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[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 306 Introduced in House (IH)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 306

    Recognizing the centennial of the wreck of the USS Memphis and 
encouraging the commemoration of such wreck with appropriate events and 
                              activities.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 10, 2015

Mr. Cohen submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
   Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on 
  Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
  Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
           within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
    Recognizing the centennial of the wreck of the USS Memphis and 
encouraging the commemoration of such wreck with appropriate events and 
                              activities.

Whereas the USS Tennessee (ACR-10) was launched in 1906 and renamed in 1916 as 
        the USS Memphis (CA-10);
Whereas the USS Memphis (CA-10) is the third of six Navy ships named after 
        Memphis, Tennessee, that provided valuable service to the defense of the 
        United States;
Whereas August 29, 2016, marks the centennial of the wreck of the USS Memphis in 
        Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic;
Whereas the wreck of the 16,000-ton armored cruiser USS Memphis was caused by a 
        highly unusual 75-foot wave event that threw the ship upon the shore of 
        Santo Domingo, resulting in its total destruction and the death of 44 
        United States sailors and the wounding of many more;
Whereas three sailors, Chief Machinist Mate George William Rudd, Lieutenant 
        Claud Ashton Jones, and Machinist Charles Willey, were awarded the Medal 
        of Honor for their heroic actions to get up steam in vain to drive the 
        ship to the safety of the open ocean, battle broken steam lines, and get 
        their fellow sailors to safety;
Whereas the United States Naval History and Heritage command possesses a 
        collection of photographs taken during and after the wave event that 
        destroyed the USS Memphis and the United States Naval Support Activity 
        (NAVSUPPACT) Mid-South located in Millington, Tennessee, has a small USS 
        Memphis museum, including the original flag recovered from the wrecked 
        USS Memphis;
Whereas the wreck of the USS Memphis is still a vivid part of the history of the 
        Dominican Republic, and her remains graced the shoreline of Santo 
        Domingo for more than 20 years before she was finally scrapped;
Whereas Dominicans consider Emeterio Sanchez a hero for risking his life to 
        enter into the raging surf to save the lives of American sailors; and
Whereas several entities in the Dominican Republic, including the Dominican 
        Government's Permanent Commission for ``Efemerides Patrias'', the 
        Academy of History of the Dominican Republic, and the Municipality of 
        Santo Domingo are planning to undertake a series of public education and 
        awareness activities to commemorate the centennial of the United States 
        intervention in the Dominican Republic, including the wreck of the USS 
        Memphis: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes the centennial of the wreck of the USS 
        Memphis and the memory of the 44 sailors who lost their lives, 
        including the three recipients of the Medal of Honor;
            (2) encourages the Department of State, through its Embassy 
        in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, to collaborate with 
        appropriate entities of the Dominican Republic to commemorate 
        this event, which represents an important part of the cultural 
        and historical heritage between the two countries; and
            (3) encourages the Tennessee State Museum, the United 
        States Naval History and Heritage Command, United States Naval 
        Support Activity (NAVSUPPACT) Mid-South, and the United States 
        Naval Institute to collaborate together in appropriate 
        commemoration and public awareness events in the United States 
        as well as in the Dominican Republic.
                                 <all>
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