III
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. CON. RES. 47
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
MARCH 8, 2001
Received
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Honoring the 21 members of the National Guard who were
killed in the crash of a National Guard aircraft on March
3, 2001, in south-central Georgia.
Whereas a C–23 Sherpa National Guard aircraft crashed in
south-central Georgia on March 3, 2001, killing all 21
National Guard members on board;
Whereas of the 21 National Guard members on board, 18
were members of the Virginia Air National Guard from
the Hampton Roads area of Virginia returning home fol-
lowing two weeks of training duty in Florida and the
HCON 47 RDS
other 3 were members of the Florida Army National
Guard who comprised the flight crew of the aircraft;
Whereas the Virginia National Guard members killed, all of
whom were members of the 203rd Red Horse Engineer-
ing Flight of Virginia Beach, Virginia, were Master Ser-
geant James Beninati, 46, of Virginia Beach, Virginia;
Staff Sergeant Paul J. Blancato, 38, of Norfolk, Vir-
ginia; Technical Sergeant Ernest Blawas, 47, of Virginia
Beach, Virginia; Staff Sergeant Andrew H. Bridges, 33,
of Chesapeake, Virginia; Master Sergeant Eric Bulman,
59, of Virginia Beach, Virginia; Staff Sergeant Paul
Cramer, 43, of Norfolk, Virginia; Technical Sergeant Mi-
chael East, 40, of Parksley, Virginia; Staff Sergeant
Ronald Elkin, 43, of Norfolk, Virginia; Staff Sergeant
James Ferguson, 41, of Newport News, Virginia; Staff
Sergeant Randy Johnson, 40, of Emporia, Virginia; Sen-
ior Airman Mathrew Kidd, 23, of Hampton, Virginia;
Master Sergeant Michael Lane, 34, of Moyock, North
Carolina; Technical Sergeant Edwin Richardson, 48, of
Virginia Beach, Virginia; Technical Sergeant Dean Shel-
by, 39, of Virginia Beach, Virginia; Staff Sergeant John
Sincavage, 27, of Chesapeake, Virginia; Staff Sergeant
Gregory Skurupey, 34, of Gloucester, Virginia; Staff Ser-
geant Richard Summerell, 51, of Franklin, Virginia; and
Major Frederick Watkins, III, 35, of Virginia Beach, Vir-
ginia;
Whereas the Florida National Guard members killed, all of
whom were members of Detachment 1, 1st Battalion,
171st Aviation, of Lakeland, Florida, were Chief Warrant
Officer John Duce, 49, of Orange Park, Florida; Chief
Warrant Officer Eric Larson, 34, of Land-O-Lakes, Flor-
HCON 47 RDS
ida; and Staff Sergeant Robert Ward, 35, of Lakeland,
Florida;
Whereas these members of the National Guard were per-
forming their duty in furtherance of the national security
interests of the United States;
Whereas the members of the Armed Forces, including the
National Guard, are routinely called upon to perform du-
ties that place their lives at risk; and
Whereas the members of the National Guard who lost their
lives as a result of the aircraft crash on March 3, 2001,
died in the honorable service to the Nation and exempli-
fied all that is best in the American people: Now, there-
fore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That the Congress—
(1) honors the 18 members of the Virginia Air
National Guard and 3 members of the Florida Army
National Guard who were killed on March 3, 2001,
in the crash of a C–23 Sherpa National Guard air-
craft in south-central Georgia; and
(2) sends heartfelt condolences to their families,
friends, and loved ones.
Passed the House of Representatives March 7,
2001.
Attest:
JEFF TRANDAHL,
Clerk.