[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 347 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 347

 Commemorating the 62nd anniversary of the dedication of Whiteman Air 
                              Force Base.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

             December 2 (legislative day, December 1), 2017

  Mrs. McCaskill (for herself and Mr. Blunt) submitted the following 
             resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Commemorating the 62nd anniversary of the dedication of Whiteman Air 
                              Force Base.

Whereas, 70 years ago, the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3001 et 
        seq.), signed into law by President Harry S. Truman, established the 
        Department of the Air Force as an executive department and established 
        the United States Air Force under the Department of the Air Force;
Whereas, at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941, during the attack on 
        Bellows Field, Second Lieutenant George Allison Whiteman reached his 
        aircraft, but while attempting take off, Second Lieutenant Whiteman's P-
        40 Warhawk was attacked by enemy fighters and crashed, fatally injuring 
        Second Lieutenant Whiteman;
Whereas, in 1942, the site where Whiteman Air Force Base (in this preamble 
        referred to as ``Whiteman AFB'') currently exists was established as 
        Sedalia Glider Base, and Sedalia Army Air Field was later established at 
        that site to train Waco glider pilots for combat missions during World 
        War II;
Whereas, in 1951, that site was reopened as Sedalia Air Force Base and, 
        beginning in 1952, housed the 340th Bombardment Wing, which was assigned 
        the newest aircraft systems of the time, including the B-47 Stratojet, 
        which was the first all-jet bomber, and the KC-97, which is an aerial 
        refueling tanker;
Whereas, on December 3, 1955, Sedalia Air Force Base was dedicated as Whiteman 
        AFB, in memory of Sedalia-native Second Lieutenant George Allison 
        Whiteman, one of the first airmen killed in World War II;
Whereas Whiteman AFB developed and matured alongside United States Air Force 
        capabilities and necessities, transitioning from a bomber base to the 
        chosen location for the fourth Minuteman intercontinental ballistic 
        missile wing and the home of the 351st Strategic Missile Wing;
Whereas Whiteman AFB assisted in paving the way for a fully integrated United 
        States Air Force, with the 351st Strategic Missile Wing fielding the 
        first female Minuteman crew and the first gender-integrated Minuteman 
        crew;
Whereas the 509th Bomb Wing is stationed at Whiteman AFB, operates a B-2 Spirit 
        stealth bomber, and is able to deploy from Missouri to engage 
        adversaries of the United States anywhere in the world;
Whereas the 509th Bomb Wing first engaged in combat as part of Operation Allied 
        Force over Serbia and Kosovo in 1999;
Whereas, in October 2001, the 509th Bomb Wing carried out the first military 
        response after the attacks on New York City, New York, and Washington, 
        District of Columbia, on September 11, 2001 by flying a B-2 Spirit 
        stealth bomber into the airspace of Afghanistan and preceding the 
        coalition aircraft that would engage the forces of the Taliban and al-
        Qaeda;
Whereas, while selectively used, the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber represents the 
        precision capabilities and the endurance of the United States Air Force;
Whereas the 442nd Fighter Wing, an Air Force Reserve Command organization 
        responsible for the operation, maintenance, and support of the A-10 
        Thunderbolt II aircraft (commonly known as the ``Warthog''), is located 
        at Whiteman AFB and works alongside the 509th Bomb Wing;
Whereas the 442nd Citizen Airmen carry on the proud tradition, dating back to 
        World War II, of supporting the United States Army and allied ground 
        forces through close air support;
Whereas the 131st Bomb Wing, a unit of the Missouri Air National Guard located 
        at Whiteman AFB, is the only Air National Guard Bomb Wing to fly the B-2 
        Spirit stealth bomber and to be nuclear-capable;
Whereas the 131st Air National Guardsmen carry on the proud tradition of 
        supporting the State of Missouri and the United States, which dates back 
        to the founding of the 131st Bomb Wing in 1923;
Whereas the 20th Attack Squadron, which has been based at Whiteman AFB since 
        January 2011 and is assigned to the 432d Operations Group in Nevada, 
        flies the remotely piloted aircraft MQ-9 Reaper for aerial 
        reconnaissance and forward observation;
Whereas, though geographically separated from the 432d Operations Group, the 
        20th Attack Squadron provides integral intelligence and close air 
        support and is able to conduct strikes;
Whereas the 1-135th Assault Helicopter Battalion, a unit of the Missouri 
        National Guard, supports humanitarian and disaster relief operations as 
        well as transportation on drug interdiction missions; and
Whereas the 1-135th Assault Helicopter Battalion has recently transitioned to 
        using the UH-60 Blackhawk Helicopter, which allows for more effective 
        joint force training: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate commemorates the 62nd anniversary of the 
dedication of Whiteman Air Force Base.
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