House Concurrent Resolution 76

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING THE SAILORS OF THE USS GURKE FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE DEFENSE OF THE UNITED STATES AND DISPLAY OF HEROISM AND PATRIOTISM THROUGH THE YEARS.

WHEREAS, the USS Gurke named in honor of private first class Henry Gurke of the United States Marine Corps, of Neche, North Dakota, whose extraordinary heroism and courage above and beyond the call of duty while serving with the Third Marine Raider Battalion during action against the enemy Japanese Forces in the Solomon Islands area on November 9, 1943, was posthumously honored by President Franklin D. Roosevelt with the Congressional Medal of Honor for his unswerving devotion to duty and superb valor; and

WHEREAS, the USS Gurke, a DD Type destroyer, is one of 103 Gearing Class destroyers that were built at 8 different shipyards, whose mission is to provide anti-submarine and anti-surface defense to other surface forces; and

WHEREAS, commissioned May 12, 1945, under the command of Commander Kenneth Loveland, the USS Gurke sailed for the Western Pacific on August 27, 1945, reaching Pearl Harbor September 2; and

WHEREAS, upon completion of a successful tour of duty, the USS Gurke returned to her home port of San Diego, in February 1946 and participated in training operations until September 4, 1947, when she sailed for another Western Pacific cruise; and

WHEREAS, two further Western Pacific cruises, alternating with operations out of San Diego, and a cruise to Alaska in 1948 aiding the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Yukon gold rush, filled the USS Gurke's schedule until the outbreak of the Korean War; and

WHEREAS, possessing a rich legacy of wartime accounts, the crews and leadership of the USS Gurke over the years have embarked upon many wartime and peacetime deployments to carry out the mission of the United States Navy to win wars, deter aggression and maintain freedom of the seas; and

WHEREAS, missions of the USS Gurke have included: Yokosuka, Wolmi Do, the Inchon waterfront, the Formosa Straits, the Siege of Wonsan, the Korean Coast, Vietnam, Hawaii, Japan, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Mekong, Saigon and Okinawa to name a few; and

WHEREAS, during their time of service, the sailors of the USS Gurke have genuinely represented what it means to be dedicated to duty, honor and country; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of this Legislature to recognize and commend the diligence and sacrifices of the many sailors who have served on the USS Gurke over the years:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend the sailors of the USS Gurke for their commitment to the defense of the United States and for their display of heroism, valor and patriotism through the years.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to the United States Navy command and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.