HOUSE MEMORIAL 106

53rd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2017

INTRODUCED BY

Kelly K. Fajardo and Alonzo Baldonado

A MEMORIAL

DECLARING MARCH 16, 2017 "MEDAL OF HONOR DAY" IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND HONORING NEW MEXICO HEROES.

     WHEREAS, New Mexicans recognize the sacrifices that military men and women make to preserve the freedoms that individuals have today; and

     WHEREAS, in honor of those sacrifices, the medal of honor was created during the American Civil War as the highest military decoration presented by the United States government to a member of the armed forces; and

     WHEREAS, to qualify for the medal of honor, the recipient must have engaged in distinguished actions at the risk of the recipient's own life, above and beyond the call of duty, against an enemy of the United States; and

     WHEREAS, recipients of the medal of honor are categorized by the state in which they enlisted or served; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico is credited with nine medal of honor recipients; and

     WHEREAS, April 6, 2017 is the fiftieth anniversary of United States army Specialist Fourth Class Daniel D. Fernandez being awarded the medal of honor posthumously on April 6, 1967 by President Lyndon B. Johnson; and

     WHEREAS, Specialist Fernandez was a native New Mexican from Valencia county who served in the United States army; and

     WHEREAS, on February 18, 1966, in Hau Nghia province, Republic of Vietnam, Specialist Fernandez showed great valor when he threw himself on an exploding grenade while shielding four soldiers attending to a wounded officer nearby, thereby saving their lives at the sacrifice of his own; and

     WHEREAS, United States army Staff Sergeant Leroy A. Petry, a native of Santa Fe, New Mexico, received the medal of honor on July 12, 2011 for his courageous actions in Afghanistan during the war on terror; and

     WHEREAS, United States army Staff Sergeant Franklin D. Miller of Albuquerque, New Mexico, saw action during the Vietnam War and received the medal of honor on June 15, 1971; and

     WHEREAS, United States army Corporal Hiroshi Miyamura, a Gallup native, saw action during the Korean War and received the medal of honor on November 4, 1953; and

     WHEREAS, United States army Captain Robert S. Scott enlisted in Santa Fe, New Mexico, during World War II and was recognized for his actions on Okinawa, Japan, and received the medal of honor on October 14, 1944; and

     WHEREAS, United States army Private First Class Alejandro R. Ruiz, who was born in Loving, New Mexico, received the medal of honor on June 14, 1946 for his heroic conduct during World War II; and

     WHEREAS, United States marine Lieutenant Alexander Bonnyman, Jr., was awarded the medal of honor on October 28, 1946 for his valor during World War II; and

     WHEREAS, during the Indian campaigns, calvary Private Eben Stanley was awarded the medal of honor for his gallantry in action in Arizona on March 25 and March 27, 1873, and cavalry First Sergeant Francis Oliver received the medal of honor for his gallantry in battle on October 20, 1869; and

     WHEREAS, the following seven medal of honor recipients were born in New Mexico but either moved to, or enlisted in the military service from, another state, to which their award was credited: United States army Private Joe P. Martinez; United States army Private Harold H. Moon, Jr.; United States army Private First Class Jose F. Valdez; United States army air forces Brigadier General Kenneth N. Walker; United States army Staff Sergeant Delbert O. Jennings; United States army Sergeant First Class Louis R. Rocco; and United States marine Lance Corporal Kenneth L. Worley; and

     WHEREAS, it is incumbent on New Mexicans of all ages to recognize how the life, service and honorable sacrifices of these bravest of men contribute to the rich and proud history of New Mexico;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that March 16, 2017 be declared "Medal of Honor Day" in the house of representatives; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the adjutant general of the department of military affairs, the national honor society at Valencia high school and the family of Daniel D. Fernandez.

- 4 -