Senate Joint Resolution 25-017
Page 1, Line 101Concerning honoring Petty Officer First Class Daniel T.
Page 1, Line 102Griffin, and, in connection therewith, designating the
Page 1, Line 103North Academy Bridge as the "Naval Aviation Pilot
Page 1, Line 104and Aviation Machinist Mate Petty Officer First Class
Page 1, Line 105Daniel T. Griffin Bridge".
Page 1, Line 1WHEREAS, Petty Officer First Class Daniel T. Griffin was a
Page 1, Line 2resident of Colorado Springs, attended Colorado Springs High School
Page 1, Line 3prior to his enlistment in the United States Navy, and served as a naval
Page 1, Line 4enlisted pilot assigned to Kaneohe Naval Air Station, Hawaii, in 1941, flying the Consolidated PBY Catalina; and
Page 1, Line 5
Page 1, Line 6WHEREAS, On the morning of Sunday, December 7, 1941,
Page 1, Line 7Daniel T. Griffin was on duty with his PBY Catalina aircraft, and upon
Page 2, Line 1recognition of the ongoing Japanese attack, he attempted to take off, but
Page 2, Line 2was shot down by enemy aircraft. After making an emergency exit into
Page 2, Line 3the water, and while swimming to shore, Griffin was fatally wounded by enemy gunfire; and
Page 2, Line 4
Page 2, Line 5WHEREAS, Petty Officer First Class Daniel T. Griffin is known
Page 2, Line 6to be the first Coloradan killed and believed to be the first American serviceman killed during the attack on Pearl Harbor; and
Page 2, Line 7
Page 2, Line 8WHEREAS, Shortly after Griffin's death, Admiral Chester Nimitz,
Page 2, Line 9Commander in Chief of the Pacific Fleet, issued a citation recognizing
Page 2, Line 10Griffin's valor; in 1943, the United States Navy commissioned the USS
Page 2, Line 11Daniel T. Griffin, a destroyer escort, in recognition of Griffin's sacrifice; and
Page 2, Line 12
Page 2, Line 13WHEREAS, Griffin's body was moved from its original burial
Page 2, Line 14location in Hawaii and reinterred in Evergreen Cemetery, Colorado Springs; now, therefore,
Page 2, Line 15
Page 2, Line 16Be It Resolved by the Senate of the Seventy-fifth General Assembly of the State of Colorado, the House of Representatives concurring herein:
Page 2, Line 18(1) That the North Academy Bridge spanning Interstate 25 in
Page 2, Line 19Colorado Springs be designated as the "Naval Aviation Pilot and Aviation Machinist Mate Petty Officer First Class Daniel T. Griffin Bridge"; and
Page 2, Line 20
Page 2, Line 21(2) That the Colorado Department of Transportation may explore
Page 2, Line 22a cooperative agreement with the Colorado Springs City Council for the
Page 2, Line 23maintenance of the signs marking the "Naval Aviation Pilot and Aviation Machinist Mate Petty Officer First Class Daniel T. Griffin Bridge".
Page 2, Line 24
Page 2, Line 25Be It Further Resolved, That copies of this Joint Resolution be sent
Page 2, Line 26to the Colorado Springs City Council, the Executive Director of the
Page 2, Line 27Colorado Department of Transportation Shoshana Lew, and the Transportation Commission of Colorado.