[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 163 (Wednesday, November 4, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H12327-H12330]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CONGRATULATING FIRST UNITED STATES AIR FORCE ACADEMY GRADUATION CLASS 
                        ON ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY

  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and agree to the concurrent resolution

[[Page H12328]]

(H. Con. Res. 139) congratulating the first graduating class of the 
United States Air Force Academy on their 50th graduation anniversary 
and recognizing their contributions to the Nation, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
  The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 139

       Whereas, on April 1, 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower 
     signed legislation establishing the United States Air Force 
     Academy to prepare young men for careers as Air Force 
     officers;
       Whereas, on July 11, 1955, the first class entered the Air 
     Force Academy, attending classes in temporary facilities at 
     Lowry Air Force Base in Denver, Colorado;
       Whereas the Air Force Academy moved to its permanent home 
     near Colorado Springs, Colorado, in August 1958;
       Whereas the first class of 207 cadets graduated June 3, 
     1959, at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado;
       Whereas in 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed 
     legislation authorizing each of the Service Academies to 
     expand enrollment from 2,529 to 4,417 students, and today, 
     over 4,000 cadets attend the Air Force Academy;
       Whereas 50 classes and more than 41,000 cadets have 
     graduated from the Air Force Academy in its 54-year history;
       Whereas the mission of the Air Force Academy is to educate, 
     train, and inspire outstanding young men and women to become 
     Air Force officers of character and to prepare and motivate 
     them to lead the Air Force in its service to the Nation;
       Whereas the Air Force Academy is recognized worldwide as 
     the premier developer of air, space, and cyberspace officers 
     and leaders with impeccable character and knowledge; and
       Whereas, June 3, 2009, marks the 50th anniversary of the 
     first graduating class of the Air Force Academy: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That Congress--
       (1) congratulates the 207 graduates (157 surviving as of 
     April 2009) of the first United States Air Force Academy 
     class on the 50th anniversary of their graduation;
       (2) acknowledges the continued excellence of the United 
     States Air Force Academy and its critical role in the defense 
     of the United States; and
       (3) recognizes the outstanding service to the Nation that 
     graduates from the United States Air Force Academy have 
     provided.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
California (Mrs. Davis) and the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend 
their remarks on the concurrent resolution under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. DAVIS of California. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in support of House Concurrent Resolution 139, 
congratulating the first graduating class of the United States Air 
Force Academy on their 50th graduation anniversary and recognizing 
their many contributions to our Nation.
  I thank my colleague, Mr. Lamborn of Colorado, for introducing this 
measure.
  According to Forbes Magazine, the United States Air Force Academy is 
among the most selective public colleges in the United States. It is 
among only five colleges with a special mission of educating, training 
and inspiring young men and women in the military to serve as officers 
of character and preparing and motivating them to lead in its service 
to our great Nation. As such, the Air Force Academy has developed a 
strong reputation that distinguishes itself for consistently producing 
America's future leaders both in military service and in our society.
  The youngest of the five United States service academies, the United 
States Air Force Academy has produced excellent officers. Since opening 
its doors in 1955, the academy has produced over 41,000 cadets, which 
includes 495 general officers, 35 Rhodes Scholars, 10 Marshall 
Scholars, 13 Harry S. Truman Scholars, 116 Kennedy School of Government 
