IV 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 423 

Expressing support for the designation of October 2015 as Special Operations 

Forces Appreciation Month in order to honor members of United States 

Special Operations Forces for their service and sacrifice on behalf of 

the United States. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 16, 2015 

Mr. ZINKE (for himself, Mr. WHITFIELD, Mr. WILSON of South Carolina, Mr. 

GRAVES of Missouri, Mr. HUNTER, Mr. CRAMER, Mr. WALZ, Mr. HURD

of Texas, Mr. JONES, Mr. ASHFORD, Mr. BISHOP of Utah, Mr. MARINO, 

Mr. MACARTHUR, Mr. BABIN, Mr. BUCSHON, Mr. JODY B. HICE of 

Georgia, Mr. MCHENRY, Mr. NUNES, Mr. HILL, Mr. BENISHEK, Mr. 

NEUGEBAUER, Mr. LANGEVIN, Mr. FARENTHOLD, Mr. LAMBORN, Mr. 

LYNCH, Mrs. LOVE, Mr. BYRNE, and Mr. PETERS) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and 

Government Reform 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing support for the designation of October 2015 as 

Special Operations Forces Appreciation Month in order 

to honor members of United States Special Operations 

Forces for their service and sacrifice on behalf of the 

United States. 

Whereas the Office of Strategic Services was created during 

World War II to conduct operations behind enemy lines 

and utilized Marine Raiders and reconnaissance companies, Army Rangers, Special Reconnaissance Units 


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•HRES 423 IH 

(Scouts), Air Commandos, Amphibious Scouts and Raiders, and Naval Demolition Units; 

Whereas in October 1943, United States Special Operations 

Forces were called to begin operations in Italy and later 

successfully conducted their first combat mission during 

World War II, when members of the 1st Special Service 

Force scaled a 200-foot cliff in Italy to launch a surprise 

attack that forced the Germans to retreat from entrenched positions at the twin peaks of Monte La Difensa 

and Monte La Rementanea; 

Whereas the success of the mission demonstrated the value 

of the unique skills and highly specialized training of the 

1st Special Service Force and confirmed the need for 

more Special Operations Forces; 

Whereas in 1944, Major General Frank Merrill’s commando 

force, nicknamed ‘‘Merrill’s Marauders,’’ conducted a 

grueling campaign through the jungles of northern 

Burma, involving five major and 30 minor engagements, 

which successfully disrupted Japanese supply and communications lines; 

Whereas on D-Day, Special Operations Forces units played 

key roles in the Normandy landings, including Naval 

demolition units clearing obstacles from the beaches and 

Army Rangers scaling the cliffs at Pointe du Hoc; 

Whereas at Omaha Beach, Major General Norman Cota 

shouted ‘‘Rangers, lead the way!’’ to soldiers of the 5th 

Battalion, coining the Rangers’ future motto; 

Whereas, on July 6, 1964, during the Battle of Nam Dong, 

Captain Roger C. Donlon, commander of a 12-man Army 

Special Forces team of Green Berets, led a successful defense against a much-larger Viet Cong and North VietVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:51 Sep 17, 2015 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR423.IH HR423

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•HRES 423 IH 

namese army attack, for which Captain Donlon was 

awarded the first Medal of Honor awarded during the 

Vietnam War; 

Whereas during the NATO bombing campaign in Serbia and 

Kosovo, Air Force commandos rescued an F–117A pilot 

who was shot down near Belgrade on March 27, 1999, 

and an F–16 pilot who was shot down in western Serbia 

on May 2, 1999; 

Whereas, on May 2, 2011, members of the elite SEAL Team 

6 flew into Pakistan undetected and stormed a fortified 

compound in Abbottabad and killed al-Qaeda leader 

Osama Bin Laden; and 

Whereas October 2015 would be an appropriate month to 

designate as Special Operations Forces Appreciation 

Month: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives supports 

2 the designation of Special Operations Forces Appreciation 

3 Month in order to honor members of United States Special 

4 Operations Forces for their service and sacrifice on behalf 

5 of the United States. 

Æ 


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