WHEREAS, Master Chief Petty Officer William Goines, USN, Ret., who broke down racial barriers in the special operations community as the first Black member of the elite United States Navy SEALs, died on June 10, 2024; and

WHEREAS, William "Bill" Goines was born in Dayton, Ohio, and grew up in Lockland, Ohio, where he attended the all-Black Lockland Wayne High School; and

WHEREAS, Bill Goines was inspired to serve the nation after seeing a movie about Underwater Demolition Teams (UDT) in World War II and enlisted in the United States Navy after graduating from high school in 1955; and

WHEREAS, Bill Goines overcame racial discrimination and volunteered for UDT, then distinguished himself as one of only 13 students out of more than 90 individuals in his class to graduate from the rigorous training program; and

WHEREAS, in 1962, President John F. Kennedy ordered the formation of the Navy SEALs as an elite, rapid-reaction special operations unit originally consisting of two teams, one stationed in California and the other in Virginia; Bill Goines was selected as one of the 40 founding members and the only Black member of Seal Team Two, based in Virginia Beach; and

WHEREAS, among many assignments, Bill Goines served three tours of duty in combat in Vietnam and was a skilled linguist who once trained and led a Vietnamese unit; and

WHEREAS, beginning in 1976, Bill Goines served for five years on the Chuting Stars, the United States Navy's parachute exhibition team; and

WHEREAS, over the course of his career, Bill Goines was admired as a dedicated teammate and highly respected as an instructor for his effective teaching style; he received the Bronze Star Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Combat Action Ribbon, and the Navy Presidential Unit Citation, as well as several other awards and decorations; and

WHEREAS, after 32 years of distinguished service, Bill Goines retired from the United States Navy in 1987; he spent the next 14 years safeguarding young people as the chief of police for Portsmouth Public Schools and subsequently volunteered to help recruit minorities into the Navy SEALs; and

WHEREAS, in 2023, Bill Goines received the Lone Sailor Award from the United States Navy Memorial for his commitment to excellence during and after his military service; and

WHEREAS, Bill Goines will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by numerous family members, friends, and fellow veterans; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Delegates hereby note with great sadness the loss of Master Chief Petty Officer William Goines, USN, Ret., the first Black member of the United States Navy SEALs; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Master Chief Petty Officer William Goines, USN, Ret., as an expression of the House of Delegates' respect for his memory.