BILL NUMBER: SCR 107	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 22, 2014

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Hueso
   (Principal coauthor: Senator Knight)
   (Principal coauthors: Assembly Members Chávez and Quirk-Silva)

                        APRIL 2, 2014

   Relative to D-Day Remembrance Day.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SCR 107, as amended, Hueso. D-Day Invasion: 70th anniversary.
   This measure would commemorate the 70th anniversary of the D-Day
Invasion by proclaiming June 6, 2014, as D-Day Remembrance Day and
urging Governor Jerry Brown to instruct all state agencies to fly the
flag of the United States and the flag of California at half-mast on
that day, in recognition of the heroism and sacrifices of the
participants in those landings.
   Fiscal committee: no.



   WHEREAS, The Second World War, which lasted from 1939 to 1945, was
the most widespread war in human history, directly involving more
than 100 million people from more than 30 different countries, which
were split between two opposing military alliances - the Allies, led
by the United States of America and the United Kingdom, and the Axis,
led by Nazi Germany and the Empire of Japan; and
   WHEREAS, The Axis powers initiated military aggression and
maintained the strategic momentum until gradually slowed by Allied
resistance in late 1942 and 1943, after which the Allies reversed the
momentum and commenced operations to liberate Axis-conquered lands,
such operations including Operation Overlord, a massive military and
naval effort toward the reclamation of German-occupied Western
Europe; and
   WHEREAS, The combat operations of Operation Overlord, also known
as the D-Day Landings, began on June 6, 1944, with an Allied invasion
from England into German-occupied Normandy (France); and
   WHEREAS, The landings were conducted in two phases: a nighttime
airborne assault by 24,000 United States, British, and Canadian
paratroopers and glider-borne soldiers shortly after midnight,
followed by an early morning amphibious landing by Allied infantry
and armored divisions onto five beach sites on the Normandy coast;
and
   WHEREAS, The Allies executed a complex series of deceptions,
helping them achieve strategic and tactical surprise over the
Germans, who had been led to believe that the main thrust of the
expected Allied invasion would involve different times, locations,
and methods than actually employed; and
   WHEREAS, The Allied paratroopers landed to seize and then hold key
bridges and road junctions behind enemy lines against the
overwhelming German military force that surrounded them; and
   WHEREAS, Despite the effectiveness of Allied deceptions in
achieving surprise and partially reducing the strength of German
coastal fortifications, the amphibious landings were made into the
teeth of a still-lethal, interlocking defense manned by skilled
German soldiers wielding state-of-the-art weaponry; and
   WHEREAS, The resulting combat was among the bloodiest and most
pivotal of the entire global conflict, and the names of its battle
sites, such as Omaha Beach, Utah Beach, and the cliffs of Pointe du
Hoc, have been embedded into United States military history; and
   WHEREAS, Despite the terrible cost in human life, the ultimately
successful execution of the D-Day invasion led directly to the
liberation of Western Europe, the fall of Adolf Hitler, and the
defeat of Nazi Germany during the subsequent 11 months; and
   WHEREAS, The heroism of the warriors who fought on D-Day has been
depicted in numerous literary and cinematic classics, including "The
Longest  Day,"   Day" and  "Saving Private
 Ryan," and "Band of Brothers";   Ryan;" 
and
   WHEREAS, June 6, 2014, represents the 70th anniversary of the
D-Day Landings, and serves as a direct reminder of the extraordinary
sacrifices made by members of the United States Armed Forces on
D-Day, and also, indirectly, to the sacrifices made during the rest
of the Second World War and in all other armed conflicts past,
present, and future; and
   WHEREAS, It is fitting and appropriate that the State of
California and its residents recognize this anniversary to honor the
courageous individuals who heeded our nation's call and risked their
lives, health, and dreams to defend our liberty and national
interests; now, therefore, be it
   Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly
thereof concurring, That the Legislature urges Californians to
observe the anniversary of the D-Day Landings and hereby proclaims
June 6, 2014, as D-Day Remembrance Day, calling upon all Californians
to observe this with appropriate ceremonies and activities that
honor and give thanks to our distinguished veterans who survived that
military operation; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Legislature urges Governor Jerry Brown to
proclaim June 6, 2014, as D-Day Remembrance Day and instruct all
state departments, agencies, interest groups, organizations, and
individuals to fly the flag of the United States and the flag of
California at half-mast on June 6, 2014, in memory of the
Californians who perished on D-Day; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this
resolution to the Department of Veterans Affairs, to the Military
Department, to the California State Military Museum, and to the
author for appropriate distribution.