Senate Joint Resolution 25-017

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 25-017

BY SENATOR(S) Liston, Amabile, Baisley, Ball, Bridges, Bright, Carson, Catlin, Cutter, Daugherty, Exum, Frizell, Gonzales J., Hinrichsen, Jodeh, Kipp, Kirkmeyer, Kolker, Lundeen, Michaelson Jenet, Mullica, Pelton B., Pelton R., Rich, Roberts, Rodriguez, Simpson, Snyder, Sullivan, Wallace, Weissman, Winter F., Coleman;

also REPRESENTATIVE(S) Pugliese, Armagost, Bacon, Barron, Bird, Boesenecker, Bradley, Brooks, Brown, Caldwell, Camacho, Clifford, DeGraaf, Duran, Espenoza, Feret, Garcia, Garcia Sander, Gonzalez R., Hamrick, Hartsook, Jackson, Johnson, Keltie, Lindsay, Luck, Lukens, Mabrey, Marshall, Martinez, McCormick, Paschal, Phillips, Richardson, Rutinel, Sirota, Stewart K., Story, Suckla, Taggart, Titone, Weinberg, Woodrow, Woog, McCluskie.

CONCERNING HONORING PETTY OFFICER FIRST CLASS DANIEL T. GRIFFIN, AND, IN CONNECTION THEREWITH, DESIGNATING THE NORTH ACADEMY BRIDGE AS THE "NAVAL AVIATION PILOT AND AVIATION MACHINIST MATE PETTY OFFICER FIRST CLASS DANIEL T. GRIFFIN BRIDGE".

WHEREAS, Petty Officer First Class Daniel T. Griffin was a resident of Colorado Springs, attended Colorado Springs High School prior to his enlistment in the United States Navy, and served as a naval enlisted pilot assigned to Kaneohe Naval Air Station, Hawaii, in 1941, flying the Consolidated PBY Catalina; and

WHEREAS, On the morning of Sunday, December 7, 1941, Daniel T. Griffin was on duty with his PBY Catalina aircraft, and upon recognition of the ongoing Japanese attack, he attempted to take off, but was shot down by enemy aircraft. After making an emergency exit into the water, and while swimming to shore, Griffin was fatally wounded by enemy gunfire; and

WHEREAS, Petty Officer First Class Daniel T. Griffin is known to be the first Coloradan killed and believed to be the first American serviceman killed during the attack on Pearl Harbor; and

WHEREAS, Shortly after Griffin's death, Admiral Chester Nimitz, Commander in Chief of the Pacific Fleet, issued a citation recognizing Griffin's valor; in 1943, the United States Navy commissioned the USS Daniel T. Griffin, a destroyer escort, in recognition of Griffin's sacrifice; and

WHEREAS, Griffin's body was moved from its original burial location in Hawaii and reinterred in Evergreen Cemetery, Colorado Springs; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the Senate of the Seventy-fifth General Assembly of the State of Colorado, the House of Representatives concurring herein:

(1)  That the North Academy Bridge spanning Interstate 25 in Colorado Springs be designated as the "Naval Aviation Pilot and Aviation Machinist Mate Petty Officer First Class Daniel T. Griffin Bridge"; and

(2)  That the Colorado Department of Transportation may explore a cooperative agreement with the Colorado Springs City Council for the maintenance of the signs marking the "Naval Aviation Pilot and Aviation Machinist Mate Petty Officer First Class Daniel T. Griffin Bridge".

Be It Further Resolved, That copies of this Joint Resolution be sent to the Colorado Springs City Council, the Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Transportation Shoshana Lew, and the Transportation Commission of Colorado.