, and the recent Democratic National Convention of 2008; Whereas hours after the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, Colorado soldiers were activated as part of Operation Noble Eagle, guarding sensitive sites across the State while dedicated aircrews initiated the Air Sovereignty Alert mission which continues today; and Whereas following the 9/11 attacks, every deployable unit in Colorado has been mobilized in support of the Global War on Terrorism, including prestigious space units that are nearly exclusive to Colorado: Now, therefore, be it

That Colorado National Guardress— (1)recognizes the 150th anniversary of the Colorado National Guard; (2)recognizes the valuable, historic, and continued contribution of the Colorado National Guard to the citizens of Colorado and the United States; (3)commends the efforts and contributions of the soldiers and airmen of the Colorado National Guard in service to the Nation, along with the sacrifices of the families; (4)reaffirms the commitment of Colorado National Guardress to support the mission of the Colorado National Guard; and (5)honors the men and women of the Colorado National Guard who have given the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of the United States.