IV

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. RES. 397

Commending the submarine force of the United States Navy on the 100th

anniversary of the force.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

NOVEMBER 18, 1999

Mr. GEJDENSON (for himself, Mr. BATEMAN, Ms. DELAURO, Mr. GOODE, Mr.

GOODLATTE, Mrs. JOHNSON of Connecticut, Mr. LARSON, Mr. MALONEY

of Connecticut, and Mr. SHAYS) submitted the following resolution; which

was referred to the Committee on Armed Services

RESOLUTION

Commending the submarine force of the United States Navy

on the 100th anniversary of the force.

Whereas the submarine force of the United States was founded with the purchase of the U.S.S. HOLLAND on April

11, 1900;

Whereas in overcoming destruction resulting from the attack

of United States forces at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941, and difficulties with defective torpedoes,

the submarine force destroyed 1,314 enemy ships in

World War II (weighing a cumulative 5,300,000 tons),

which accounts for 55 percent of all enemy ships lost in

World War II;
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•HRES 397 IH

Whereas 16,000 United States submariners served with courage during World War II, and 7 United States submariners were awarded Congressional Medals of Honor for

their distinguished gallantry in combat above and beyond

the call of duty;

Whereas in achieving an impressive World War II record, the

submarine force suffered the highest casualty rate of any

combatant submarine service of the warring alliances, losing 375 officers and 3,131 enlisted men in 52 submarines;

Whereas from 1948 to 1955, the submarine force, with leadership provided by Admiral Hyman Rickover and others,

developed an industrial base in a new technology, pioneered new materials, designed and built a prototype reactor, established a training program, and took to sea the

world’s first nuclear-powered submarine, the U.S.S.

NAUTILUS, thus providing America undersea superiority;

Whereas subsequent to the design of the U.S.S. NAUTILUS,

the submarine force continued to develop and put to sea

the world’s most advanced and capable submarines,

which were vital to maintaining our national security during the Cold War;

Whereas the United States Navy, with leadership provided by

Admiral Red Raborn, developed the world’s first operational ballistic missile submarine, which provided an invaluable asset to our Nation’s strategic nuclear deterrent

capability, and contributed directly to the eventual conclusion of the Cold War; and

Whereas in 1999, the submarine force provides the United

States Navy with the ability to operate around the world,
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independent of outside support, from the open ocean to

the littorals, carrying out multimission taskings on tactical, operational, and strategic levels: Now, therefore, be

it

1 Resolved, That—

2 (1) the House of Representatives—

3 (A) commends the past and present per4 sonnel of the submarine force of the United

5 States Navy for their technical excellence, ac6 complishments, professionalism, and sacrifices;

7 and

8 (B) congratulates those personnel for the

9 100 years of exemplary service that they have

10 provided the United States; and

11 (2) in the next millennium, the submarine force

12 of the United States Navy should continue to com13 prise an integral part of the Navy, and to carry out

14 missions that are key to maintaining our great Na15 tion’s freedom and security as the most superior

16 submarine force in the world.

Æ