72nd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2003 Regular Session
 
NOTE:  Matter within  { +  braces and plus signs + } in an
amended section is new. Matter within  { -  braces and minus
signs - } is existing law to be omitted. New sections are within
 { +  braces and plus signs + } .
 
 LC 2541
 
                           A-Engrossed
 
                   Senate Joint Resolution 38
                 Ordered by the Senate March 24
           Including Senate Amendments dated March 24
 
Sponsored by Senator CLARNO, Representative WESTLUND; Senators
  ATKINSON, BEYER, CORCORAN, COURTNEY, DEVLIN, FERRIOLI, FISHER,
  GEORGE, HANNON, HARPER, MESSERLE, MINNIS, MORRISETTE, MORSE,
  NELSON, SCHRADER, C STARR, WINTERS, Representatives JOHNSON,
  KITTS, KNOPP, KROPF, KRUSE, MABREY, MARCH, MILLER, G SMITH, P
  SMITH, ZAUNER
 
 
                             SUMMARY
 
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the
measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject to
consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor's
brief statement of the essential features of the measure.
 
  Directs Oregon Transportation Commission to name specified
bridge after Rex T. Barber.
 
                        JOINT RESOLUTION
  Whereas Rex T. Barber, a retired United States Air Force
Colonel born in Culver, Oregon, now deceased, was based at
Fighter II Airfield, Guadalcanal, in April 1943 when he was
chosen to participate in a dangerous, top secret mission in his
P-38 Lightning; and
  Whereas American military intelligence had broken the Japanese
code and had learned that Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, the commander
of the Japanese combined fleet and strategist behind the attack
on Pearl Harbor, was flying to Bougainville in the Solomon
Islands to inspect troops at the Japanese naval base; and
  Whereas Rex T. Barber took off from Guadalcanal in the early
morning hours of April 18, 1943, flying his P-38 Lightning in a
sixteen-plane unit, led by Major John Mitchell, and the unit flew
for 435 miles at no more than 50 feet above the ocean to avoid
detection on a mission to intercept and shoot down the plane
carrying Admiral Yamamoto; and
  Whereas Rex T. Barber's attack unit successfully intercepted
Admiral Yamamoto's plane and, after a brief but fierce air
battle, Admiral Yamamoto's plane was shot down by Rex T. Barber
and crashed in flames in the thick jungle on Bougainville,
killing Admiral Yamamoto and his crew; and
  Whereas Rex T. Barber and all but one member of his unit safely
returned to a hero's welcome at Fighter II, and although the fog
of war and the mists of time have caused confusion as to which
pilot in the attack unit shot down Admiral Yamamoto's plane,
recent research proves that Rex T. Barber should be given 100
percent credit for the heroic feat; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Legislative Assembly of the State of
  Oregon:
  That the Oregon Transportation Commission is directed to name
the newly constructed bridge over the Crooked River on U.S. Route
97 the 'Rex T. Barber Veterans Memorial Bridge.  '
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