Scholars, 92 Guggenheim Fellows, and 32 Gearhart scholarships to study 
in France.
  Additionally, academy graduates have served in every major military 
conflict since the Vietnam War with the highest level of integrity and 
honor and, at times, paying the ultimate price in service to America, 
as 172 graduates have been killed in combat and another 36 were 
repatriated prisoners of war. Two graduates are combat aces, and one is 
a Medal of Honor recipient.
  Their contributions to every industry and component of American life 
has been significant: 34 astronauts, the second highest number of 
astronauts of any higher learning institution, are Air Force Academy 
graduates. There are Olympic gold medal winners, NFL Super Bowl 
championship winners, and CEOs and presidents of Fortune 500 
corporations. Truly, the United States Air Force Academy produces 
professional officers who have the knowledge, the character and the 
motivation which make them leaders in our military and in other aspects 
of society.
  House Concurrent Resolution 139 is our way, as the United States 
Congress, of recognizing the exemplary service and contributions made 
by the United States Air Force Academy to the Air Force and to our 
Nation. This resolution also commends the first graduating class of the 
United States Air Force on their 50th anniversary and on their 
significant contributions to shaping the Air Force Academy and the Air 
Force to the excellence it is known for today.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring the United States Air 
Force Academy.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LAMBORN. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise in support of House Concurrent Resolution 139, and I thank the 
gentlewoman from California for her kind and supportive remarks. Like 
me, she is a member of the Armed Services Committee, and I enjoy 
serving with her on that committee.
  Madam Speaker, I introduced this resolution on June 3 of this year. 
That date was significant because the resolution celebrates the 50th 
anniversary of the first graduating class of the United States Air 
Force Academy.
  Of the 306 men who entered the newly created Air Force Academy on 
July 11, 1955, 207 completed the grueling coursework and the transition 
to military life; 205 graduates were commissioned as second lieutenants 
in the Air Force; one was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 
U.S. Marine Corps; and one graduate was medically disqualified.
  The class included one football Academic All-American, Brock Strom. 
The academy's top graduate, Lieutenant General (now retired) Bradley C. 
Hosmer, went on to study at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar--the 
first of 35 Rhodes Scholars who graduated from the academy.
  The class of '59 spent its first 3 years in refurbished World War II 
barracks at Lowry Air Force Base in Denver. The upperclassmen were 
stand-ins--active duty Air Force officers, some who had graduated from 
other military academies. The cadet uniforms and the campus in Colorado 
Springs were still works in progress. By graduation day, June 3 of 
1959, the academy had earned full academic accreditation.
  Ninety percent of the graduates entered pilot training and were 
already certified pilots in fighter and bomber aircraft during the 1962 
Cuban Missile Crisis. The remainder became navigators or pursued other 
Air Force specialties. During the Cold War, they saw action in the 
Southeast Asia theater and in the Vietnam war, and they served in major 
commands of the day, including strategic air command, tactical air 
command and military airlift command.
  Since that historic day in 1959, members of the class went on to 
serve with distinction, as has been noted already, as astronaut, 
general, Thunderbird pilot, CEO, doctor, farmer, entrepreneur, 
commander of major commands, and vice chief of staff of the Air Force.
  Sixty-five percent of that graduating class served until retirement. 
Many of them went on to second careers in fields including defense, 
finance, management, education, and religion. Fifteen graduates' 
impressive careers culminated in being selected as general officers 
with three members achieving the rank of four-star general. When 
Secretary of the Air Force James Douglas, Jr., awarded the diplomas in 
1959, he applauded the advances in science and technology that the new 
graduates would embrace and explore.
  The Colorado Springs campus was chosen as the ideal site of the Air

