IV 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 1083 
Expressing support for designation of the month of August as National 
Destroyer Recognition Month. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 26, 2018 
Mr. WILLIAMS submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on Armed Services 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing support for designation of the month of August 
as National Destroyer Recognition Month. 
Whereas the first United States torpedo boat destroyer was 
the USS Bainbridge (DD–1), placed in full commission 
on December 23, 1903; 
Whereas the United States Navy was the first service to re-
spond in World War I after the United States declared 
war on Germany on April 6, 1917, when six destroyers 
from Destroyer Squadron 8, commanded by J.K. Taus-
sig, arrived in Queenstown, Ireland, in May of that year; 
Whereas during World War I, American destroyers prevented 
the loss of life or ship of 2 million men making the trans- 
Atlantic journey; 
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Whereas in their 250 battles with German U-boats during 
World War I, American destroyers sunk 1 submarine, the 
U–58, and laid the groundwork for modern antisub-
marine warfare; 
Whereas between June 1942 and February 1945, 175 Fletch-
er class destroyers were built, and this class of ships is 
widely recognized as integral to the naval war effort in 
World War II; 
Whereas, during World War II, 19 Fletcher class destroyers 
were lost and 6 were damaged beyond repair; 
Whereas, during World War II, 44 Fletcher class destroyers 
earned 10 or more battle stars, 19 were awarded the 
Navy Unit Commendation, and 16 received the Presi-
dential Unit Citation; 
Whereas following their service during World War II, 32 
Fletcher class destroyers were transferred to the navies 
of America’s allies, including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, 
Colombia, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, 
Peru, Spain, Taiwan, and Turkey; 
Whereas the largest Atlantic operation destroyers partici-
pated in during World War II was Operation Neptune, 
the naval component of Operation Overlord, the invasion 
of Europe, on June 6, 1944; 
Whereas, at Utah Beach, destroyers USS Fitch (DD–462), 
USS Corry (DD–463), and USS Hobson (DD–464) were 
the first ships of the invasion force to shell the shore; 
Whereas, at Omaha Beach, destroyers USS Baldwin (DD– 
624), USS Carmick (DD–493), USS Doyle (DD–494), 
USS Emmons (DD–457), USS Frankford (DD–497), 
USS McCook (DD–496), and USS Thompson (DD–627) 
shelled the enemy fortifications; 
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Whereas, at the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the largest naval battle 
of World War II, two destroyers, the USS Hoel (DD– 
533) and the USS Johnston (DD–557) were lost; 
Whereas, at the Battle of Okinawa, destroyers were instru-
mental in providing radar picket protection to Okinawa 
Island, and out of 101 destroyers, destroyer minelayers, 
and destroyer minesweepers assigned to radar pickets, 10 
were sunk and 32 were damaged by kamikaze attacks; 
Whereas a total of 76 United States destroyers were sunk 
during World War II; 
Whereas, during the Korean war, six United States destroy-
ers, USS Collett (DD–730), USS De Haven (DD–727), 
USS Gurke (DD–783), USS Henderson (DD–785), USS 
Lyman K. Swenson (DD–729), and USS Mansfield 
(DD–728), were instrumental in clearing the beachhead 
prior to the amphibious assault at the Battle of Incheon, 
South Korea, in September 1950; 
Whereas, on August 2, 1964, the destroyer USS Maddox 
(DD–731) engaged in fire with North Vietnamese Navy 
torpedo boats and became the impetus for the Gulf of 
Tonkin Resolution; 
Whereas the USS Arleigh Burke (DDG–51) was commis-
sioned on July 4, 1991, named after Admiral Arleigh 
Burke, the longest serving Chief of Naval Operations in 
the history of the United States Navy, and is the lead 
ship of the Arleigh Burke class of guided missile destroy-
ers; 
Whereas, on October 12, 2000, the USS Cole (DDG–67) was 
attacked by terrorists while at anchor in Aden, Yemen, 
and 17 crewmembers were lost and 39 injured; 
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Whereas, on November 29, 2003, the USS Cole (DDG–67) 
redeployed on its first overseas deployment following the 
attack; 
Whereas, on April 7, 2017, destroyers USS Ross (DDG–78) 
and USS Porter (DDG–71) fired a total of 59 Toma-
hawk land attack missiles on Syria’s air base at al- 
Shayrat, from the eastern Mediterranean Sea in response 
to Syria’s use of banned chemical weapons; 
Whereas destroyers remain a critical component of United 
States naval capability around the world, serving to pro-
tect the free flow of commerce, reassure America’s allies 
and partners, and deter acts of aggression against Amer-
ican and allied forces; and 
Whereas the establishment of the month of August as Na-
tional Destroyer Recognition Month will recognize the im-
portant contributions that United States destroyers and 
those sailors serving aboard them have made to naval 
warfare and American military success: Now, therefore, 
be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) supports the designation of National De-
stroyer Recognition Month; 
(2) supports those who have served and cur-
rently serve aboard United States destroyers; 
(3) supports the role of destroyers in the naval 
war arsenal and their importance to America’s na-
tional security; and 
(4) calls on the people of the United States, in-
cluding veteran groups, State and local officials, and 
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interested groups to observe National Destroyer Rec-
ognition Month with appropriate programs and ac-
tivities that promote awareness of the contribution 
of United States destroyers and their crews. 
Æ 
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