Amended in Assembly May 22, 2014

Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 107

Introduced by Senator Hueso

(Principal coauthor: Senator Knight)

(Principal coauthors: Assembly Members Chávez and Quirk-Silva)

April 2, 2014

Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 107—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 begin delete Day,” end delete begin insert Day” and end insert “Saving Private begin delete Ryan,”
and “Band of Brothers”; end delete begin insert Ryan;” end insert 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.