House Concurrent Resolution 47

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING APRIL 2021 AS "GARY HEMPHILL COMMERCIAL AVIATION MONTH" IN MISSISSIPPI.

WHEREAS, in 1970, Gary Hemphill served with the United States Air Force's 388th Combat Support Group at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, as an aircraft electrical repair technician; and following service in Southeast Asia, Gary was assigned to the Air Force Systems Command's Weapons Development Center at Kirkland AFB, Albuquerque, New Mexico; and

WHEREAS, Gary's duty with the Weapons Development Center allowed him to work with aircraft which included: F-100, F-4E, B-52, KC-135, C-130, T-29, F-104, T-38, WB-56, RB-66, C-121,

F-105, A-4, and T-39; and

WHEREAS, after serving with the United States Air Force, Gary attended Northeast Louisiana University where he received a bachelor of business administration in management in 1976; and, in 1979, Gary completed degree requirements for a bachelor of science in aviation, again at NLU; and, in 1980, Gary began work on his masters degree; and

WHEREAS, during this time, he was a graduate assistant in the Aviation Department at NLU teaching classes and coaching the NLU flight team; and after receiving his master of education degree, Gary was hired by Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi, where he was an instructor, teaching primary ground instruction, passenger transportation, aviation weather, and aviation law among other subjects; and Gary was, until his appointment as Executive Director, the advisor to the Delta State University Flight Team and advisor to the Delta Psi Chapter of Alpha Eta Rho; and

WHEREAS, Gary's career at Delta State saw him rise to Chairman of the Department of Commercial Aviation, and as chairman Gary spent countless hours working to advance commercial aviation in the State of Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, even though his duties as chairman required hours of work he continued to be available to students of the Commercial Aviation Department, with his office door always open to any student who wanted to discuss aviation, life, or anything a young college student might face, and he was known to many of his students as "Dr. H" or "Doc", becoming their career advisor, their personal advisor, and most importantly he became their friend; and

WHEREAS, even after his retirement from Delta State University in 2003 students continued to seek his advice and his friendship and Gary never failed to spend as much time as needed listening and he always had good sound advice for his former students, and there has been no greater advocate for the aviation profession and industry than Gary; and

WHEREAS, he loved airplanes and aviation but more importantly he loved his students and dedicated his life to them, and Gary's students have worked for NASA, flown the President of the United States, the Governor of Mississippi, and are flying airplanes around the world every day; and Gary was responsible for Mississippi becoming a leader in commercial aviation:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, the Senate concurring therein, That we do hereby designate the month of April 2021, as "Gary Hemphill Commercial Aviation Month" in Mississippi.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to supporters of "Gary Hemphill Commercial Aviation Month" and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.