2010
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       SENATE RESOLUTION 10-009
       
       
       BY SENATOR(S) White,  Bacon, Boyd, Brophy, Cadman, Carroll M.,
       Foster, Gibbs, Harvey, Heath, Hodge, Hudak, Johnston, Keller, Kester,
       King K., Kopp, Lundberg, Morse, Newell, Penry, Renfroe, Romer,
       Sandoval, Scheffel, Schultheis, Schwartz, Shaffer B., Spence, Steadman,
       Tapia, Tochtrop, head, Williams.
       
       
          CONCERNING THE DESIGNATION OF A PORTION OF
       COLORADO STATE HIGHWAY 13 AS THE "MAJOR WILLIAM
       ADAMS MEDAL OF HONOR HIGHWAY". 
       
       
          WHEREAS, William Edward Adams was born on June 16, 1939, in
       Casper, Wyoming, and was raised in Craig, Colorado; and
       
          WHEREAS, Major Adams received his formal education in Colorado
       at the Lloyd School in Moffat County, Craig Middle School, and Rangely
       High School; and
       
          WHEREAS, Major Adams left Colorado to attend the Wentworth
       Military Academy in Lexington, Missouri, and later attended Colorado
       State University along with his future wife, Sandra; and
       
          WHEREAS, Upon his graduation from Colorado State University in
       1962, Major Adams joined the United States Army and was eventually
       deployed to Vietnam in July of 1970; and
       
          WHEREAS, On May 25, 1971, Major Adams volunteered, with full
       knowledge of the dangerous nature of his mission, to fly a lightly armed
       helicopter to a besieged fire base in the Republic of Vietnam's Kontum
       Province in an attempt to evacuate three seriously wounded soldiers; and 
       
          WHEREAS, As Major Adams approached the fire base, enemy
       gunners opened fire with heavy machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades,
       and small arms; and
       
          WHEREAS, Undaunted by the fusillade, Major Adams continued his
       approach to the fire base, and, in a display of tremendous courage under
       fire, directed the attacks of supporting gunships, all the while maintaining
       absolute control of his aircraft, until the wounded soldiers were placed on
       board; and
       
          WHEREAS, As the aircraft departed from the fire base, Major Adams'
       helicopter was struck and seriously damaged by enemy anti-aircraft fire;
       and
       
          WHEREAS, Flying with exceptional skill, Major Adams immediately
       regained control of the crippled aircraft and attempted a controlled
       landing; and
       
          WHEREAS, Despite Major Adams' valiant efforts, the helicopter
       exploded, overturned, and plummeted to earth amid the enemy gunfire,
       killing Major Adams and all on board; and
       
          WHEREAS, For his conspicuous gallantry, intrepidity, and
       humanitarian regard for his fellow man, Major Adams earned the Medal
       of Honor, the highest military decoration awarded by the United States
       government; now, therefore,
       
          Be It Resolved by the Senate of the Sixty-seventh General Assembly of
       the State of Colorado:
       
          1.  That the portion of State Highway 13 located in Moffat County,
       Colorado, be named the "Major William Adams Medal of Honor
       Highway".
       
          2.  That the Colorado Department of Transportation may accept and
       expend gifts, grants, donations, and federal funds for the purposes of the
       initial placement of signs to mark the designated portion of State
       Highway 13 as the "Major William Adams Medal of Honor Highway"
       and to erect a memorial plaque, which shall include the text of Major
       Adams' Medal of Honor citation, to be placed in an appropriate location.
       
          3.  That the Colorado Department of Transportation may explore a
       cooperative agreement with the Board of County Commissioners for
       Moffat County for the maintenance of the markings and the plaque for the
       "Major William Adams Medal of Honor Highway".
       
          Be It Further Resolved, That copies of this Resolution be sent to
       Major Adams' wife, Sandra Adams, Major Adams' son, Col. John D.
       Adams, USMC, Major Adams' daughter, Mrs. Jean L. Wayne, the VFW
       Post 4265 and American Legion Post 62 in Craig, Colorado, the Colorado
       Transportation Commission, the Office of Transportation Safety in the
       Colorado Department of Transportation, the Board of County
       Commissioners for Moffat County, and the Secretary of the United States
       Army, John McHugh.
       
       
       
       
       
       ____________________________  ____________________________
       Brandon C. Shaffer                     Karen Goldman
       PRESIDENT OF                            SECRETARY OF
       THE SENATE                                THE SENATE