TITLE: Commemorating the 59th anniversary of Dyess Air Force Base.

SUMMARY: Commemorating the 59th anniversary of Dyess Air Force Base.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, The year 2015 marks the 59th anniversary of the establishment of Dyess Air Force Base; and WHEREAS, During the outset of the Korean War, the City of Abilene petitioned the Pentagon for a military installation at the site of the former Tye Army Air Field, and the request won approval of the United States Congress in 1952; the station's first combat unit, the 341st Bombardment Wing, was activated in September 1955, and the base opened the following April and soon thereafter was renamed Dyess Air Force Base in honor of Lieutenant Colonel William Edwin Dyess; and WHEREAS, Dyess AFB has long played a crucial role in the protection of America and its allies, defending against the nuclear threat posed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War, supporting operations during the Vietnam War, and contributing to the War on Terror with deployments in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom; and WHEREAS, Throughout its history, Dyess AFB has housed an impressive fleet of aircraft; the base received various models of C-130 Hercules planes since 1961, and they were routinely flown in missions in Vietnam; moreover, June 1985 marked the arrival of B-1B Lancer bombers, which were first used in combat during Operation Desert Fox in Iraq in 1998 and later supported U.S. and NATO military forces in the War on Terror, and they continue to see action in Southwest Asia; and WHEREAS, Dyess AFB also draws many tourists to its Linear Air Park; this notable collection of military aircraft features a C-130 Hercules and the first operational B-1B Lancer, dubbed the Star of Abilene,as well as 32 additional planes ranging in periods from World War II to the present; and WHEREAS, For nearly six decades, Dyess Air Force Base has made significant contributions to the military readiness of the United States, and it is indeed fitting to take this opportunity to recognize its notable history; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas Legislature hereby commemorate the 59th anniversary of the establishment of Dyess Air Force Base and extend to all those associated with the base sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Dyess Air Force Base as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. King of Taylor Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 2336 was adopted by the House on May 21, 2015, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House