SENATE RESOLUTION

                                 8721

By Senators Costa, McAuliffe, Kastama, Long, Shin, Stevens, Poulsen, Kline, Oke, Roach, Zarelli, Spanel, Franklin, Sheldon, B., Sheahan, Eide, Rasmussen and Kohl-Welles

     WHEREAS, The USS Ingraham represents the United States government and its citizens as naval ambassador; and

     WHEREAS, The USS Ingraham was the final ship built in the Oliver Hazard Perry Class of guided missile frigates, which consists of fifty-one ships, making it the largest single class of warships built by a western navy since World War II; and

     WHEREAS, With its anti-submarine warfare system, high speed and quick reaction, this warship is a valuable asset in today=s multi-threat environment; and

     WHEREAS, On July 24, 2001, the USS Ingraham left Naval Station Everett for the Persian Gulf to enforce United Nations sanctions against Iraq; and

     WHEREAS, Within a couple of days of the deplorable events of September 11, the USS Ingraham, as a part of the Carl Vinson Battle Group, was on station to conduct air strikes when ordered; and

     WHEREAS, Some two-hundred and forty-two officers and crewmembers B including a San Diego-based helicopter detachment of twenty-four men, three midshipmen from the United States Naval Academy and a chaplain from Destroyer Squadron Nine B joined the Ingraham for its operations; and

     WHEREAS, The Ingraham personnel provided defensive actions for the Peliliu Amphibious Ready Group; escorted ammunition ships, oilers and food storage vessels through the Strait of Hormuz; and brought goods to the battle groups conducting strikes against

al Qaida members; and

     WHEREAS, Off the coast of Iraq, the USS Ingraham prevented the illegal flow of weapons, banned chemicals and other items targeted for military purposes; and

     WHEREAS, By boarding and searching hundreds of vessels, the Navy Seals teams, Marine Units and the USS Ingraham worked cooperatively to close possible escape routes to Osama bin Laden and his leadership figures;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate do hereby recognize and appreciate the sacrifices made by military personnel aboard the USS Ingraham and the families they left behind; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be immediately transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate to Naval Station Everett and the USS Ingraham.

I, Tony M. Cook, Secretary of the Senate,

do hereby certify that this is a true and

correct copy of Senate Resolution-8721,

adopted by the Senate January 30, 2002.

TONY M. COOK

Secretary of the Senate