00CS FOR SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 19(RLS)                                                                              
01 Requesting the United States Air Force to rename Shemya Air Force Base to                                               
02 Eareckson Air Force Base.                                                                                               
03 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                               
04  WHEREAS Shemya Air Force Base is the only air force base in Alaska without a                                           
05 dedicated name; and                                                                                                     
06  WHEREAS Major William O. Eareckson arrived in Alaska when his squadron was                                             
07 deployed to Elmendorf Field in April 1941 before the outbreak of hostilities between the                                
08 United States and Japan, served in Alaska until after the recapture of Attu Island and Kiska                            
09 Island in 1943, and was promoted to Colonel while serving in Alaska; and                                                
10  WHEREAS Colonel Eareckson was a military leader and active combatant in the                                            
11 Aleutian Campaign of World War II; and                                                                                  
12  WHEREAS Colonel Eareckson received numerous decorations for his service in                                             
13 Alaska, including the Distinguished Service Cross, the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air                               
14 Medal, the Navy Cross, and the Purple Heart; and                                                                        

01  WHEREAS, after leaving Alaska, Colonel Eareckson participated in battles in the                                        
02 Pacific Theater to recapture Tarawa, Kwajalein, Palau, Hollandia, and Guam during World                                 
03 War II, served in Korea during the Korean War, and received additional decorations for this                             
04 service; and                                                                                                            
05  WHEREAS Colonel Eareckson's devotion to his duty and men was unflinching, his                                          
06 leadership inspiring, his courage unfailing, and his pride in his service and in his country was                        
07 a way of life; and                                                                                                      
08  WHEREAS the 50th Anniversary of the landing of U.S. troops on Shemya Island in                                         
09 the Aleutian Islands is May 28, 1993;                                                                                   
10  BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature endorses the dedication of                                            
11 Shemya Air Force Base as Eareckson Air Force Base; and be it                                                            
12  FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature respectfully requests the                                           
13 Department of the Air Force to approve the renaming of Shemya Air Force Base as Eareckson                               
14 Air Force Base.                                                                                                         
15  COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable Bill Clinton, President of the                                
16 United States; the Honorable Les Aspin, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Defense; the                                
17 Honorable Michael B. Donley, Acting Secretary of the Air Force; the Commanding Officer,                                 
18 Shemya Air Force Base, U.S. Air Force; and to the Honorable Ted Stevens and the Honorable                               
19 Frank Murkowski, U.S. Senators, and the Honorable Don Young, U.S. Representative,                                       
20 members of the Alaska delegation in Congress.