[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 925 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 925

  Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the 
 meritorious service performed by aviators in the United States Armed 
Forces who were shot down over, or otherwise forced to land in, hostile 
 territory yet evaded enemy capture or were captured but subsequently 
                                escaped.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 19, 2009

 Mr. DeFazio (for himself, Mr. Stearns, Mrs. Davis of California, Mr. 
   Larsen of Washington, Mr. Marshall, Mr. Massa, Mr. Rodriguez, Ms. 
Bordallo, Mr. Lamborn, Mr. Doggett, Mr. Braley of Iowa, Mr. Perlmutter, 
 Mr. Blumenauer, Ms. Kaptur, Mr. Boccieri, Mr. Schrader, Mr. Michaud, 
    Mr. Cooper, Mr. Filner, Mr. Farr, and Mr. Dicks) submitted the 
  following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed 
                                Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the 
 meritorious service performed by aviators in the United States Armed 
Forces who were shot down over, or otherwise forced to land in, hostile 
 territory yet evaded enemy capture or were captured but subsequently 
                                escaped.

Whereas aviators in the Armed Forces, including pilots, navigators, bombardiers, 
        weapons control officers, and other aircraft crew members, have served 
        the United States with great courage and distinction in every major 
        conflict during the 20th and 21st centuries;
Whereas thousands of aviators in the Armed Forces have been forced down in 
        hostile territory while performing their missions, either as a result of 
        being shot down or because of mechanical problems with their aircraft;
Whereas many of these aviators overcame long odds and great hardships to return 
        to their units and resume their service to the United States;
Whereas these aviators faced the added responsibility of maintaining the secrecy 
        of their escape and evasion methods in order to protect the lives of 
        people who assisted them and other aviators;
Whereas the need to maintain secrecy initially prevented these aviators from 
        being recognized for their meritorious service in avoiding capture or in 
        escaping from captivity; and
Whereas the Armed Forces still have not recognized these aviators for their 
        meritorious accomplishment of avoiding capture or escaping from 
        captivity: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives 
that--
            (1) aviators in the United States Armed Forces who were 
        shot down over, or otherwise forced to land in, hostile 
        territory yet evaded enemy capture or were captured but 
        subsequently escaped to return to their units and resume their 
        service to the United States should be recognized for their 
        extraordinary service; and
            (2) the Secretaries of the military departments should 
        consider these aviators for appropriate recognition within 
        their branch of the Armed Forces.
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