| 1 | House Resolution |
| 2 | A resolution honoring Vernon J. Baker, recipient of the |
| 3 | Congressional Medal of Honor. |
| 4 |
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| 5 | WHEREAS, First Lieutenant Vernon J. Baker joined the United |
| 6 | States Army following high school, was ordered to attend Officer |
| 7 | Training School, and was commissioned and assigned to the 370th |
| 8 | Regiment, 92nd Infantry Division, the first black unit to enter |
| 9 | combat during World War II, and |
| 10 | WHEREAS, First Lieutenant Vernon J. Baker, for personal |
| 11 | action against the German enemy while in service to his country |
| 12 | in northern Italy in 1945, was selected along with six other |
| 13 | African Americans for decoration with the Congressional Medal of |
| 14 | Honor, our nation's highest award for intrepidity and valor |
| 15 | above and beyond the call of duty, and |
| 16 | WHEREAS, on January 13, 1997, First Lieutenant Baker was |
| 17 | the only living survivor among those seven so recognized when, |
| 18 | in ceremonies in the East Room of the White House, the Medal of |
| 19 | Honor was placed around his neck by the hand of President |
| 20 | William J. Clinton, and to this day he is the lone living black |
| 21 | serviceman from World War II to receive the Medal of Honor, and |
| 22 | WHEREAS, First Lieutenant Vernon J. Baker, Medal of Honor |
| 23 | recipient, visited Florida for a paratrooper exhibition at Eglin |
| 24 | Air Force Base in conjunction with his military duties at Fort |
| 25 | Bragg, North Carolina, and |
| 26 | WHEREAS, it is fitting and proper that the citizens of |
| 27 | Florida express their gratitude to Congressional Medal of Honor |
| 28 | recipient Vernon J. Baker for his dedication, valor, and |
| 29 | sacrificial service to his nation and theirs, NOW, THEREFORE, |
| 30 |
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| 31 | Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of |
| 32 | Florida: |
| 33 |
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| 34 | That the Members of the House of Representatives, on this |
| 35 | 26th day of April 2005, express on behalf of this Body and the |
| 36 | citizens of the State of Florida, the high esteem with which |
| 37 | they regard Vernon J. Baker, a most worthy recipient of the |
| 38 | nation's highest honor, the Congressional Medal of Honor. |
| 39 | BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be |
| 40 | presented to Vernon J. Baker as a tangible token of the |
| 41 | sentiments expressed herein. |