III 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 809 

Designating September 30, 2022, as ‘‘Mississippi National Guard Recognition 

Day’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 29, 2022 

Mr. WICKER (for himself and Mrs. HYDE-SMITH) submitted the following 

resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Designating September 30, 2022, as ‘‘Mississippi National 

Guard Recognition Day’’. 

Whereas, since its inception in 1798, the Mississippi National 

Guard has served the Magnolia State and the United 

States; 

Whereas the Mississippi National Guard has responded to national and State emergencies; 

Whereas, on September 30, 1962, anticipating violence as a 

result of the admission of James Meredith, the first 

Black student in the history of the University of Mississippi, President John F. Kennedy and Secretary of 

Defense Robert S. McNamara activated the entire Mississippi National Guard to provide riot control during the 

desegregation of the University of Mississippi; 


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•SRES 809 ATS 

Whereas Major General William P. Wilson immediately ordered 14,400 officers and enlisted men of the Mississippi 

National Guard to report to their armories and await orders from their Commander, Brigadier General Charles 

Billingslea; 

Whereas 2 battle groups and 1 armored cavalry regiment, 

comprised of 3,086 men, reported to Oxford, Mississippi, 

on September 30, 1962, under the command of General 

Billingslea; 

Whereas the 1st Battle Group, 155th Infantry Regiment, 

headquartered in Laurel, Mississippi, and commanded by 

Colonel Marion D. Odell, was comprised of Guardsmen 

from Brookhaven, Tylertown, Natchez, Meadville, 

McComb, Magnolia, and Gloster, Mississippi; 

Whereas the 2d Battle Group, 155th Infantry Regiment, 

headquartered in Amory, Mississippi, and commanded by 

Colonel Robert L. Gray, was comprised of Guardsmen 

from Corinth, Kosciusko, Louisville, Iuka, Aberdeen, and 

Starkville, Mississippi; 

Whereas the 108th Armored Cavalry Regiment, 

headquartered in Tupelo, Mississippi, and commanded by 

Colonel James G. Martin, was comprised of Guardsmen 

from Belmont, Booneville, Fulton, Okolona, Baldwyn, 

Nettleton, Ripley, Oxford, New Albany, Pontotoc, Holly 

Springs, Water Valley, Senatobia, Marks, Sardis, Batesville, Hernando, and Tunica, Mississippi; 

Whereas, on the night of September 30, 1962, a violent mob, 

including some individuals from out of State, formed on 

the campus of the University of Mississippi, forcing reporters and United States Marshals to shelter inside the 


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•SRES 809 ATS 

Lyceum building on the campus of the University of Mississippi; 

Whereas that same mob attacked General Billingslea, his 

deputy, General John Corley, and his aide, Captain Harold Lyon, while they were in their car, setting it ablaze 

and forcing the 3 men to escape by crawling 200 yards 

to the Lyceum building, all while under gunfire; 

Whereas, at 10 o’clock in the evening of September 30, 1962, 

Troop G of Pontotoc, Mississippi, and Howitzer Battery 

2nd Reconnaissance Squadron of Water Valley, Mississippi, 108th Armored Cavalry, were ordered to move 

immediately to the campus of the University of Mississippi to quell the rioters surrounding the Lyceum 

building; 

Whereas, at approximately 3 o’clock in the morning of October 1, 1962, the 1st and 3rd Reconnaissance Squadrons, 

108th Armored Cavalry, were ordered to the Lyceum 

building to clear the campus of rioters; 

Whereas, by the morning of October 1, 1962, the rioters on 

the campus of the University of Mississippi had been subdued, but not before resulting in the death of Ray Gunter 

and Paul Guihard; 

Whereas, because of the courage displayed by the members 

of the 155th Infantry Regiment and the 108th Armored 

Cavalry Regiment of the Mississippi National Guard, active-duty members of the Armed Forces, and law enforcement officers on that autumn day in Oxford, order was 

restored at the University of Mississippi; 

Whereas, 60 years later, the Mississippi National Guard continues to provide protection of life and property, and upVerDate Sep 11 2014 05:10 Sep 30, 2022 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR809.ATS SR809

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•SRES 809 ATS 

holds the preservation of peace, order, and public safety, 

for the citizens of Mississippi; and 

Whereas thousands of students of all races, creeds, backgrounds, and beliefs today receive world-class education 

at the University of Mississippi because of the courage, 

discipline, and professionalism of the members of the 

155th Infantry Regiment and the 108th Armored Cavalry Regiment of the Mississippi National Guard: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) designates September 30, 2022, as ‘‘Mis3 sissippi National Guard Recognition Day’’; and 

4 (2) recognizes the heroic efforts of the Mis5 sissippi National Guard 60 years ago to maintain 

6 peace in Oxford, Mississippi, during the largest de7 ployment of troops to a single disturbance in the his8 tory of the Mississippi National Guard. 

Æ 


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