2012 HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 12-1003 BY REPRESENTATIVE(S) Williams A., Todd, Ramirez, Looper, Acree, Balmer, Barker, Baumgardner, Becker, Beezley, Bradford, Brown, Casso, Conti, Coram, Court, DelGrosso, Duran, Fields, Fischer, Gardner B., Gerou, Hamner, Holbert, Hullinghorst, Jones, Joshi, Kagan, Kefalas, Kerr A., Kerr J., Labuda, Lee, Levy, Liston, Massey, McCann, McKinley, Miklosi, Murray, Nikkel, Pabon, Pace, Peniston, Priola, Ryden, Schafer S., Scott, Solano, Sonnenberg, Soper, Stephens, Summers, Swalm, Swerdfeger, Szabo, Tyler, Vaad, Vigil, Waller, Wilson, Young, McNulty; also SENATOR(S) Williams S., Newell, Nicholson, Foster, Heath, Spence, Renfroe, Aguilar, Bacon, Boyd, Brophy, Cadman, Carroll, Giron, Grantham, Guzman, Harvey, Hodge, Hudak, Jahn, Johnston, King K., King S., Lambert, Lundberg, Mitchell, Morse, Neville, Roberts, Scheffel, Schwartz, Steadman, Tochtrop, White, Shaffer B. CONCERNING THE DESIGNATION OF INTERSTATE 70 ACROSS COLORADO AS A PART OF A NATIONWIDE SYSTEM OF "TUSKEGEE AIRMEN MEMORIAL TRAILS". WHEREAS, In spite of great adversity and limited opportunities, African-Americans have played a significant role in United States military history over the past 300 years; and WHEREAS, The official policy of the military for many years was to deny leadership roles and skilled training to African-American troops because of prejudice and ignorance; and WHEREAS, Before 1940, African-Americans were barred from flying for the United States military; and WHEREAS, In early 1941, due to tremendous pressure from civil rights organizations and the black press, the Secretary of War approved a plan to establish the first-ever, all African-American combat unit, including military pilots and support personnel, which resulted in the formation of the 99th Pursuit Squadron, based in Tuskegee, Alabama; and WHEREAS, The pilot cadets who attended the Tuskegee Institute and received their silver wings became known as the "Tuskegee Airmen" and later became known by the German Air Force as the "Black Bird Men"; and WHEREAS, The Tuskegee Airmen consisted not only of pilots but also navigators, bombardiers, maintenance and support staff, instructors, and all personnel who kept the planes in the air; and WHEREAS, In March 1942, five men received the silver wings of Army Air Force pilots and were the first African-Americans to qualify as military pilots in any branch of the United States Armed Forces; and WHEREAS, By the end of World War II, almost 1,000 African-Americans had earned their silver wings at Tuskegee Army Air Field, and almost half of those African-Americans went on to serve in the European and Mediterranean theaters as combat mission fighter pilots; and WHEREAS, The Tuskegee Airmen flew more than 15,000 sorties, destroyed over 1,000 German aircraft, received hundreds of Air Medals and more than 150 Distinguished Flying Crosses, and lost so few bomber aircraft to enemy air action when flying bomber escort missions that they earned the title "Red Tail Angels" from the bomber crews who would specifically request them as their escorts; and WHEREAS, The Tuskegee Airmen overcame segregation and prejudice to become one of the most prestigious, decorated, and respected fighting groups of World War II; and WHEREAS, In 2006, the Colorado General Assembly named a portion of Interstate 70 between Brighton Boulevard and Tower Road in Denver as the Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Highway; and WHEREAS, Since that time, several state chapters of the Tuskegee Airmen, Incorporated, have undertaken a nationwide project to urge creation of a network of "Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Trails" across the United States, composed of portions of the Interstate Highway System so designated by states to honor the heroic legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen; and WHEREAS, It is fitting that Colorado support the vision and efforts of the Tuskegee Airmen, Incorporated, and participate, along with other states, in creating this nationwide system of Memorial Trails; now, therefore, Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Sixty-eighth General Assembly of the State of Colorado, the Senate concurring herein: (1) In recognition of and coordination with existing Interstate 70 designations, that Interstate 70 running through Colorado be named the "Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Trail" as a lasting tribute to the peerless, brave, and history-making men and women of the Tuskegee Airmen; (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 Interstate 70 in Colorado as the "Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Trail"; and (3) That the Colorado Department of Transportation may explore cooperative agreements with the appropriate authorities of the cities and counties along Interstate 70 in Colorado for the maintenance of the markings for the "Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Trail". Be It Further Resolved, That copies of this Joint Resolution be sent to Marsha A. Mallory-Bennet, President, Hubert L. "Hooks" Jones Chapter, Tuskegee Airmen, Incorporated; Colonel James Crump, United States Air Force, Retired, President, Western Region Tuskegee Airmen Incorporated; and Brigadier General Leon Johnson, United States Air Force, Retired, President, Tuskegee Airmen, Incorporated. ________________________________________________________ Frank McNulty Brandon C. Shaffer SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE PRESIDENT OF OF REPRESENTATIVES THE SENATE ____________________________ ____________________________ Marilyn Eddins Cindi Markwell CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE SECRETARY OF OF REPRESENTATIVES THE SENATE