Bill Text: NY J02727 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Commending Kenneth C. Thayer posthumously upon the occasion of his designation as recipient of a Liberty Medal, the highest honor bestowed upon an individual by the New York State Senate

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-09-23 - REFERRED TO FINANCE [J02727 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-J02727-Introduced.html

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Senate Resolution No. 2727

BY: Senator GRIFFO

        COMMENDING Kenneth C. Thayer posthumously upon the
        occasion  of  his  designation  as  recipient  of  a
        Liberty Medal, the highest honor  bestowed  upon  an
        individual by the New York State Senate

  WHEREAS,  Members  of the Armed Services from the State of New York,
who have served so  valiantly  and  honorably  in  wars  in  which  this
country's  freedom was at stake, as well as in the preservation of peace
in peacetime, deserve a special salute; and

  WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to commend Kenneth C.
Thayer posthumously upon the occasion of his designation as recipient of
a Liberty Medal, the highest honor bestowed upon an  individual  by  the
New York State Senate, to be honored in September of 2024, by the people
of  Limburg  Province  and  presented to King Willem-Alexander and Queen
Maxima of The Netherlands, in commemoration of the 80th  Anniversary  of
the Liberation of The Netherlands; and

  WHEREAS,  As  a  combat  infantryman  of  Company  K, 119th Infantry
Regiment, 30th Infantry  Division,  U.S.  Army,  Kenneth  C.  Thayer  is
believed  to  be one of the first soldiers of the Allied Armies to cross
over from  Belgium  into  The  Netherlands  in  the  pre-dawn  hours  of
September  12,  2024;  this  historic event preceded the Allied combined
ground/airborne operation known as Market Garden by five days; and

  WHEREAS,  Kenneth  C.  Thayer,  in  a  brave  act  of  selflessness,
volunteered  to  conduct  a one-man reconnaissance patrol into the Dutch
village of Noorbeek to scope out the area ahead for  his  platoon;  this
village is considered by many to be the first village in The Netherlands
to be liberated in World War II; and

  WHEREAS, During his eleven-month tour of combat duty in the European
Theater  of  Operations mainly with the United States Army 30th Infantry
Division, from July  1944  to  May  1945,  Kenneth  C.  Thayer  was  the
recipient  of  the  Distinguished  Service  Cross, two Bronze Stars, and
three Purple Hearts; and

  WHEREAS, Kenneth C. Thayer was a Clinton, New York  resident  and  a
retired  Air  Force  civilian  employee who dutifully and proudly served
four decades in a supervisory capacity at Griffiss  Air  Force  Base  in
Rome, New York; and

  WHEREAS,  This  esteemed  veteran  was  the  author  of  "The  Young
Liberators:  Volume One: From Citizen to Soldier" and "Volume Two:  From
Mortain  to  Victory  in  Europe";  he  is  also  the past National Vice
President of the Air Force Association whose mission is to  educate  the
public  about aerospace power and its importance in defending the United
States; and

  WHEREAS, For several decades, Kenneth C. Thayer served as  Treasurer
for the Central Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (CABVI);
in 2023, CABVI named a new building in Utica, New York in his honor; and

  WHEREAS, Residents of this great State must never forget the courage
with  which these men and women served their country, and must recognize
that no greater debt is owed than that owed  to  those  who  gave  their
lives  for  their beloved Nation and to those who continue to be missing
in action; and

  WHEREAS,  Having  exhibited  his patriotism both at home and abroad,
Kenneth C. Thayer demonstrated his  love  for  his  country  and  merits
forevermore, the highest respect of his State and Nation; and

  WHEREAS,  Our  Nation's veterans deserve to be recognized, commended
and thanked by the people of the State of New York for their service and
for their dedication to their communities, their State and their Nation;
now, therefore, be it

  RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its  deliberations  to
commend  Kenneth  C.  Thayer  posthumously  upon  the  occasion  of  his
designation as recipient of a Liberty Medal; and be it further

  RESOLVED, That a copy of this  Resolution,  suitably  engrossed,  be
transmitted to the family of Kenneth C. Thayer.