HomeMy Public PortalAboutResolution No. 269-06 06-13-2006 RESOLUTION N0.269-06
• A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
RICHLAND HILLS, TEXAS, IN SUPPORT OF NAMING A U.S.
NAVY SHIP THE USS FORT WORTH.
WHEREAS, Fort Worth was established as a frontier outpost in 1849 on the banks of the
Trinity River by U.S. Army Maj. Ripley Arnold, who named the installation in honor of his
recently deceased commanding officer, Maj. Gen. William Jenkins Worth; and
WHEREAS, when the U.S. Army left four years later, residents living around the
military fort decided to stay and, over the decades, the outpost has grown into the City of Fort
Worth, ranked one of America's "Most Livable Communities"; and
WHEREAS, for 157 years, Fort Worth has maintained a strong bond with the U.S.
military, supporting and contributing to the protection of the American people and the defense of
freedom; and
WHEREAS, during World War I, Fort Worth was home to Camp Bowie, a U.S. Army
installation that trained thousands of young men for battle in Europe, while also hosting three
training airfields; and
WHEREAS, during World War II, Fort Worth's donation of land provided incentives for
the U.S. military to construct Carswell Air Force Base, resulting in a decision by a private
• aircraft manufacturer to build a bomber plant near the air base that today still produces
outstanding military aircraft under the corporate banner of Lockheed-Martin Aeronautics, Inc.;
and
WHEREAS, Carswell Air Force Base was transformed in the 1990s into a Naval Air
Station/Joint Reserve Base (NAS/JRB) that today is one of the military's premier facilities and
home to all branches of the military; and
WHEREAS, Lockheed Martin as well as Bell Helicopter Textron, plus many other local
companies, make up Fort Worth's defense industry sector, renowned for manufacturing the best
military equipment in the world for American's women and men in uniform; and
WHEREAS, not only have thousands upon thousands of women and men from Fort
Worth served, or are serving, in the U.S. military, but Fort Worth citizens historically have been
strong supporters of the armed forces as evidenced by the united community efforts on behalf of
NAS/JRB Fort Worth during various Base Realignment and Closure (BRACs) rounds; and
WHEREAS, Fort Worth Congresswoman Kay Granger has written a letter to U.S.
Secretary of Navy Donald C. Winter asking that a future hull -possibly Littoral Combat Ship
(LCS) Hull 4, 5 or a later numbered hull in the new LCS class of U.S. Navy ships - be named
the USS Fort Worth in honor of Fort Worth and its long and proud association with the U.S.
military; and
•
• WHEREAS, while 34 American cities, including six in Texas, have active duty ships
named for their communities, Fort Worth has never had such an honor despite its long military
history; and
WHEREAS, Secretary of Navy Donald C. Winter, who has the exclusive privilege of
selecting names for U.S. Navy ships, would maintain the Navy tradition of selecting names that
reflect a place, an event or an individual with character, spirit and service by naming a ship the
USS Fort Worth:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF RICHLAND HILLS, TEXAS:
1. That the City Council of the City of Richland Hills supports Congresswoman Kay
Granger's request to U.S. Secretary of Navy Donald C. Winter to name a future LCS the USS
Fort Worth to honor Fort Worth's long and proud association with the U.S. military, and the
Tarrant County Mayors' Council asks the Secretary of Navy to expeditiously name a LCS the
USS Fort Worth; and
2. That the City Council of the City of Richland Hills sincerely believes that the USS
Fort Worth name meets the U.S. Navy Secretary's test that a ship name reflect a city with
character, spirit and service; and
• 3. That the City Council of the City of Richland Hills urges each and every citizen,
student, organization, business and its friends and neighbors to support the campaign to name a
U.S. Navy ship the USS Fort Worth; and
4. That a copy of this resolution be provided to Secretary of Navy Donald C. Winter and
to the Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michael G. Mullen to advise them of the City Council of
the City of Richland Hills' fervent desire that a U.S. Navy ship be named the USS Fort Worth.
PASSED AND APPROVED THIS 13th DAY OF JUNE 2006.
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