SENATE RESOLUTION

8654

BySenators Hasegawa and Wagoner

WHEREAS, After earning his wings in December 1943, United States Army Air Forces veteran Captain Richard "Dick" Alan Nelms served in the European Theater during World War II as a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress copilot and pilot, assigned to the 447th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force, based in Rattlesden, England; and

WHEREAS, Dick Nelms flew 35 missions into Germany, France, and other Nazi-occupied territories, sustaining battle damage in 25 of those missions, and helped write and plan food and supply drops to the Marquis Freedom Fighters in France and others; and

WHEREAS, Dick Nelms has earned numerous valor awards for his service, including the Distinguished Flying Cross, five Air Medals, the Presidential Unit Citation, and the French Legion of Honor Medal; and

WHEREAS, Following the war, Dick Nelms established a successful freelance commercial art business, including a job with the King county library system in the 1970s, and served as an art director for the next 45 years in the Seattle area; and

WHEREAS, Dick Nelms was commissioned in 1967 to create a new Washington state seal insignia, selecting a Gilbert Stuart portrait of George Washington for the design, which was accepted and made the official state seal by the legislature; and

WHEREAS, Since starting as a Museum of Flight volunteer in March 2016, Dick Nelms has regularly engaged with thousands of museum visitors from around the world, sharing how he and his comrades dealt with fear and other realities of war and his pride for "putting a dent in Hitler's war machine;" and

WHEREAS, As a museum volunteer, Dick has gone out into the community and across the United States to share his knowledge and wartime experience with numerous organizations, including schools, museums, community centers, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, and at the Air Force Ball celebrating the 70th anniversary of the United States Air Force; and

WHEREAS, On February 17, 2023, Dick Nelms celebrated his 100th birthday at the Museum of Flight;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington state Senate recognize and honor Mr. Dick Nelms for his significant contributions to our state and country.

I, Sarah Bannister, Secretary of the Senate,

do hereby certify that this is a true and

correct copy of Senate Resolution 8654,

adopted by the Senate

January 16, 2024

SARAH BANNISTER

Secretary of the Senate