116 STAT. 3158 CONCURRENT RESOLUTIONS—OCT. 17, 2002 fought back, shooting down a confirmed three enemy planes and crippHng at least two more; Whereas when the HENRY BACON began to sink, her captain ensured that all 19 Norwegian refugees on board received a place in one of the undamaged lifeboats; Whereas when the lifeboat supply was exhausted, crewmen made rough rafts from the railroad ties that had been used to secure locomotives delivered to Russia; Whereas the HENRY BACON went down with 28 members of her crew, including Captain Alfred Carini, Chief Engineer Donald Haviland, Bosun Holcomb Lammon Jr., and the commanding officer of the United States Navy Armed Guard unit aboard. Lieutenant (junior grade) John Sippola, but in its sinking kept the German planes from looking further and locating the main body of the convoy; Whereas the 19 Norwegian refugees, as well as the other survivors, were rescued by British destroyers and those refugees were ultimately returned to Norway; and Whereas the actions of the officers and crew of the HENRY BACON were in the finest tradition of the United States Merchant Marine and the United States Navy and have been recognized by the people of Norway and Russia but, until now, have not been acknowledged by their own Nation: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That the Congress recognizes the valiant deeds of the officers and crew of the S.S. HENRY BACON, a World War H United States Liberty ship that was sunk by German aircraft on February 23, 1945. Oct. 17, 2002 LAO VETERANS OF AMERICA—HONORING AND [H. Con. Res. 406] COMMENDING Whereas one of the largest clandestine operations in United States military history was conducted in Laos during the Vietnam War; Whereas the Central Intelligence Agency and the United States Armed Forces recruited, organized, trained, and assisted Laotian and Hmong guerrilla units and conventional forces, including ethnic lowland Lao and highland Laotians composed of Hmong, Khmu, Mien, Yao, Lahu, and other diverse tribal and nontribal ethnic groups, from 1960 through 1975 to combat the North Vietnamese Army and Communist Pathet Lao forces; Whereas Laotian and Hmong special forces who served in the United States sponsored "Secret Army" courageously saved numerous American pilots and aircrews who were shot down over Laos or North Vietnam and interdicted and helped to destroy many enemy units and convoys intended to engage United States military forces in combat; Whereas Laotian and Hmong special forces served in key roles with air force elements of the United States Air Force, United States Navy carrier-based air units, United States Army heliborne units, and the Central Intelligence Agenc^s "Air America" in distinguished roles such as T-28 fighter pilots, "Raven" spotter
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