[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 423 Introduced in House (IH)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 423

   Expressing support for the designation of October 2015 as Special 
   Operations Forces Appreciation Month in order to honor members of 
United States Special Operations Forces for their service and sacrifice 
                    on behalf of the United States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 16, 2015

 Mr. Zinke (for himself, Mr. Whitfield, Mr. Wilson of South Carolina, 
 Mr. Graves of Missouri, Mr. Hunter, Mr. Cramer, Mr. Walz, Mr. Hurd of 
  Texas, Mr. Jones, Mr. Ashford, Mr. Bishop of Utah, Mr. Marino, Mr. 
  MacArthur, Mr. Babin, Mr. Bucshon, Mr. Jody B. Hice of Georgia, Mr. 
    McHenry, Mr. Nunes, Mr. Hill, Mr. Benishek, Mr. Neugebauer, Mr. 
Langevin, Mr. Farenthold, Mr. Lamborn, Mr. Lynch, Mrs. Love, Mr. Byrne, 
and Mr. Peters) submitted the following resolution; which was referred 
          to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Expressing support for the designation of October 2015 as Special 
   Operations Forces Appreciation Month in order to honor members of 
United States Special Operations Forces for their service and sacrifice 
                    on behalf of the United States.

Whereas the Office of Strategic Services was created during World War II to 
        conduct operations behind enemy lines and utilized Marine Raiders and 
        reconnaissance companies, Army Rangers, Special Reconnaissance Units 
        (Scouts), Air Commandos, Amphibious Scouts and Raiders, and Naval 
        Demolition Units;
Whereas in October 1943, United States Special Operations Forces were called to 
        begin operations in Italy and later successfully conducted their first 
        combat mission during World War II, when members of the 1st Special 
        Service Force scaled a 200-foot cliff in Italy to launch a surprise 
        attack that forced the Germans to retreat from entrenched positions at 
        the twin peaks of Monte La Difensa and Monte La Rementanea;
Whereas the success of the mission demonstrated the value of the unique skills 
        and highly specialized training of the 1st Special Service Force and 
        confirmed the need for more Special Operations Forces;
Whereas in 1944, Major General Frank Merrill's commando force, nicknamed 
        ``Merrill's Marauders,'' conducted a grueling campaign through the 
        jungles of northern Burma, involving five major and 30 minor 
        engagements, which successfully disrupted Japanese supply and 
        communications lines;
Whereas on D-Day, Special Operations Forces units played key roles in the 
        Normandy landings, including Naval demolition units clearing obstacles 
        from the beaches and Army Rangers scaling the cliffs at Pointe du Hoc;
Whereas at Omaha Beach, Major General Norman Cota shouted ``Rangers, lead the 
        way!'' to soldiers of the 5th Battalion, coining the Rangers' future 
        motto;
Whereas, on July 6, 1964, during the Battle of Nam Dong, Captain Roger C. 
        Donlon, commander of a 12-man Army Special Forces team of Green Berets, 
        led a successful defense against a much-larger Viet Cong and North 
        Vietnamese army attack, for which Captain Donlon was awarded the first 
        Medal of Honor awarded during the Vietnam War;
Whereas during the NATO bombing campaign in Serbia and Kosovo, Air Force 
        commandos rescued an F-117A pilot who was shot down near Belgrade on 
        March 27, 1999, and an F-16 pilot who was shot down in western Serbia on 
        May 2, 1999;
Whereas, on May 2, 2011, members of the elite SEAL Team 6 flew into Pakistan 
        undetected and stormed a fortified compound in Abbottabad and killed al-
        Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden; and
Whereas October 2015 would be an appropriate month to designate as Special 
        Operations Forces Appreciation Month: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives supports the 
designation of Special Operations Forces Appreciation Month in order to 
honor members of United States Special Operations Forces for their 
service and sacrifice on behalf of the United States.
                                 <all>