[[Page H12329]]

Force Academy because of its unlimited training opportunities and 
majestic beauty.

                              {time}  1600

  The famous aviator Charles Lindbergh, a member of the site selection 
committee, even rented a small plane and confirmed the area was fit for 
flight training.
  Additionally, business leaders of Colorado Springs met with local 
ranchers who owned the land along the Rampart Range north of town. Most 
agreed to sell if the site were chosen. In tribute to Colorado's strong 
military commitment, State leaders offered $1 million to be put towards 
the purchase of the present day 18,500-acre campus, an investment that 
continues to yield immeasurable returns to our Nation.
  The Class of '59 created traditions and set high standards for the 
41,000 cadets to date who have followed. I am honored to represent the 
United States Air Force Academy in my district, and I personally 
congratulate all the living members of the Class of '59 for their 50 
years of service to our great Nation, both in their military and 
civilian successes.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in support of House Concurrent 
Resolution 139.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to my 
friend and colleague, the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Salazar).
  Mr. SALAZAR. I want to thank the gentlewoman for recognizing me.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 139, a bill 
congratulating the first graduating class of the United States Air 
Force Academy on their 50th graduation anniversary. I want to commend 
my colleague the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn) for introducing 
this resolution.
  The Air Force Academy is located just a few miles from my district, 
the Third Congressional District, in my home State of Colorado. Since 
its creation after being signed into law on April 1, 1954, by President 
Dwight D. Eisenhower, the Air Force Academy has not only stood as an 
integral training ground for our Nation's officer corps, but is 
recognized nationally as a pillar of education.
  Since the swearing in of the 306 young men who made up the first 
class, many of our Nation's best and brightest have started their 
careers in the Air Force Academy. Each year around this time I receive 
applications from students across my district looking for 
recommendations to attend the Academy. I am proud to lend my support to 
hard-working students from the Third Congressional District of Colorado 
who are looking to advance their education while also serving their 
Nation. Today's cadets enthusiastically hope to follow in the steps of 
their predecessors who we are honoring today.
  Madam Speaker, I encourage Members on both sides of the aisle to 
support this measure, and congratulate those who took the first step as 
part of the initial graduating class 50 years ago.
  Once again, I commend the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn).
  Mr. LAMBORN. Madam Speaker, I want to thank my colleague and friend 
from Colorado for his kind and supportive remarks.
  At this time. I would like to yield such time as he may consume to my 
friend, the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Wamp).
  Mr. WAMP. Madam Speaker, I thank all of the authors and supporters of 
this resolution, but I come as any Member of the House of 
Representatives could come, because we all have the distinct privilege 
of nominating and then appointing great Americans to all of our service 
academies. So, literally, today all 435 of us could come and tell 
stories of great young people who commit to serve their country in a 
very meaningful way that we have had the privilege of nominating and 
appointing to the United States Air Force Academy or the other service 
academies.
  But I come today in support of this resolution honoring the United 
States Air Force Academy because a year-and-a-half ago, in February of 
2008, I had the distinct privilege and one of my highest privileges in 
my 15 years of service of being the keynote speaker at National 
Character Day at the United States Air Force Academy.
  When you fly in to Colorado Springs and you are able to go and be 
greeted there in the way that you are and have dinner with them, and 
then go into Arnold Auditorium and you are able to present to 2,800 
cadets in their dress blues at the United States Air Force Academy, it 
will raise the hair on the back of your neck because it is such an 
exhilarating and inspirational experience.
  But something happened during the hour that I spent with them that I 
want to share with the House today. It was supernatural, in a way, but 
it speaks to the culture, the commitment of those cadets at the United 
States Air Force Academy, and in doing so honors this 50th anniversary 
of the first graduating class at the United States Air Force Academy.
  They did not know that I committed John Stuart Mill's quote to 
memory, nor did I know that they all have to commit John Stuart Mill's 
quote to memory. So in the course of my address, I began to say, War is 
an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded 
state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth 
war is much worse. A person who has nothing for which they are willing 
to fight, nothing they care more about than their personal safety, is a 
miserable creature who has no chance of ever being free unless those 
very freedoms are made and kept by better persons than themselves.
  I was saying that so that they would understand that the people, the 
better persons than themselves that John Stuart Mill was talking about, 
is those 2,800 cadets and all those that came before them. What I 
didn't know is they all have to memorize it. So I was no more than 
about six words into it and it became a chorus of 2,801 persons 
together quoting John Stuart Mill's eternal quote about the value of 
our men and women in uniform who will stand between the threat and our 
civilian population and preserve our way of life, and we must remember 
that our very freedoms are kept by those better persons.
  So, today we honor, rightly, this particular institution which has 
made extraordinary contributions to our way of life, our freedom, 
everything that we hold dear, all of our constitutional liberties. 
These men and women dedicate themselves to excellence and to service 
above and beyond all measure, and we honor every single one of them 
today and all of our service academies.
  I commend so much this resolution to the House, and I know that we 
will all stand together to honor the United States Air Force Academy.
  Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado. Madam Speaker, I want to take a moment to 
comment on H. Con. Res. 139, congratulating the first graduating class 
of the United States Air Force Academy on their 50th graduation 
anniversary and recognizing their contributions to the Nation.
  I should start by complimenting my friend and colleague, 
Representative Doug Lamborn, for his effort to pass this resolution.
  It is Colorado's honor to host the Air Force Academy. The fact that 
we are the home of one of our nation's premier training grounds for the 
best and brightest of our nation's youth is an immense point of pride 
to every citizen of our state. Driving down 1-25 into Colorado Springs 
and seeing the Academy and its famous chapel nestled in the foothills 
of the Rockies is always gratifying.
  The 157 surviving members of the first United States Air Force 
Academy class, recognized today on the 50th anniversary of their 
graduation, were leaders not only in their own years of service to our 
country, but also in that they were a vanguard establishing the Air 
Force Academy, the city of Colorado Springs, and the State of Colorado 
as important and productive centers of military excellence. I am 
pleased we passed this resolution.
  Mr. LAMBORN. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests 
at this time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Davis) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 139, as 
amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.

[[Page H12330]]

  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and 
nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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