Bill Text: PA HR415 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Commemorating the 237th anniversary of the founding of the First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry, also known as the "First City Troop."

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 46-25)

Status: (Passed) 2011-11-15 - Adopted (195-0) [HR415 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2011-HR415-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 2433
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No. 415 Session of2011
INTRODUCED BY MICCARELLI, JOSEPHS, BAKER, BOBACK, BRENNAN, V. BROWN, CALTAGIRONE, CLYMER, COHEN, D. COSTA, CUTLER, DALEY, DeLUCA, DeWEESE, DiGIROLAMO, FABRIZIO, FLECK, GABLER, GEORGE, GINGRICH, GODSHALL, HAHN, HARHART, HARRIS, HENNESSEY, KAUFFMAN, KILLION, KORTZ, LONGIETTI, MAJOR, MANN, MARSHALL, MARSICO, McGEEHAN, METCALFE, MILLARD, MIRABITO, MURT, MUSTIO, O'NEILL, PAYTON, QUIGLEY, READSHAW, ROCK, ROSS, SAINATO, SANTONI, SAYLOR, SCAVELLO, STEVENSON, SWANGER, VEREB, WATSON, DAVIS, EVERETT, M. K. KELLER AND TALLMAN, SEPTEMBER 28, 2011
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, SEPTEMBER 28, 2011
A RESOLUTION
Commemorating the 237th anniversary of the founding of the First
Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry, also known as the "First
City Troop."
WHEREAS, The First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry, also
known as the "First City Troop," founded in 1774, is a purely
volunteer cavalry troop and is a unit of the Pennsylvania Army
National Guard; and
WHEREAS, The First City Troop was organized as the Light
Horse of the City of Philadelphia, often referred to as the
Philadelphia Light Horse, and, as one of the first patriotic
military organizations established in the American Revolution,
it is the oldest continuously serving unit in the United States
military; and
WHEREAS, Early members came from a number of local social
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organizations, including the Schuylkill Fishing Company, the
Schuylkill Company of Fort Saint Davids, the Saint Andrew's
Society of Philadelphia, the Society of the Friendly Sons of
Saint Patrick, the Society of the Sons of Saint George and
especially the Gloucester Fox Hunting Club; and
WHEREAS, The First City Troop draws its membership from Troop
A, 1st Squadron, 104th Cavalry, 28th Division, Pennsylvania Army
National Guard, a division which maintains a high state of
readiness to survive the pace and lethality that characterize
medium- and large-scale conflicts, and during peacetime,
division soldiers may be called by the Governor for emergency
situations; and
WHEREAS, During the American Revolution, the First City Troop
fought in the battles of Trenton, Princeton, Brandywine and
Germantown and often served as George Washington's personal
bodyguard; and
WHEREAS, The unit also saved James Wilson at the "Battle of
Fort Wilson" riot; and
WHEREAS, During the Civil War, the First City Troop was
called into active duty several times, beginning with the 1861
campaign that led to the First Battle of Bull Run, and the
impact of its involvement was deep and far-reaching; and
WHEREAS, During the Gettysburg Campaign, the company, under
the command of future United States Speaker of the House Samuel
J. Randall, performed scouting duties around Gettysburg in late
June before fleeing to neighboring York County following a brief
skirmish on June 26, 1863, and it later helped defend the
Columbia-Wrightsville Bridge against the Confederate forces of
John Brown Gordon; and
WHEREAS, The men of First City Troop acquitted themselves
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with honor, skill and courage throughout the Civil War and
provided the country a shining example of the role of the
citizen-soldier during one of the darkest periods in United
States history; and
WHEREAS, In 1902, the First City Troop answered the call of
the Governor and served in Luzerne County during the coal
strikes, and in 1936 it was called to active State duty to aid
in the recovery efforts following the Johnstown Flood; and
WHEREAS, In 1916, the First City Troop voted to expand the
size of the active roll and, along with the rest of the National
Guard, was nationalized and posted to Fort Bliss on the Mexico-
Texas border; and
WHEREAS, The First City Troop deployed to Europe and saw
action in the Argonne Forest as well as other locations during
World War I; and
WHEREAS, The First City Troop served two major missions
stateside during World War II, patrolling the Delaware River and
afterwards patrolling on the Pacific Coast, and in February
1945, the unit was dispatched to Europe, where it served in
Belgium and Germany; and
WHEREAS, During the Korean War the First City Troop was
posted to serve near Munich, the capital of Bavaria, Germany,
from 1951 to 1952; and
WHEREAS, Throughout the Vietnam conflict the First City Troop
reorganized and trained in several states outside of
Pennsylvania, and operations on the ceremonial and traditional
fronts continued at full pace; and
WHEREAS, September 11, 2001, changed the First City Troop as
it did the entire nation, and, finding itself in more demand to
serve the county, it quickened training and issued new equipment
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so that by the spring of 2002 when orders were issued, the troop
was ready for mobilization along with other elements of the 28th
Infantry Division; and
WHEREAS, Today, the First City Troop continues to serve the
nation, deploying overseas with the Pennsylvania National Guard
in support of Army operations, and recent deployments have been
to Bosnia, Iraq and Egypt; and
WHEREAS, The First City Troop has assisted the citizens of
Pennsylvania during numerous natural disasters and State
emergencies; and
WHEREAS, Most members of the First City Troop would qualify
to be officers in other units but choose to serve as enlisted
men in the troop, and soldiers on the active roll continue to
donate their drill pay back to the unit in order to maintain a
tradition of voluntary service; and
WHEREAS, The First City Troop is the only military unit in
the United States that owns its own Armory building, built with
private funds in the Rittenhouse section of Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS, The citizen soldiers of the First City Troop have
served with courage and selflessness and have earned the respect
and gratitude of Pennsylvanians and all Americans; and
WHEREAS, The First City Troop continues to build on its
heritage as a reliable and relevant community-based force that
is always ready and always there, whether to protect our
homeland against attack, to observe traditional customs and
ceremonial duties, to support civil authorities or to defend
freedom overseas; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives:
(1) Proudly recognize the 237th anniversary of the
founding of the First City Troop and its exemplary service to
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the Commonwealth and the nation.
(2) Thank the members of the First City Troop and their
families for their service and their sacrifice on behalf of
the Commonwealth and the nation.
(3) Pledge its continued support to the First City Troop
and offer best wishes for continued growth and exceptional
service in the years to come.
(4) Honor the dedication of the members of the First
City Troop who play a central role in protecting this
Commonwealth and the United States and the freedoms and
liberties of all citizens;
and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to
the Governor, the Adjutant General of Pennsylvania and the
Captain of the First City Troop, Tyler Hathaway, First Troop
Philadelphia City Cavalry, The Armory, 22 South 23rd Street,
Philadelphia, PA 19103.
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